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MEMOIRS

OF THE DIFFERENT

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

FROM THE

ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH:

WITH A

PARTICULAR DETAIL OF THAT WHICH BROKE OUT THE XXIII D OF MAY, MDCCXCVIII;

THE

HISTORY OR THE CONSPIRACY WHICH PRECEDED IT

AND THE

CHARACTERS OF THE PRINCIPAL ACTORS IN IT.

COMPILED FROM

ORIGINAL AFFIDAVITS AND OTHER AUTHENTIC DOCUMENTS;

AND

ILLUSTRATED WITH MAPS AND PLATES.

By  Sir RICHARD MUSGRAVE, Bart.

MEMBER IN THE LATE  IRISH PARLIAMENT.

The danger of the day’s but newly gone,
 Whose memory is written on the earth
With yet-appearing blood! Shakespeare.

Hoc illud eû precipue in cognitione rerum salubre ac frugiferum, omnis te exempli documenta in illustri posita monumento, intæri, inde tibi, tuæque republicæ, quod imitere capias; inde  foedum inceptu, foedum exitu, quod vites. —Livy.

DUBLIN

FOR JOHN MILLIKEN, 32, GRAFTON-STREET,

AND

JOHN STOCKDALE, PICCADILLY, LONDON.

1801

IRELAND.

[frontispiece: port of General Lake; facing t.p.]

[Dedication:]

TO HIS EXCELLENCY

CHARLES, MARQUIS CORNWALLIS,

LORD LIEUTENANT GENERAL, AND GENERAL GOVERNOR OF IRELAND.

MY LORD,

From a fenfe of duty, and zeal for the publick welfare, I undertook to write the following pages, which 1 have the honour, with your Excellency’s permillion, of dedicating to you.

Hiftory, which is a mirror of paft times, is the beft guide to the ftatefman; and Livy tells us, that he wrote his, that the republick might learn leffons of wifdom and prudence from it, by avoiding fuch meafures as had proved fatal, and by embracing fuch as had been found falutary for its intereft.

It is much to be lamented that Ireland has been difgraced, and that her improvement in morals and induflry has been retarded for near three centuries by civil diffenfions; and from their frequent recurrence, and as they have been uniformly direded to one object, “a feparation from England,” we may fairly conclude, that the predifpofing caufes to them muft be inveterate, and that the feeds of combuftion muft be deeply and extenfively laid.

As Ireland is now become an integral part of the empire, it is to be hoped that the Imperial Government will apply more effectual remedies than have been hitherto adopted, to

vi DEDICATION.

remove the caufes of her rebellions, her crimes and difgraces } but it would be as imprudent to undertake that talk, without having a perfed knowledge of them, as for a phyfician to adminifter medicine to a patient, without having inveftigated the fymptoms and diagnortics of his difeafe. I confider it then as an important, nay as a facred duty, to lay before the people of England the origin and progrefs of the late confpiracy and rebellion; for I have good reafon for faying, that the majority of them are as ignorant of the real ftate of Ireland, as they are of Kamfkatka or Madagafcar; which has arifen from the following caufes: An angry oppofition in parliament has conftantly imputed the difturbances and infurredions in Ireland to a wrong fource, and have feverely and unjuftly arraigned the wifeft meafures of government for their fuppreflion. Thus truth has been perverted through the medium of faction, as the rays of light refraded through the prifm, prefent various falfe lights and colours : Englilhmen, who vifited Ireland for a few days or weeks, have imbibed the prejudices of fadious and defigning men, with whom they fortuitoufly aflbciated, as we are told the camelion affimilates to the colour of whatever body he approaches; and fuch men have taken upon them to write on the religious, moral and political Hate of Ireland :* The Jacobins both in England and Ireland, in order to feed the flame of rebellion, have inlmuated both orally and through the prefs, that the rebellion arofe from the oppreffion of the Roman catholicks; an affertion as falfe as it is iniquitous!

* Mr. George Cooper ftands confpicuous among thefe; for he has written a book printed by J. Davis, in Chancery-lane, London, in which he has fhewn a radical ignorance of the affairs of Ireland, and gives a grofs and flagrant mifreprefentation of them and another Jacobin pamphlet, “On the ftate of affairs in the year 1799” abounds with grofs falfehoods and miftatements on the fame fubjedt,

DEDICATION. vii

They enjoy as much civil liberty as any other portion of his majefty’s fubjeds, and their lives, liberties and properties are protected by the fame laws; and as a proof of it, behold, of the popifh perfuafion, the number of wealthy merchants, manufacturers and mechanicks in Dublin, Cork, Waterford and Limerick, the farmers in the counties of Meath, Weftmeath, Tipperary, Limerick, and in many other parts of the kingdom, who have made large fortunes within a few years I Is not the Roman catholick labourer as much proteded by the law as the proteftant; and does not the former experience as much humanity and kindnefs from his employer as the latter Nay, I will venture to affert, that the lower clafs of Roman catholicks would prefer proteftant landlords and matters to perfons of their own perfuafion, from their well-known mildnefs and beneficence.* While the penal laws exifted, they were not enforced by the proteftants, but remained a dead letter in the flatute-book.

Such caufes of mifconception and error have operated fo ftrongly and fo generally in England, that many of the Englifh nobility and gentry, in their fpeeches on the Union, difplayed a total ignorance of the real caufes of the prcfent ftate of Ireland; an ignorance which has long proved fatal to its peace and profperity If 1 am anxious alfo, that our gracious Sovereign, whofe firft objed is the happinefs of his fubjeds, fhould know the real ftate of it.

Every perfon who perufes thefe Memoirs muft perceive, that by uniting the two kingdoms, your Excellency has laid a folid foundation for the future profperity of Ireland, by extinguilhing the feeds of diffenfion, and by filencing the voice of fadion. b 2

* See James Beaghan’s confeffion in the Appendix, page 100.

† This was very much occafioned by the miftaken zeal and the unabated exertions of Mr. Edmund Burke.

DEDICATION.

By your nice fenfe of honour and juftice, and tliofe exalted virtues which you fo eminently poflefs, you reftored Britifli honour and good faith in the Eaft, where they had been long tarnifhed; and by your valour and military fkill, you fubdued Tippo Saib, as terrific to England, as Mithridates was to Rome; and it is univerfally allowed, that he could not have been overthrown, but for the brilliant vidories which you obtained over him; by which you circumfcribed his dominions, and diminifhed his refources. It is certain then, that your Excellency is fully entitled to the greateft fhare of the laurels which were obtained by his final downfal.

Thus the fplendid and important vidories of Quintus Flaminius, the Roman conful, rendered Macedon an eafy conquert for Paulus ^milius; and the trophies won at Zama by the renowned Scipio Africanus, facilitated the deftrudion of Carthage for Scipio j3imilianus. But however great the advantages which you have procured for the empire by your conquefts in the Eaft, they are far inferior to thofe which will   arifetoit from the union of the two kingdoms; an union that will ftifie the fermentation of avarice and ambition, which operated fo ftrongly in parliament, that it appeared like a volcano, whofe annual eruptions kindled a flame in every part of the kingdom, deftrudtive of peace, of morals, and of induflry. Every fadious incendiary lighted his flambeau of difcord at it, and fcattered combuftion through the land.

Her parliament was an engine, by which fadious zeal united with fanaticifm, hoped to obtain a political afcendancy, for the purpofe of fubverting the confl;itution, and of ereding a republick on its ruins. The venal orator of the day, affuming the mafk of patriotifm, and the garb of philanthropy, deluded and agitated the giddy multitude, though his eloquence might be

DEDICATION.

as little regarded as that of a mountebank, who, when he promifes the people health and longevity, difTeminates poifon amongft them.

What thefe political empirics fo long contended for, your Excellency has virtually given them, by an Union; a reform of parliament,” in an alfimilation of the Irifh conftitution to that of England, and an “ equal participation of her commercial advantages.” Volvenda dies en! attulit ultro.” ^nd this great and important event has been accomplifhed without any difturbance or commotion; though many ominous predictions were made, that even an attempt to bring it about would produce a civil war, and occafion much bloodshed.

For this we are indebted to your Excellency’s mildnefs, humanity, and benevolence, by which you fubdued and pacified the Irifh nation (in a ftate of civil war when you arrived amongft them) more than by your fword. By your goodnefs and clemency, you faved thoufands of deluded wretches, who would have fallen a prey to the vengeance of the law; and it is to be hoped that you have awakened contrition, and a fenfe of duty in them, and have reclaimed them from their errors.

How much more laudable in the eyes of God and man, than to draw the fword of extermination, and to fend them, “ with all their imperfections on their head,” before that awful tribunal, where the beft of men, from the frailty of their nature, muft ultimately hope for mercy! Like Caefar, you fhewed them, that humanity is infeparable from true valour.

We are told in holy writ, that God made man after his own image; and in no quality can he fo nearly approach the divine nature, as in the exercife of mercy.

X

DEDICATION.

“No ceremony that to the great belongs,
Not the king’s crown, nor the deputed fword,
The marfhal’s truncheon, nor the judge’s robe,
Become them with one half fo good a grace,
As mercy does.” Shakspeare.

The Irifh nation are indebted to your Excellency for another moft important fervice; that of having put the kingdom in a better ftate of defence than it has been lince its connection with England : And it never fhould be forgotten by them, th^t when the French landed, in the year 1798, your Excellency, defpifing the board of luxury, and the down of indolence, took the field at the head of the army, and refolved to endure the fatigues of the campaign in their defence; though, from your length of fervice, and a long life dedicated to your country, you had been entitled to repofe.

That your Excellency may long continue to enjoy the favour of your Sovereign, the efteem of all good men, and the gratitude of the Irilh nation, is the fincere wifli of him who has the honour to be, with the moft profound refped.

Your Excellency’s

Dublin, Moft obedient humble fervant,

March I, 1 80 1.

RICHARD MUSGRAVE.

CONTENTS.

CONTENTS.

Page.

INTROBUCTORY difcourfe on the early ftate of Ireland           I

Origin of the white boys and right boys                      “ 3^

 of the defenders                                53

 of the orange men                             7*^

 of the catholick committee “7^

 of the united Irijhmeit                             94

Civil organization of the united Irifhmen                      “■ ‘ ^9

Pre-difpofng caufes of the rebellion in the north               ^ 5

Origin of the yeomanry                            ‘ ^59

Military organization of the united Irifhmen   Negotiation of the confpirators luith the French        . What progrefs the leaders of it made, in uniting the prejbyterians and papfls                                    179

The breaking-out of the rebellion              

Attack upon Naas by the rebels        .               .      ^33

 upon Profperous by ditto                            >■ 234

. ■ upon Clane by ditto        ^        ^        «      “ ‘^4’’

InfurreBion near Dunlavin        _        _               242

Attack on Ballymore-eujiace               ^               ~ ^43

InfurreElion at Kildare _ ^ 24^ Attack upon Menajlereven                      » ‘

 on, and maffacre at Rathangan “

 on Kilcullen ,258

 on Carlonxj        ----264

 on Kilcock        ----27®

InfurreElion near Athy and Narraghmore        .               2f2

Poifoning the garrifon at Rathcoole        <•                     28 1

Attack upon Maytiooth “ 283 Battle of Oviotfonvn                   “       ‘

 ofTara        ----294

Rebellion in the county of IVicklow       ^             “ 3°*^

Battle of Neivtoiun-barry                             “ 3^4

Rebellion in the county of Wexford                     “ 3 ^ ^

Battle of Oulart        ^                      “       “ 34^

 of Ballinrujh        ----347

. of Kitthomas “

»■     atid taking of Ennifcorthy               “        “ 34’’

Attack upon Borris                           “        “ 377

Battle of Tubberrieering near Gorey                   “ 403

 of Rofs        ----407

Majfacre of protejlants at Scullabogue                      “ 42?

Battle cj Arkloiu                             “        “ 435

Re-taking of Vinegar-hill and Ennifcorthy                     47’^

Majfacre on the bridge of Wexford          ‘        ‘        ‘ 48s

CONTENTS.

Page.

Battle of Hachetjloivn                     ^ -513

 of Ballyellis                  _        ^        ‘ S^S

•     of Ballyraheene                    ^ “5^7

of Whiteheaps                             518

 of Clonard                     .        £26

Atrocities committed in and about Ca/llecomer     ,   ^-^S

Battle of Afitrim                            _ ^^’j

 s of Sai/itfeld and Ballytiahitich *        _

Rebellion in the counties of Mayo and Sligo       “559

Battle of Cafllebar                            _ (jpj

 of Bally nainuck              «        • -611

Amount of the lojjfes fufained by the loyalifls           636

Notice to the reader and bookbinder, relative to the plates, maps, and appendixes.

Plate I.  A map of Ireland in the beginning of the work.

II.  A map of the north part of the county of Wexford is to face page 319. III.  A map of the fouth part of Wexford to face page 321. _ IV.  Ground plan of Ennifcorthy and Vinegar-hill, ferving to illuftrate the attack on the former, the twenty-eighth of May, and the retaking of it the twenty-firft of June, 1798, to face page 347. V.  Elevation of it to face page 477. VI.  Ground plan of Wexford to face page 381.

_VII.  A ground plan of Rofs, and a map of the adjacent country, is to face page 407.

■^VIII.  Plan cf the town and battle of Arklow is to face page 437. ■* — ..

IX.  Ground plan of the town of Antrim, to illuftrate the aftion that took place there, to face page 546.

X.  A map to fhew the movements of the army of the marquis Cornwallis, and general Lake, to face page 559. There is annexed to every map, a lateral index, at each fide of it, divided into inches, and indicated by numbers from the top to the bottom of the page, which will facilitate the finding any particular place, by Ihewing its latitude Thus, Wexford will be found in Plate III. No. 6. but v/hen a place lies between two numbers^ It v/ill be fo ftated.  Thus Gorey is in Plate II. 4, 5.

The general number of the appendixes is exprcfled by Roman chara£lers, with, fubordinate ones marked by figures.

[Map – incl. “List of Counties`; facing p.1]

MEMOIRS

OF THE

DIFFERENT REBELLIONS IN LRELAND, &c.

————

INTRODUCTORY DISCOURSE.

The antiquaries of the laft century contended, that the Chriftian religion was introduced into Ireland by Roman miflionaries, in the beginning of the fifth century; but a * learned writer clearly proves, that it was eftablilhed there at a much earlier period, and by miffionaries of the Greek church.

It is mofl: certain, that the Irifh clergy had no connection with, and did not fubmit to, the jurifdidion of the Roman pontiff, till the year 1152, when pope Eugenius fent, by cardinal Paparon, four palls to the archbifhops of Armagh, Dublin, Cafhel, and Tuam, when the Romifh ritual was fubflituted in the place of the Greek, which was previoufly ufed in the Irifh church; an undoubted proof that it was perfeftly independent of the pope till that period.

B Our

* Lcdwich’s Antiquities of Ireland, page 358, et feq.

2

IMEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Our excelJent primate Uflier proves this in a moft unqiieftionable manner, in a learned trcatife on the religion of the antient Irifli, well worth the perufal of the natives of Ireland. Archbifhop * Anfelm, in his letters to Muriardach an Irifh king, complained that bifliops were confecrated by bifhops alone, and often by one bifliop only, contrary to a canon of the Nicene council, which required two bifhops, at leaft, to attend the confecration of one; but the Irifh clergy were totally ignorant of the councils of the church, and derived their knowledge of Chriftianity,, for near eight hundred years, from no other fource but the bible, the grand charter of Chriftians. Athanafms allowed the confecration of Siderius, bifhop of Paloebifca; and the church of Alexandria that of Evagrius, though performed but by one biftop. As to celibacy, we know, from W are, that the four archbifliops of Armagh who preceded Celfus, and Celfus himfelf, who died 1129, were married; and, not until popery was eftabhflied at Cafliel in 1172, was marriage interdicted.

In the end of the twelfth and the beginning of the thirteenth century, a feafon of midnight ignorance in Europe,, the Roman pontiff, who Yv’as regarded with fuperftitious reverence, claimed and gradually acquired a fuperiority, not only of fpiritual, but of temporal power, over all the potentates of Europe, who confidered his fanftion as neceflary to expiate the guilt of any crime, how heinous foever, or to promote the fnccefs of any adventure.

For this reafon, Henry II. foUcited pope Adrian for a bull to give him. the invefliture of Ireland; and, in confideration of it, agreed to grant him a tax of one penny on each houfe in it, called Peter Pence.

When Phocas murdered his liege fovereign Mauritius, emperor of Conr* ‘uitinople, in the year 602, he obtained the pope’s benedidion, and by this varniflied over the turpitude of that foul a£lion; and Pepin, having depofed lung Chilperic, and feized the throne of France in the year 751, prevailed ori pope Zachary to abfolve the French from

their

* Anfelm. Epifl. 1. 3. ep. 141, 147. Uflier, Epifl:. Hib. p. 95. Lanfranc, archbifhop of Canterbury, complained of this practice above twenty years before.  Uflier, fup. p. 73.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 3

their allegiance to their lawful prince, whom he fliaved, and ccnrncd in a monaftery, “ Tantum religio potuit fuadere malorum.”

In like manner, when Ethelred, king of the Northumbrians, was aflaflinated in the year 796, Eardulph, who ufurped his throne, was anointed, and went through fome pompous ceremonies at his coronation, to hallow his ufurpation with the odour of fandity.

Rebellion, ufurpation, and murder, are crimes that require extraordinary meafures to palliate them in the eyes of the people, and to procure fome veneration for the perfons who have been guilty of them.

Adrian, in his bull, empowered Henry II. “ to * propagate in Ireland the righteous plantation of faith, and the branch mod acceptable to God which meant no more, than that he fhould fubjedt that kingdom to the dominion of the pope, which it is remarkable was the laft country in Europe that fubmitted to the ambitious and rapacious defigns of his holinefs.

At this day the Roman Catholicks deprecate the grant of Ireland to a foreign and not a native prince. Mc. Geoghegan, in his hiilory of Ireland, torn, i . p. 440, exclaims thus againft it : “ A decree pronounced againfl: Ireland, by which the rights of nations, and the moft facred laws are violated, under the fpecious pretext of religion, and the reformation of manners! Could one fufpecl the vicar of Chrift of fuch grofs injuftice? Could one believe him capable of iffuing a bull, by which an entire nation was overturned?” f If the aboriginal Irifh lament the fettlement of the Englifh in Ireland, all its loyal inhabitants have to deplore, that they introduced popery into it, as it has been a conftant fource of difaffedion, and has produced unutterable calamities in it.

B 2 It

* Unde tanto in eis libentius plantatioiiem fidclem, & germcn gratum Deo inferimus. Uflier, fup. p. 109.

*’ -fUn arret prononce centre I’Irelande, par lequel le droit des gens, & les loix les plus facrees font violees, fous le fpecieux pretexte de religion & de reformation des mosiirs. Peut on foup9onner le vicaii e de Jefus Criri(t d’une injuftice fi criaute? Pent on le croire coupable d’avoir di(5le une bulle qui a bouleverfc toute une nation? ‘ Mc Geoghegan was a Roman Catliolick.

4 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

jt is not the objeft nor the wifh of the writer of the following pages to difparage Ireland, or its inhabitants; the former, in point of foil and climate, the latter, in their intelledual and corporeal powers, being defcrvedly edeemed among the finefl works of the creation; but to evince the truth of the maxim, that an imperium in imperio, or two feparate fovereign powers, civil and ecclefiafticaL, cannot co-exifl in the fame ftate, without perpetual collifion, producing difcord and rebellion; and that the only remedy for the calamities attendant on fuch a ftate is, either the extinftion of one power, or the milder procedure of incorporating it with the other. The latter mode has been adopted in Ireland : abftracl reafoning muft approve, and experience will demonftrate, the meafure to be founded in the trueft wifdom.

Few of the writers on the Union of Ireland with England have calmly difcuffed the fubjed on the grounds here ftated; if they had, thofe who oppofed it would have received conviction, and thofe who fupported it, would have found invincible arguments in its favour, from the inftances now adduced.

As this great political queftion is finally fettled, why, it may be adced, bring it again before the publick? The anfwer is, that the publick mind is far as yet from being reconciled to it; that a plain llatement of fads, in an authenticated hiftorical detail of the various rebellions, and particularly of the occurrences of the laft which afflidted this kingdom, and defolated a confiderable portion of it, muft bring conviction to the moft uninformed, of the inftability of their fafety or happincfs, while both are fubjedl to the workings of bigotry, or the flagitious dfcfigns of the rebel and the plunderer. A mariner, who has been (hipv.Tccked on a funken rock, does not accurately defcribe its longitude and latitude for others to run on it, but carefully to avoid it; fo the writer, in recounting the former and the late rebellion, does not wdfti to revive party diftindtions and animofities, which he ardently hopes will be for ever buried in obHvion, but to point out the neceffity of adopting radical remedies to prevent their recurrence, which have been negleded by former goveniments.

In fpeaking of the Roman catholick religion, the writer hopes he will not be mifmterpreted, when he declares, that, as far as it is agreeable

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 5

able to the Gofpel, he moft highly refpefls it; but the fuperinduced dodrines, as the Pope’s infallibility and fupremacy, his difpenfing power, exclufive falvation, and other points, he knows, and the reader will perceive, are fubverfive of fociety; and if its pliability be fuch as Doftor Troy and Doclor HufTey alfert in their paftoral letters, that it can accommodate itfelf to a monarchic, ariftocratic, or democratic form of government, it may be a dangerous engine in the hands of defigning men. After this explanation, I fhall proceed to flvCtch the ftate of Ireland, on the arrival of the Englifh, in the year 1 1 6g.

The country was divided among clans or fepts, profefling fubjedion to a higher power; but, at the fame time, exercifmg every independent right. Their numbers then, according to Sir William Petty, did not exceed three hundred thoufand fouls, difperfed over more than twelve millions of acres. The country, as defcribed by Giraldus Cambrenfis, in the twelfth century, an eye-witnefs of it, was overrun with forefts, or cankered with bogs, and in all the arts of civil life, the inhabitants were little fuperior to the Indians of North America. Their Brehon laws were calculated to make them favage, and to keep them fo; as they rendered the enjoyment of life and property infecure. Their kings or princes did not fucceed each other by hereditary defcent, or any fixed principles of fuccefTion, but by force and arms. It was a peculiar favour from heaven to fend a civiHzed people among them, nor did the wifer part feem infenfible to it; for Matt. Paris tells us, that, at a council at Lifmore, they gratefully received the laws of England (gratanter receptse) and fwore to obey them, (juratoria cautione prasftita) which included their allegiance to the crown of England. As foon as Henry 11. returned, they rejected the laws, violated their allegiance, and ran into rebellion : which excluded them from the benefit of them.

A few fepts, who adhered to their oaths, were confidered as Englifli fubjects, and were protefted by law. Attached to their barbarous manner of living, and indulged by their ov/n municipal laws in hcentioufnefs of every kind, they found the wholefome reftraint of Englifli regimen, fo irkfom.e and galling, that, by perpetual infurreftions, they

6

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

endeavoured to fiiakc it off; and in the reign of Henry III. 1230,?they collefted fuch a force, that they flattered their party with the hope of being able totally to expel the Englifh (omme genus Anglorum ab Hibernise finibus exturbare,) fays Matt. Paris. This has been the declared purpofe of the native Irifli for above fix hundred years. What alone they were unable to accomplifh, they endeavoured to eftedt by calling in the aid of the pope, and the king of Spain, as we fliall fee in the fequel. The kings of England tried various means to civilize the Irifh; but they were fo blinded by difaffedion, and attached to their own barbarous cuftoms, as to oppofe every meafure for that purpofe. The ftatute of Kilkenny, 1367, is a decifive proof of this, for by it the Brehon law was abolifhed; and again by the tenth , Henry VII. and laftly by a judgment of the court of King’s Bench, fifth James I.

Speaking a different language, and obedient to different laws, it is not to be wondered at, that the Englifh and Irifh did not cordially unite, and coalefce into one people. Nothing was attempted which could materially conduce to effe<5l this; for the operations of government v/ere confined for centuries to pitiful expedients. The introdudion of the reformed religion, by increafing the antipathy of the native Irifli to the Englifli, was a new fource of calamities; for, as the Irifli ecclefiafl;icks, to whom the ignorant and bigoted people were bhndly devoted, received their education in foreign feminaries, particularly in thofe of France and Spain, they returned to their native country, bound folemnly to the pope, in an unlimited fubmiffion, without any bond of allegiance to the king, and full fraught with thofe abfurd and peffilent dodrines, which the moderate of their own communion, at leafl:, profeffed to abominate; of the univerfal dominion of the pope, as well fpiritual as temporal; of his authority to excommunicate and depofe princes; to abfolve fubjecls from their oaths of allegiance, and to difpenfe with every lav/ of God and man; to fanftify rebellion and murder, and even to change the very nature and effential difference of vice and virtue. With fuch impious tenets, fabricated by their fchools and councils, they filled their fuperfl;itious votaries,

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 7

contrary, fays Walfh the Irifh francifcan, to the letter, the lenfc, and defign of the Gofpel, the writings of the apollles, and the commentaries of their fuGcelTors, to the beUef of the Chriflian church for ten ages, and to the cleareft didlates of nature.

I hope the reader will excufe the digreffion which I fhall now make, to fhew him the origin of the Papal power, which became, in proccfs of time, from very flender beginnings, formidable to fovereign princes, and fatal to the peace of Europe; as he will be able to difcover in it, the real fource of the various rebellions which have difgraced and defolated the kingdom of Ireland; fo that I may fay with the Roman poet,

Hoc fonte derivata clades. In patriam populumque fluxit.

Long after the death of the apoftles, the popes continued to be elecled by the people and the clergy, and, when eleded, they were confecrated by fome other prelates, which, as * Eufebius tells us, happened in the cafe of St. Fabian, bifhop of Rome, in the year 236. But the bilhop, after being elected, could not be confecrated, or confirmed in the S«e, without the confent of the emperor, which was as elTential to the ratification of it, as that of our king to • the eleftion of a bifhop, by a dean and chapter. For this reafon, \vhen pope Gregory I. was elected, about the year 600, he, not wifhing to fill the pontifical chair, wrotS to the emperor Mauritius, not to confent to his eledion; but he refufed, and ratified it. The emperors thus continued to watch the eleftions and the conduft of the popes with a vigilant and jealous eye, till the year 896, when Charles the bald refigned to the pope all power and authority over the Roman See; and, on the extin£lion of the race of Charlemagne, Adrian III. made a decree, that in future the popes fhould be elected without the emperor’s confent.

Previous to this period, the em.perors maintained and exercifed fupreme power in ecclefiaftical affairs : f they appointed judges for religious caufes, prefided at councils, and often, in ecclefiaftical courts,

they

* He was bifliop of Nicomcdia, and died in the fourth century,

t Spanheim’s Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, p. iioj.

•8

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

they depofcd bifliops that v/ere lapfed into herefy, and determined difputes and fchifms hi the church. It is remarkable, that, till this £era, the councils were denominated from the emperors, and not from the popes; becaufe their canons and ordinances were invalid, till confirmed by the former. Eufebius tells us therefore, that Conftantine the great was called the general billiop, from his univerfal fupremacy over all prelates.

He alfo tells us, in his Hfe of this emperor, (lib. 3. cap. 18.) that the fathers of the council of Nice obtained the confirmation of their decrees from Conftantine the great; and the fathers of the council of Conftantinople from Theodofius the great, in the year 381, as we are told by Socrates in his Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.

The emperors forefaw how necelfary it Avas, that the civil and ecclefiaftical powers ftiould be united in the fupreme executive magiftrate, to promote and fecure the peace and profperity of the ftate; and the difcord, the ftrife, the bloodftied, and the various calamities which their Reparation afterwards occafioned, in every kingdom of Europe, proved the forefight, the prudence, and the policy of the imperial fovereigns. And yet the Irifti innovators, whofe ignorance can be equalled by nothing but their difaffeftion and audacity, have treated the union of the fpiritual and temporal power as abfurd and ridiculous.

So Uttle idea had the Roman pontiff of fupremacy in the fifth century, that, when there was a rivalftiip between him and the patriarch of Conftantinople for precedence, it was refolved by the twenty-eighth canon of the council of Chalcedon, * 451, that the fame rights and honours which had been conferred on the bifhop of Rome, were due to the biftiop of Conftantinople, on account of the equal dignity and luftre of the two cities, in which they exercifed their authority. On the clofe of the fixth century, Gregory I. was poffeffed of immenfe territories, and was in fuch eftimation for his piety, that he ftands high as a faint in the Roman calendar; and yet he had fo little idea of being fupreme head of the church, that, when the bifliop of Conftantinople

* This was a general council.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

9

ftantinople afTumed that title, he declared in a letter to the emperor Mauritius, “ that it was a blafphemous title, and that none of the Roman pontiffs had ever affumed fo fingular a one.” * And in a letter to the fame patriarch, he fays, “ what wilt thou fay to Chrift, the head of the univerfal church, in the day of judgment, who thus endeavoured to fubjeft his members to thyfelf, by this title of univerfal? Who, I afk thee, doft thou imitate in this, but the devil?” f And in a letter to the emprefs Conftantia, he fays, his pride, in affuming this title, fhewed the days of Antichrift were at hand. | The fame pope faid, “ I acknowledge that a prince, having his power from God, is fupreme over, not only the military, but the facerdotal power.” §

Rome continued the capital of the u^eflern empire, till the reign of Valentinian IL who, about the year 390, transferred it to Ravenna, for the purpofe of being near the Alps, to oppofe the incurfions of the northern barbarians; and afterwards, Theodorick, king of the Goths, did the like for the fame reafon.

As the dignity and authority of the bifhop of Ravenna were augmented by the fplendor of the court, and the auguft prefence of the emperor, he difputed the primacy of Italy with the bifliop of Rome. ||

When this falutary reftraint of the emperors over the Roman pontiffs was removed, their eagle-winged ambition foared above the power of fovereign princes, and often was the means of their dethronement.

That arrogant pontiff, Gregory VII. raifed to the popedom in the year 1073, claimed and exercifed a right of excommunicating ^ind depofmg fovereigns, by invoking their fubjeds to rife in rebellion

* Gregory’s Epiftks, lib. 4. Ind. 13, p. 137. t Gregory’s epift. 34.

f Ibid, epift. 38. § Lib. 2, epilt. 94.

II This rivalfliip reminds me of the following anecdote : An itinerant friar was preaching on a ftage in the ftreet of Florence, with a crucifix in his hand, to a numerous audience. A mountebank ereded his ftage within a few yards of him, and, by his pleafantry and fallies of wit, attra<5led to him all the followers of the friar, who was foon deferted. A mountebank in Italy goes by the appellation of punchinello. The friar, having in vain exhaufted all the force of his eloquence to induce his auditory to return, cried out in a rage, pointing to the crucifix, Ecco, il vero punchinelio!  Behold, the true punchipello!

lO

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

againft them. His ambitious efforts to gain an afcendancy over the emperors, on the clofe of the eleventh century, occafioned the fadlion of the Guelphs and Gibellines in Germany and Italy, which produced numberlefs affaffinations, tumults, and convulfions, and no lefs than fixty pitched battles in the reign of Henry IV. and eighteen in that of his fucceffor Henry V. when the claims of the Roman pontiff finally prevailed.

The emperor, Henry IV. with the emprefs, and his children, waited three days and three nights, barefooted, at the gates of the pope’s palace, for abfolution; and after all, his holinefs deprived him of his dominions, and gave them to Rodolphus, in the moll * infulting manner.

The following emperors experienced the effefts of this fcourge from the popes, whofe names are annexed; and fome of them loft their

thrones and their lives by it :

Gregory VII. excommunicated Henry III. 1076

Calixtus II.  Henry IV.    n 20

Adrian IV. ‘  Frederick         1 1 60

Calixtus III. • ■   ■ Henry V.     i’95

Innocent III. «  Otho IV. about         1 209

Gregory IX. ■  Frederick II.    1228

Again,  Frederick II.     1239

Innocent IV. Frederick II. and depofed him, 1245

Befides the above, a great many fovereign princes loft their lives and their dominions by this dreadful engine of fuperftition.

The popes, well knowing that they could not maintain the immenfe power, the great wealth, and the extenfive territories which they had acquired when Reafon re-affumed her empire, refolved to ere£l, in the boiom of every ftate, a fyftem of terror, by a device, the ingenuity of which could be equalled by nothing but its monftrous iniquity. Pope Innocent III. in the year 1215, procured the following ,lr ordinances

* He fent a crown to Rodolph with this Leonine verfc : “ Pctra dcdit Petro, Petrus diadema Rodolpho.”

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

ordinances to be pafled by the fourth council of Lateran; and the decree of a legitimate general council, fuch as this, has been always deemed infallible and irreverfible in the Romifli church : “ Heretics of every kind againft the true orthodox faith fhall be condemned; and if they Ihall not prove their innocence by a proper purgation, they fliall be excommunicated, and their efFeds fhall be confifcated. All fecular powers fnall be compelled, by ecclefiaftical cenfures, to take an oath to extirpate * within their refpedive territories, fuch of their fubjedts as fhall be condemned as hereticks by the church. But if any temporal prince fhall refufe to purge his territories of heretical pravity, when required to do fo by the metropolitan and his fuffragant bifhops, let him be excommunicated : and if he fhall not make full fatisfadion in one year, let it be notified to the fovereign pontiff, that he may abfolve his fubjeds from their oaths of allegiance, and transfer his territories to any other catholicks, who may enjoy them without contradidion, provided they exterminate all hereticks in them, and preferve the purity of the catholick faith.”

*’ All catholicks, who fhall take up arms for the purpofe of extirpating fuch hereticks, fhall enjoy the fame indulgence, and the like holy privilege, with thofe who vifited the holy land.” ‘ This means eternal falvation; and the reader will find, in the courfe of the late rebellion, that the fanguinary fanaticks who embarked in it were fure of enjoying happinefs in a future flate, for having rifen in arms againfl an heretical king; and that they regarded the extirpation of hereticks, as a facred duty which recommended them to the divine favour.

In confequence of the commentaries made on this council, the following dodrines have been inculcated : cardinal Tclet affirmed, “ that the fubjeds of an excommunicated prince are not abfolved from their oaths of allegiance, before denunciation; but, when he is denounced, they are completely fo, and are bound not to obey him, unlefs the fear of death, or the lofs of goods, excufe them j” which was the cafe with

C 2 the

* Bona fide pro viribus cxterminare ftudcbunt.

i2 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

the Englifh catholicks in the reign of Henry VIII; and father Bridgewater, an Englilh prieft, commended this faying of the cardinal.

Father Crefwell, an EngHfli prieft, faid, “ it is the fentence of all catholicks, that fubjeds are bound to expel heretical princes, by the commandment of God, the moft ftrid tie of confcience, and the extreme danger of their fouls.”

Suarez, a moft learned divine, fays, “ an excommunicated king may with impunity be depofed or killed by any one.” After the diabolical confpiracy of the gunpowder plot was difcovered and defeated, it became indifpenfably neceflary to provide as far as could be againit fuch horrible machinations, and therefore the oath of allegiance, fupremacy and abjuration was enaded in the year 1605. Burke, in his Hibernia Dominicana, page 613, obferves, that the Romifli divines and laymen were divided into two fadtions; one thought the oath reafonable and proper, the other rejeded it. To fettle this matter, pope Paul V. iffued two bulls, in which, under pain of damnation, he orders the oath not to be taken. King James, in a very learned treatife, fupported the oath; and Suarez, in a very long and laboured work, in vain endeavoured to fubvert the arguments of the king.

Cardinal Bellarmine fays, “ though it may be a fm to depofe or kill an excommunicated prince, it is no fm if the pope commands you to do fo; for if the pope fhould err, by commanding fm, or forbidding virtues, yet the church were bound to believe that the vices were good, and the virtues evil.”

Azorius, highly eminent in the Romifti church, fays, “ a catholiek wife is not tied to pay her duty to an heretical huft^and. The fons of an heretical father are made fui juris, that is, free from’ their father’s power; and fervants are not bound to do fervice to fuch mafters.”

According to the decree of this council, and that of Conftance alfo, it has been held, and the dodrine has been conftantly carried into pradice, that no faith is to be kept with hereticks; in confequence of which, no contrafts, leagues, promifes, vows, or oaths, are fufficient feeurity to a proteftant that deals with one of the church of Rome,

if

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND, 13

if he fhall make ufe of the liberty, which may, and is often granted to him that foUcits it. But it is certain, that many good and confcientious Roman cathoHcks fpurn at this infamous privilege offered by the pope, and adhere to the laws of God,

Becanus fays, there are two diflinft tribunals, and the ecclefiartica/ is the fuperior; and therefore, if a fecular prince gives his fubjefts a fafe condud, he cannot extend it to the fuperior tribunal.

In a council held at Vienna, Clement V. avowed and maintained, that the power of all kings depended on him : omne jus regum a fe pendere.

Purfuant to this dodrine, the whole council of bifhops at Conflance determined, 141 5, that John Hufs fhould be burnt, though he had been fummoned by the emperor Sigifmund to appear and defend the reformed religion, and had obtained a fafe conduft from him; but the council determined that his power was fubordinate to theirs, and, as their concurrence had not been previoufly obtained, his grant of a fafe condud was null and void.

It was ftrongly contended at Worms, by all the bifliops who attended there, that Luther ftiould be burnt; but the emperor, who h^id given him a fafe condud, would not allow his good faith to be violated. It is very remarkable, that the council of Lateran, which I have quoted, made tranfubftantiation an article of faith, and at the fame time, treafon and rebellion to be the duty of fubjeds.

A council held at Toledo, contains provifions againfl; hereticks exactly fimilar to thofe of Lateran, “ that if a temporal prince fhall negled to purge his territories of heretical pravity, notice mufl be given to the pope, that he may thenceforth pronounce his fubjeds difcharged of their oaths of allegiance, and give his dominions to catholicks.”

The diffimulation and cruelty of queen Mary were the refult of thefe councils; for fhe gave her fubjeds the flrongefl afTurance, by a declaration in council, that fhe would permit them to purfue any fuch religion as their confcience fhould didate; but, when firmly eftabliflied

on

14

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

on her throne, fhe promoted the burning of her proteftant fubjedj, merely on account of their religion.

Human ingenuity could not form a better device, to impofe the fhackles of fuperftition on the human mind, and that univerfal domination over fovereign princes, to which the pope afpired, than this council; but his holinefs, knowing that he could not enforce the execution of this dreadful engine, unlefs he had a number of perfons attached to him in every ftate, and that the battering ram, fo ingenioufly contrived by him, could not be worked without artificers of his own appointment, ftruggled hard to obtain the inveftiture of bifhops; and having fucceeded, he laid them all under a neceffity, at their inauguration, of taking an oath of allegiance to him, of which I give fome paragraphs.

“ The rights, privileges, and authority, of the holy Roman church, and of our Lord the pope, and his fucceffors, I will be careful to preferve, defend, enlarge, and promote.”

“ All hereticks, fchifmaticks, and rebels againft our faid Lord, and his fuccefTors, I will, to the utmofl of my power, perfecute and impugn.”

From this time the bifhops became the fpies and centinels of the Roman pontiff; and, in order to infulate their affections, to detach them from the ftate to which they belonged, and to engage them in the interefl of the Holy See, he enjoined celibacy to the Popifli clergy.

The words in the bifhops’ oath of allegiance are, pro viribus perfequar et impugnabo. Some Romifh ecclefiaflicks have contended, that the word perfequar fignifies to profecute by argument; but the futihty of that conflruftion will appear very obvious. “When Pafchal II. excommunicated the emperor Henry IV. he ufed exadly fimilar words, in a bull directed to Robert count of Flanders : Henricum caput hsereticorum, et ejus fautores, pro viribus perfequaris et impugnes. Hoc tibi et militibus tuis precipimus. “ We command you, and your foldiers, to perfecute and impugn Henry, the head of the hereticks.”

It

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 15

It is not to be fuppofed that he would call upon foldiers to difpel and proftrate herefy by ratiocination. The logick of a foldier lies in his arms; befides, impugno fignifies to attack by argument, and is put in contradiftinftion to perfecute.

The only herefy of which he could accufe this innocent prince was, that he oppofed the pope’s claim to the inveftiture of bifhopricks in his dominions.

We may conceive how obedient councils muft: have been to the pope, when he procured this fentence to be firft voted and ratified by a council held 1 102.

Cicero, in his fourth oration againft Catiline, ufes the word perfequar in the fenfe which I contend for. “ Atque illo tempore, hujus avus Lentuli, clariffimus vir, armatus, Gracchum eft perfecutus : ille etiam grave tum vulnus accepit. Perfequor and perfecutio are words appropriated by ecclefiaftical writers to exprefs the bloody cruelties exercifed on chriftians by heathen princes. After enumerating thirty-four under the Roman emperors, they reckon ten under Antichrift, to which they might have added hundreds under the popes.

Raymond, count of Thouloufe, was the firft fovereign prince againft whom this dreadful engine was levelled. Part of his fubjeds called the Albigenfes and Waldenfes, happened to obtain, about the clofe of the twelfth century, a tranflation of fome parts of the New Teftament; and becaufe they endeavoured to conform their tenets and pradices to the light of the Gofpel, which was obvioufly repugnant to popery, they were excommunicated by the pope; and becaufe Raymond refufed to perfecute them, he was deprived of his dominions by the orders of his holinefs, who invoked his fubjeds to rife in rebellion againft him, by a promife of eternal falvation; and Simon de Mountfort, w horri he nominated general of the crufade, was inverted with the dominions of Raymond, by Innocent III. at the council of Lateran. It is univerfally allowed, that nearly one m.illion of thefe innocent people were extirpated by the fword and the gibbet, in conformity to the decree of that council.

It

15

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

It was on that occafion that the bloody court of inquifition was eflablifhed, and the fuperintendance of it was committed to the domini* can friars, by Gregory IX. in the year 1233.

In confequence of the oath which bifliops were obliged to take at their inftallation, obvioufly repugnant to the fidelity which they owed their refpeftive fovereigns, William Rufus told archbifliop Anfelm, that he could not preferve his allegiance to the pope, and his temporal fovereign, at the fame time; * and cardinal De Retz tells us, in his Memoires, that the Parifians, for the fame reafon, objeded to the miniftry of cardinal Mazarine.

In that favage fcene of butchery, the maflacre of St. Bartholomew,

planned with all the coolnefs of deliberation, five hundred gentlemen,

and ten thoufand perfons of inferior rank, were maffacred in one night

at Paris alone, and great numbers in the provinces, becaufe they were

proteftants. f  The Roman pontiff, on hearing it, expreffed great joy

announced that the cardinals fhould return thanks to the Almighty

for fo fignal an advantage obtained for the Holy See, and that a jubilee

fhould be obferved all over Chriftendom. t  Sixtus V. excommuni

+

cated Henry III. of France, as a heretick, becaufe he, contrary to his Holinefs’s orders, fpared the blood of his proteftant fubjefts; and he granted nine years indulgence to fuch of his fubjeds, as would bear arms againft him; upon which Jacque Clement, a friar, affaffinated him with fmgular treachery.

In a publick confiftory held at Rome, the pope, in a long premeditated fpeech, applauded the virtue and the firmnefs of the holy friar; declaring, that his fervent zeal towards God, furpaffed even that of Judith and Eleazer; and that this affaffmation was brought about by divine providence. §

Henry III. left his kingdom by will to Henry IV. to whom alfo it devolved by hereditary right; but the Parifians, having confulted the dodors of the Sorbonne on his claim, they declared that his title was

inadmiflible.

‘ Speed, 44!-, 441.

t Thuanus, lib. 63, fee. 14.

t Ibid.

§ Ibid, vol. 4. page 767, 768.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

17

inadmiffible, becaufe he had been excommunicated, and excluded from fucceeding to it by the Holy See. They pronounced that thofe who fliould affift him would be damned, and they promifed eternal happinefs to thofe who fliould oppofe him, even to the Ihedding of blood, “ ufque ad effufionem fanguinis.” *

The bull fulminated againft this amiable prince by Sixtus V. 1585, begins thus : “ The authority given to St. Peter and his fuccelTors, by the immenfe power of the eternal King, excels all the powers of earthly kings : it palTes uncontrolable fentence upon them all.”

Henry, though endued with the moll fliining virtues, was, after two attempts to murder him, affaffinated at Paris by Ravaillac. He was twice depofed by Gregory XIV. and once by Clement VIII. as a favourer of hereticks. f

In the year 1 538, pope Paul III. ilTued a bull of excommunication and depofition againft Henry VIII. becaufe he declared himfelf, and not the pope, to be head of the church of England : — A right which both the Saxon and Norman monarchs had always alTerted, and which had been indifputably eftabliflied by various ads of parliament, from the time of Edward the ConfefTor, to the reign of Henry VIII. for the laws of the latter do not contain ftronger provifions againft papal encroachments, than thofe of Edward I. and Richard II.

The bull of excommunication and depofition which Pius V. denounced againft queen Elizabeth begins thus :

*’ He that reigneth on high, to whom all power is given in heaven and earth, hath committed the one holy catholick and apoftolick church, out of which there is no falvation, to one alone on earth, namely, to Peter, prince of the apoftles, and to the Roman pontiff, fucceflbr of St. Peter, to be governed with a plenitude of power. This one he hath conftituted prince over all nations, and all kingdoms, that he might pluck up, deftroy, diftipate, overturn, plant, and build.’* For the many confpiracies to murder queen Elizabeth, as a heretick, and fome of them by the exprefs orders of the pope, I fhall refer the reader to Speed, Rapin, and Hume.  I fliall mention but one. Two

D priefts

‘ Thuanusj lib. 93, fee. 19.

f Spond. torn. a. p. 868.

i8

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

priefts of the name of Parfons and Campion, who confpircd to murder that princefs, obtained for themfelves, and all the papifts in England, a diipenfation from the rigorous obfervation of the bull fulminated bypope Pius V. againfl her. They were allowed by it to appear obedient and refpeftful to her, until their party was ftrong enough to rife againfl: her. It ends thus : “ The highefl: pontiff’ granted the forefaid graces to fathers Robert Parfons and Edward Campion, who are now to take their way to England, the fourteenth of April, 1586; * but thefe holy fathers, very fortunately for England, could not fucceed in their pious defign, for they were detected, arrefl;ed, and hanged.

The popes, well knowing that riches are the fmews of power, adopted the following expedient to fill their treafury, by a confl:ant and neverfailing revenue. Having firft; efl;ablifhed the dodrine of purgatory, and the pains and torments attending it, the deluded feftaries of the Roman pontiff had recourfe to him to be relieved from their terrors.

Fifher, bifliop of Rochefl:er, an eminent Romifli divine, fays, that indulgences were not neceflary in the firft: ages of the church; and that they were not devifed till the people were frightened with the torments of purgatory.

Mofl: of the fchoolmen confefs, that the ufe of indulgences began in the time of pope Alexander III. towards the end of the twelfth, or beginning of the thirteenth century; and from that period, till the folly and iniquity of them occafioned the reformation, the fale of them was a fruitful fource of wealth to the popes.

They alfo inflided penalties on the commiflion of fm, fuch as rigorous fafts, bodily pains and mortifications, long and frequent prayers, and pilgrimages to the tombs of faints and martyrs; and as thefe penalties could be commuted or difpenfed with for money, thofe who chofe to lead voluptuous lives, and to continue in a courfe of licentious pleafure, embraced this new mode of expiation, f

At length the remiflion of fins became fo fyftematick, and fuch a conftant and regular fource of revenue to the Holy See, that they were reduced to a fchedule, in a book of rates, with the fums correfpond

ing

* Speed, 871,

+ Muratori, de redemptione pcccatorum in antiqui. Itali3e medii feculi.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

19

ing for which they were to be remitted. Of this work, entitled, “ The taxes of the Romifti Chancery,” different editions were publifhed for the ufe of Roman catholick flates : one at Rome by Marcellus Silber in 1514: one at Cologne in 1515: three at Paris in 1520, 1545, 1625: one at Venice, in the fixth volume of the Oceanus Juris in 1523. The proteftant princes pubHfhed one among their reafons for rejecting the council of Trent. *

The reader may judge of this extraordinary work by the following fhort extracts:

“ A nun having committed fornication feveral times, fliall be abfolved, and enabled to hold the dignities of her order, even that of abbefs, on paying 39 livres tournois, and 9 ducats.”

“ The abfolution of him who has defloured a virgin, gr. 6.”

“ The abfolution of a clerk for all ads of fornication with a nun, within or without the limits of the nunnery, or with his relations in affinity or confanguinity, or with any woman whatfoever, 36 livres.” f

The Roman pontiff very wifely gave great latitude to the clergy, as they were prohibited from marrying.

When ceHbacy (a dodrine juftly reprobated in the fcriptures, and refuted by the pradice of the apoflles, all of whom were married men, except Paul and John; a dodrine pecuUarly unfit for the church of Rome to teach, their founder, as they term him, and prince of the apoflles, as they ridiculoufly call him, having exploded it by his example, I) was firfl enforced in England, the bifhops conflantly granted licenfes to the parochial clergy to keep concubines, lefl they might run into licentioufnefs with the wives and daughters of their parifhioners.

Exclufive falvation, a dodrine invented by the artful policy of the Romanr pontiff, for the purpofe of encouraging profelytes to his church, and for fecuring thofe who were already within its pale, has been a fruitful fource of difcord and rebellion in many countries in Europe.

D 2 It

• Heidegger! myfter. Babyloniae, torn. i. p. 350.

f Every crime that human depravity can commit, is inferted in this book.

X Peter’s wife’s mother was fick of a fever. Matt. viii. 14. And Simon’s ivifi’i mother was fick of a fever. Mark i. 30. And Simon’s ■wife’s mother, &c. Luke iv. 38. — See alfo, on this fubjedt, St. Paul’s epifllc to r Timothy iii. %. and 8, 11, and Hebrews xiii. 4.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

It is not only contrary to the dodrine of the fcriptures, but repugnant to the moral and phyfical perfedions of the Deity, fubverfive of his attributes of wifdom, juftice, and mercy, which are the main pillars of the divine adminiftration; and it is likely to end in atheifm, and has already produced all its baneful effeds; for any perfon who can be brought to debafe and difparage the Almighty fo much, as to aflert that he is fo unwife, fo unjufl, and fo unmerciful, as to ordain, that a very fmall portion of his creatures lhall enjoy eternal happinefs, and that the remainder fhall be doomed to eternal punifhment, becaufe they differ from them in a few trifling ceremonies and tenets, will foon probably become atheifts.

This dodrine, which narrows the channels of infinite mercy, fets bounds to omnipotence, and teaches that there is but one road that leads to the heavenly city, engenders in the lower clafs of people, an uncharitable averfion, a cruel and unrelenting fpirit of perfecution, againft proteftants, which manifefted itfelf in a mod flagrant manner during the late rebeUion. In fliort, nothing but fanaticifm, kindled by this dodrine, could have enabled the leaders of rebellion, and the Irifh priefts, to invoke the popifti multitude to rife againfl: their fovereign and their proteftant fellow fubjefts, which they did with as much zeal as the Crufaders fhewed againft the Saracens. We fhall find the pope’s fupremacy, and exclufive falvation, with all the ramifications of new-fangled dodrines which have branched out from them, eminently confpicuous in the late rebellion.

Boniface VIII. in the year 1294, boldly afferts the latter. “We declare, fay, define, and pronounce it to be neceflfary to falvation, for every human creature to be fubjed to the Roman pontiff.” *

Human vanity has been fuch in all ages, that ftatefmen, warriors, poets, hiftorians, and divines, have thought their own works and achievements the beft. Cicero in bis epiftles to Atticus makes the following obfervation on this, Ka9o^ixo» 6so^r,iA.a, nemo unquam, neque poeta neque orator fuit, qui quenquam meliorem quam fe arbitraretur. Epift. 14, 2o»  Adhuc neminem cognovi poetam, et mihi fuit cum Aquinio

(id

* In extrava, v, com. lib. i. tit. 38.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

(id ell) deterrimo amicitia, qui fibi non optimo videretur. Tufcul. 5. 22.

Juvenal, the latin poet, mentions two towns in Arabia, near the Iflhmus of Suez, Ombos and Tentyra, between the inhabitants of which this ridiculous doftrine maintained mutual and implacable hatred.

“ Dira quod exemplum feritas produxerit sevo, “ Inter finitimas, vetus atque antiqua fimultas,

Immortale odium et nunquam fanabile vulnus, “ Ardet hue Ombos et Tentyra.  Summus utrinque,

Inde furor vulgo, quod numina vicinorum, *’ Odit uterque locus; cum folos credat habendos, *’ Effe deos, quos ipfe colit.’*

Eternal hate, unmitigated rage,

And bigot fury, burn from age to age;

Each fcorns his neighbour’s god, aflerts his own.

And thinks falvation works for him alone.

Mahomet inculcates the fame doflrine in the Koran, and it pro-duces the moft intolerant and fanguinary principles between his votaries, and other religionifts.

Plutarch, in his life of Pericles, cenfures the poets for being guilty of the fame abfurdity; “ for though, at times, they afcribe to the gods that degree of happinefs and ierenity which is agreeable to their divine and immortal nature, yet, on other occafions, they affert that they are fubjedl to anger, enmity, and other paffions, which are unworthy even of men, who have any underftanding.” *

When thefe dodrines occafioned the dethronement, and the murder of fo many princes, the maffacre of the Albigenfes and Waldenfes in the thirteenth century, that of the proteftants at Paris in the fixteenth, the extermination of many thoufands of them in the Low Countries, the expulfion of the Moors from Spain, the perfecution of the Vaudois in the king of Sardinia’s dominions, we cannot be furprifed that they

, fliould

• God’s partial, changeful, paflionate, unjuft, Whofe attributes were r^ge, revenge, or luft. Pops.

22

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

fliould have produced fo many rebellions in Ireland, as her inhabitants have been plunged in the moft abjecl ignorance, and have been blindly devoted to their priefts.

Accordingly we find that kingdom involved in one fcene of inteftine diforder during a period of forty-one years, from the year 1567, to the year 1603, occafioned by the interference of the Roman pontiff’, and the fermentation of popery. The rebellions of that period may be divided as follows :

ift. In 1567, Shane O’Neil raifed a notable one in Ulfter, merely in hatred to the Englifh; and he erefted a caftleon Loughneagh, which he named Feogenall, which fignifies, in Irifh, the hatred of the Englifli. His forces were routed and difperfed by fir Henry Sidney.

2d. In 1569, the Fitz-Geralds of Munfter raifed one, in which the Byrnes, Tooles and Cavenaghs joined; but they were fubdued by fir William Drury, and w^ere all attainted the twenty-feventh and twentyeighth of Elizabeth.

James Fitz-Gerald publilhed a manifefto in juftification of this rebellion, in which, he faid, it was for the glory of God, and of Chrift, whofe facraments the hereticks deny; for the glory of the catholick church, which the hereticks falfely aflert was not known for many ages.

3d. In 1595, Hugh O’Neil raifed a rebellion, which lafted till the end of Elizabeth’s reign.

It was called Tyrone’s rebellion, and branched out into three different civil wars, according to Borlafe.

4th. On the acceflion of James I. the citizens of Cork, Waterford, Limerick, Kilkenny, and Wexford, denied his title, and attacked fo furioufly the perfons who went to proclaim him, that they narrowly efcaped with their lives. They openly avowed, that they oppofed his acceflion for no other reafon, than that he was not a catholick; but they were foon brought to obedience by lord Mountjoy.

5th. Within four years after, Tyrone and O’Donnell confpired with Maguire, Cormack 0*Neil, lord Delvin, O’Cahan, and others, to raife a rebellion, but were prevented by the lord deputy Chichefter, in 1607, and an adt of attainder pafled againfl: them.

6th. In

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

23

6th. In 1608, fir Cahir O’Dogherty’s civil war, raifed principally by the priefts, lafled no longer than five months; but it was bloody and deftrudlive while it continued, and was accompanied with fhocking inftances of cruelty and treachery on his part.

Previous to the reign of queen Elizabeth, the aboriginal Irifh bore a mofl unrelenting hatred againft thofe of Englifh blood; but on the Reformation, popery became a firm bond of union amongft them, and infpired them with inextinguiftiable rancour againft proteftants in general; and it is remarkable, that the natives of Englifh blood became more ftubborn and inveterate rebels after that period, than the primitive Irilh.

Francis I. defirous to embarrafs Henry VIII. refolved to raife fome commotions in Ireland; and for that purpofe he, in the year 1523, opened a negociation with the earl of Defmond, whom he found ready to co-operate with him againft his liege fovereign.

In 1539, ihe popifti clergy engaged O’Neil as their champion, and to this he was encouraged by pope Paul. This rebellion was fubdued by lord Grey. In 154^, O’Neil, O’Donnell, and the other Irifti chiefs, offered Ireland to the French king, provided the pope confented to it; and the propofal was fo flattering, that the king fent over John de Montluc, bifhop of Valence, to enquire more minutely into the bufmefs. In 1568, the confederate rebels of Munfter implored the aid of the pope and the king of Spain, through their ambaffadors, the titular bifhops of Cafhel and Emly; in 1570, they prevailed on pope Paul V. to iffue a bull, declaring queen Elizabeth deprived of her crown, and abfolving her fubjefts from their oaths of allegiance; which bull was confirmed by the popes Gregory XIII. and Sixtus V.

But the fovereign pontiffs contributed fomething more fubftantial than bulls to feparate Ireland from England; for in 1 579, the two jefuits, Allen and Saunders, difappointed in their application to the king of France, obtained large fums of money from the pope and the king of Spain, with which they excited a rebellion in Munfter. In ^59 Si O’Neil, otherwife Tyrone, made an offer of Ireland to the

king

24

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

king of Spain, if he affiiled him with men and money, and began an alarming rebellion.  The lords juftices wrote to queen Elizabeth,

that an univerfal Irifli rebellion was intended, to fhake off all Englifli government.” To the fame purpofe the earl of Effex, in his letter to the queen declares, that, ‘* in their rebellion they have no other end but to fhake off the yoke of obedience to her majefty, and to root out all remembrance of the Englifli nation in this kingdom : I fay this, adds he, of the people in general.’*

In her reign, a declaration of the divines of Salamanca and Valladolid was difperfed through Ireland by O ‘Sullivan, a Spanilh prieft; in which they maintained the pope’s fupremacy, both in temporals and fpirituals; and that no oath.could bind the faithful to hereticks. They approved of the former rebellions which were raifed in Ireland, and they encouraged the Irifli to oppofe the title of an heretical prince; and yet the Roman catholicks of England in the year 1789, obtained, and publifhed the opinions of thofe univerfities, and thofe of Paris, Doway, Louvain, and Alcala, that they did not admit fuch to be doftrines of the Roman catholick church. *

This was done with a defign of clearing themfelves from the odium of maintaining fuch infamous tenets; and it is moll certain, that they deferved the admiration and the applaufe of every Britilh fubjeft, for the bold and unequivocal manner in which they renounced them, and vindicated the purity of their principles, notwithftanding the inhibitions and menaces of their bifliops. In the reign of Charles I. 1626, pope Urban VIII. exhorted the Irifh, by a bull, to lofe their lives, fooner than fubmit to the wicked and peftilent oath of fupremacy, by which the fceptre of the Catholick church was wrefted from the vicar of God Almighty; and yet fuch blafphemy had the defired elFed on the ignorant and fuperftitious multitude!

In the diftradted reign of Charles I. the popifh lords, prelates, and clergy, and popifh deputies, chofen by feveral counties and towns in the different provinces, affembled at Kilkenny, regulated all their proceedings with the forms and folemnity of parliament, and bound themfelves

* The Irifh Roman catholicks publifhed the opinions of thefe univerfities in Dublin ia I79i.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 25

felves by oath, “ that they would obey and ratify all the orders and decrees made, or to be made, by the fupreme council of the confederate catholicks of the kingdom; that they would not feek diredly or indireftly any pardon or protection for any a6t to be done touching the general caufe; and that they would not accept or fubmit unto any peace, made or to be made, with the faid confederate catholicks, without the confent thereof and by the preamble to faid oath it appears, that if mufl; have been adminiftered univerfally.

“ Whereas it is requifite, that there fliould be an unanimous confent, and real union, between all the catholicks of this realm.” *

Their prelates enjoined all the priefts to adminifter an oath of aiToclation to their parifliioners, and to raife fubfcriptions amongft them.

The chief objedl which they profefTed, was, to maintain inviolable the rights and immunities of the Roman catholick faith; and they fo far fucceeded in refloring popery, on the ruins of the proteftant church, that the confederates wrote to the pope in 1644, “ that their religion was publickly pradlifed according to the Romifli ritual; that moll of the bifhops were in polTeffion of the cathedrals, the priefts of the parifhes; and that many of the convents were reftored to the monks.” f

After various negotiations they made peace with the duke of Ormond, but not until they had obtained the free exercife of their religion, and many other important privileges.

Rinuncini, the pope’s nuncio, a turbulent fanatic, who was then in Ireland, exclaimed loudly againft the peace, and denounced the terrors of excommunication againft fuch perfons as fliouId adhere to it, unlefs it was framed and approved of by the pope, and unlefs they obtained an immediate, a complete and fplendid eftabliftiment of the Romifti worftiip and hierarchy.

But finding them determined not to comply with his very unreafonable wifhes, and that they were refolved to accept of the indulgent and conciliating offers of the duke, he, in a fpeech to the confederates

E at

* Their combination cemented by an oath refembled that of the united Iri/limen. f Burke Hibernica Dominicana, appendix, page 876.

-6

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

at Kilkenny, recommended fidelity, firfl to God and their religion, * and next to the king, by which they meant the pope and their own clergy; and they were always taught, that their attachment to them flioulJ luperfede and predominate over their allegiance to a proteftant Itatc.

He fent a copy of his fpeech to Rome, and in return was feverely reprimanded by cardinal Pamfillo; and the following reafons were afiigned for it : “ That the Holy See never would, by any pofitive aS, approve the civil allegiance which catholicks pay to an heretical prince; and the difpleafure of the court of Rome was the greater, as he had ilepofited a copy of his fpeech with the council of Kilkenny, which, if publi/l}ed, would furnifhi hereticks with arguments againft the papal authority over heretical princes, when the pope’s own minifter ftiould exhort catholicks to be faithful to fuch a king.

Rinuiicini, after he had feparated from, and excommunicated the confederates, put himfelf at the head of a body called the general afiembly, confifting of fome of their bifliops, peers and commoners, and a number of the common herd of papifts, who were entirely at the devotion of this furious fanatick; and fuch was the religious rancour which he infufed into them, that they offered to treat with the members of Cromwell’s government, fooner than fubmit to the royal authority. Nicholas French, the titular bifhop of Ferns, a zealous partizan oi the nuncio, and a virulent enemy of a proteftant government, was earneft for this treaty, which had been entered upon with fome of Ireton’s agents. How exadly do the circumftances of the prefent times refemble thofe of that period, when the Irifh Roman catholicks (hewed im earneft defire to renounce their allegiance to, and overturn the government of their prefent amiable fovereign, through whofe intercelFion almoft the whole of the penal laws have been repealed, and a college has been ereded for the education of their clergy; and this with

a defign

* By tliis doflrine the priefthood have made the temporal power fubfervient to the idceidotal, and we find it ftrongly inculcated in the paftoral letters of doctors Troy and Huffey. According to this, John Hufs was burnt in 1415, contrary to the emperor s wifhes; and James II. was induced to violate his coronation oath, in attempting to overturn the proteftant religion.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

27

a defign of connecting themfelves with a fct of blood-Rained mcnfteis, who murdered their king, and would wifh to dethrone their God!

Atlaft, fuch was their enthufiaftick virulence againft the government of a proteftant king, that they fent Nicholas French to the duke of Lorraine, to invite him to accept of the fovereignty of the kingdom, and they figned a treaty with him, by which he was, in efFed:, completely invefted with it, as far as their power could extend.

Carte, in his life of the duke of Ormond, b. 155, mentions another confpiracy for a general rifmg in the year 1634. It was difcovered by Emer Mac Mahon, afterwards titular bifhop of Ciogher, to fir G. Radcliffe, on a general affurance of pardon; and he ackndxA ledged, that the confpirators were to have received affiftance from abroad, and that he had been employed many years in foliciting aiTiftance from foreign courts to carry on the bufmefs for the good of religion.

The earl of Strafford, viceroy at that time, a great and wife nilniiler, without alarming the nation, or driving the party concerned in it by their fears into open rebellion, engaged the Englifh minifters abroad to watch the practices of the Irifh in foreign courts, and to baffle their fchemes.

Carte imputes the rebellions in Ireland to the Irifli priefts on the fcore of religion, and to the hopes of the old proprietors to recover the forfeited eftates; * and it mufl be allowed, that while the latter have this in contemplation, and the mafs of the natives retain their hatred to England, no parallel can be drawn between the Roman catho” licks of Ireland^ and thofe of any other fiate.

When James II. arrived in Ireland, the popirti parliament which he affembled, propofed, by an aft, to make it independent of England; but having a ftrong hope of remounting the Englifh throne, he hefitated to give his affent to it, on which they refolved to renounce him and his caufe; for they fent to him, Nagle, a rigid papift, whom he had made attorney general, to inform him, that they could do without him.

E 2 In

* Life of the duke of Ormond, b. ^.

2 8 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

In fliort, fuch was their inextingulfhable hatred to a connexion with England, that, though he attempted a complete extirpation of proteftantifm, by attainting every proteftant landholder in Ireland, and by reftoring their property to the old proprietors, and promifed that the popilh religion fhould predominate there, they would not be fatisfied, without a total feparation from England. Mr. Macpherfon very properly obferves, “ that James foon found, that he was not mafter of his own kingdom.”

Some perfons have endeavoured to palliate the horrors and atrocities committed during the rebellion of 1641, by imputing it to various caufes of provocation, without confidering that the pope’s interference was the chief caufe of inciting it. For, befides the bull iffued by pope Urban in 1628, the fame pontiff during the exiftence of that dreadful civil war, the better to inflame his votaries, fulminated another, containing the following paragraphs : “ In imitation of their godly and worthy anceftors, to endeavour, by force, to deliver their thralled nation from the opprefTions and grievous injuries of the hereticks, wherewith this long time it hath been afflifted and heavily burthened; and gallantly do in them what Heth, to extirpate, and totally root out thofe workers of iniquity, who, in this kingdom of Ireland, had infefted, and were always ftriving to infeft, the mafs of catholick purity, with the pefliferous leaven of heretical contagion.”

Mr. Edmund Burke ferioufly intended to have written a hiftory of that rebellion, for no other purpofe but to vindicate the Roman catholicks from the odium which they brought on themfelves by it.

Lord chief juftice Lowther, in his fpeech at the opening of the court, on the trial of fir Phelim O’Neil, one of the leaders of rebellion in 1 64 1, ftated that the following privileges were enjoyed by the Roman catholicks previous to its eruption. “ That befides the licentious freedom of their Romifh fuperftition, they had their titular archbifhops for every province, their titular bilhop, with his dean and chapter, for every diocefe, and their fecular prieft for every pariHi in the land; befides their abbots, priors, monks, nuns, jefuits, friars, monafteries, nunneries, and other religious houfes, and convents in the principal

cities

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

cities and towns of the land, even in the city of Dublin, the refidence of the flate; fo that father Harris, a fecular pried of their own, publiflied in print, that it was as hard to find what number of friars were in Dublin, as to count how many frogs there were in the fecond plague of Egypt.”

“ Befides the exercife of their fuperflitious rites and ceremonies,, they had alfo papal jurjfdidlion, as by law they had vicars general, and kept their provincial courts and confiHories, and excommunicated the people, delivering them unto fatan. Their lawyers, fiieriffs, and juftices of the peace were not required to take the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy, which were not difpenfed with as to proteflants; and all thefe popifh lawyers, priefts, jefuits, and friars, were the principal incendiaries and fire-brands in the rebellion; and the publick burthens and charges of the commonwealth were more borne by the proteftants than by them, in proportion to their numbers, and the quality of poffeflfors of inheritance.”

“ And of the fubfidy granted in the tenth Charles I. whereof the Roman catholicks raifed fo great a clamour, both in England and Ireland, the proteftants paid above one-third part of the whole, befides the clergy; though neither the quantity or quality of lands of inheritance, then holden of them in the land, did amount to more than a fifth part; and befides all this, the proteflants had contributed to the charge of their committees, towards the obtaining grace, in bounties, in fending commillioners for them. They were made earls, vifcounts, lords, baronets, and knights; enjoying all this and much more, without any provocation to rife up fuddenly to this height of cruelty, and to murder many thoufand proteftants, that lived peaceably and friendly with them, before they could take up arms for their defence, made ihe fins of murder, violence, and cruelty, unmeafurably finful and Jeteftable.”

Borlafe adds, “that they were eleded knights, citizens, and burgeffes, in parliament : they enjoyed their religion without control, while proteftants, dilTenting from the church of England, were often fummoned before the bifhop’s court : juftice was equally adminiftered to the

Britift

30 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Britifh and IriHi; duties and taxes were levied v/ithout diflinQion; all private animofities were fuppreffed; all antient grudges were removed; and, in all outward appearance, they lived fo affedionately intermixed together, that they could not be efleemed two nations in one kingdom.”

But we cannot be at a lofs for the real fource of the rebellion, when Walfh, the francifcan friar, tells us at large, of a printed book, written by Mac Mahon an Irifh jefuit, inculcating the Ia\’irfulnefs of killing, not only all the proteftants, but even fuch of the Roman catholick Irifh, as fhould ftand for the crown of England, and the rights of the king to Ireland.

There have been various opinions as to the number of proteftants maflacred in the rebelHon of 1641. Mr. Carte, an able and judicicus hiftorian, after examining them with the utmoft candour, coincides with fir William Petty, who makes them amount to thirty-feven thoufand, in his Political Anatomy; and as he was well {killed in calculation, and had furveyed the whole kingdom, foon after that dreadful event happened, it is probable that his account was accurate.

In the year 1729, the popifh bilhops of Ireland applied for, and obtained, a bull from the pope, to raife money by the fale of indulgences, to be fpeedily applied to reftore James III. to his right, and to put his majefty George II. and all the royal family to the fw-ord. The whole of this plot is to be found in the fixth volume of the journalis of the houfe of commons, page 342.

It appears that a number of popilh prelates and other ecclefiafticks, being aiTembled at the houfe of Teigue Mc. Carthy, alias Rabagh, titular bifhop of Cork, Conner Keefe, bilhop of Limerick, prefented a letter to the faid Mc. Carthy, from doftor Butler, titular archbifhop of Cafhel, informing him, that his holinefs the pope, had at laft complied with the requeft of the Irifh archbifhops and bilhops, in granting them an indulgence for the above purpofe.

The purport of the bull was this : “ That every communicant duly confeffing, and receiving the facrament on the patron days of every refpeftive parifli, and every Sunday, from the firft day of May to September, having repeated the Lord’s prayer five times, and once the

apoftles

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 31

apoftles creed, and upon paying two pence each time, was to have a plenary indulgence for his fins; and all approved confeffors had full power to abfolve in all cafes, with intent that God would fpeedily place James III. on the throne of England. Every parifh prieft was to pay 5I. towards this fund, and was to account upon oath for the collection of it; and the pretender had an agent in each province to colleft it.”

Some of the papers of thefe traitors were difcovered, and feized, by which the confpiracy was detefted. *

* See the joOmaI$ before cited.

ORIGIN

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

ORIGIN OF THE WHITE BOYS.

In the year 1759, and under the adminiftration of the duke of Bedford, an alarming fpirit of infurgency appeared in the South of Ireland, which manifefted itfelf by the numerous and frequent rifmgs of the lower’ clafs of Roman catholicks, drelTed in white uniforms, whence they were denominated white boys; but they were encouraged, and often headed, by perfons of their own perfuafion of fome confideration. They were armed with guns, fwords, and piftols, of which they plundered proteflants, and they marched through the country, in military array, preceded by the mufick of bag-pipes, or the founding of horns. In their no£turnal perambulations, they enlifted, or prefTed into their fervice every perfon of their own religion, who was capable of ferving them, and bound them by oaths of fecrecy, of fidelity and obedience to their officers; and thofe officers were bound by oaths of allegiance to the French king, and prince Charles the pretender to the crown of England, which appeared by the confeffion and the informations of feveral of the infurgents, fome of whom were convided of high treafon, and various other crimes. The pretext they made ufe of for rifmg and aflembling was, to redrefs the foUovdng grievances : the illegal enclofure of commons, the extortion of tythe proftors, and the exorbitant fees exafted by their own clergy, though it appeared that they were deeply concerned in encouraging and fomenting them, in the commiffion of outrages.

They committed dreadful barbarities on fuch perfons as hefitated to obey their mandates, or refufed to join in their confederacy; they cut out their tongues, amputated their nofes or ears; they made them ride many miles in the night on horfeback, naked, or bare-backed; they buried them naked, in graves lined with furze, up to their chins; they plundered and often burned houfes; they houghed and maimed cattle; they feized arms, and horfes, which they rode about the country, and levied money, at times even in the day.  I ffiall refer the reader

to

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

33

to Appendix, No. I. for their defigns and praftices. They refembled the modern defenders in every refpeft, except in the title which they aflumed; and their objeft was exa£Ely the fame, that of fubverting the conftitution, and feparating Ireland from England, with the affiflance of France.

Thefe mifcreants became fo formidable in many parts of the provinces of Leinfter and Munfter, that many laws, which I fhall explain in the fequel, were enafted for their fupprelTion.

In the year 1762, the marquis of Drogheda was fent to command a large diftrict in the province of Munfter, and made Clogheen in the county of Tipperary his head-quarters, at that time much difturbed by the white boys, who ufed to aflemble in bodies of from five hundred to two thoufand.

On the night of the day on which he arrived at Clcgheen, a number of white boys, well armed and headed by father Nicholas Shcehy, alTembled clofe to that town, and were on the point of attacking ir, which induced his lordfhip to double the guard. From this, the inhabitants of it, having a fufpicion that he was going to march out againft the infurgents, father Doyle, parifh prieft of Ardfinnan, (alluded to iu the information of David Landregin, Appendix, No. 1. 2.) after having expoftulated with them on the danger of affaulting the town, went to lord Drogheda, pale and trembling with fear, allured his lordfnip that his garrifon was in no danger, and befought him not to march out againft the infurgents. I received this information from the marquis himfelf, and it correfponds exactly with the depofition of Landregin.

His lordlhip’s regiment killed great numbers of them in that and the adjacent country; and he alTured me, that French money was found in the pockets of fome of them.

His lordftiip, during his refidence there, took the famous father Nicholas Sheehy, who was afterwards hanged at Clonniel. He had been a noted leader of the white boys, and incited them to commit jnurder, and various outrages; and yet his memory is held in fuch veneration by the popifh multitude, and the clay of his tomb is fuppofed to be endued with fuch fupernatural powers, that various miraculous

F cures

* There is a grufs iTiifreprcfcntntion of thcfc infurgento in the Encyclopedia Britannic.*, under the title ci’ Ireland, printed by James Moore in Cullegc-green, in the year 179*.

I

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

cures are imputed to it; in confequence of which, it is in fuch requell among the popifh rabble, that the fexton of the church, where his body is interred, is obliged very often to renew it.

The marquis of Drogheda took, in the caftle of Cahir, the domeftick chaplain of the then lord Cahir, who conftantly refided with his lordfliip, on ferious charges againfl him for high treafon.

It is mod certain, that the white boy fyftem was at firffc formed to co-operate with the French, who meditated an invafion of Ireland under Conflans; but when that v/as defeated, and even during a time of profound peace, the barbarous rabble, free from all moral reftraint, elate with the hope of plunder, and fraught with difafFedion to a proteftant ftate, continued to commit the moft horrid enormities in many parts of Leinfter and Munfter, for above twenty-five years after.

John Twohy ftates in his information, that they began to enlift men foj the French fo early as the year 1756.  See Appendix, No. I. 7.

At firfl they were headed, marfhalled, and difciplined, by officers who had ferved in the Irifli brigades, in the French fervice; but when peace was concluded, their leaders confifted of popifh farmers and perfons in a mean fituation.

Mr. Conv/ay, an Irifh Roman catholick gentleman refident at Paris, ufed to remit money to them, on the part and by orders of the French ■government; and fome popifli merchants of the province of Munfler, who received and difcributed it among the infurgents, were afterwards members of the Catholick committee in 1792.

In the year 1762, they committed fuch dreadful exceffes in the South of Ireland, that fir Richard Aflon, lord chief juflice of the common pleas, was fent down with a fpecial commiffion to try them; and the miflaken lenity which he fhewed them in the courfe of his circuit was fuch, that it encouraged them to perfevere in the commifTioa of enormities for fome years after.

The late earl of Carrick and the reverend Mr. Hewetfon in the county of Kilkenny, fir Thomas Maude, baronet, afterwards lord De Montalt, William Bagwell and John Bagenall, efquires, of the county of Tipperary, took a very aftive part in fuppreffing the white boys, for which they were as much traduced and vilifi.ed, as the orangemen,

yeomen.

34

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

35

yeomen, and all loyal fubjcds who endeavoured to put down the defenders.

The grand jury of the county of Dublin were fo much incenfed at this, that they voted an addrefs of thanks. Appendix I. 6. to the earl of Carrick and tfiofe gentlemen, for their fpirited and laudable exertions. It appears by the examination of David Landregin, (Appendix, No. I. 2.) that a party of white boys took a folemn oath, in the town of Clonmel, to aflaffinate the earl of Carrick and the other gentlemen.

As Mr. Edmund Burke, who always fhewed a decided attachment to popery, manifefted it for the firfl time on this occafion, I fhall, in touching on it, relate a few of the early circumftances of his life.

In doing fo, I muft premife, that I do not mean to difparage him. I had the honour of being acquainted with him; and I was fo fenfible of his exalted moral and intelledual excellence, that I gave the following character of him in a pamphlet publiflied by J. Stockdale in 1794, which was noticed in the Monthly Review of April, 1795 :

“ His book on French affairs contains more political wifdom, and more profound knowledge of practical government, than any that ever appeared; and in future ages will tend to endear the Britilh conftitution to its fubjedts.

“ The bright effulgence of his genius, like the fun, raifed up fome buzzing infeds, who cavilled at the dodtrines which he advanced; but the ftate of France proves the futility of their affertions, and that he fpoke prophetic truth.

“ His long and luminous life, devoted to the caufe of wifdom and virtue, was more bright in its fetting, than the meridian blaze of moft other genuifes.”

He was the fon of a popifh folicitor in Dublin, at the univerfity of which he received his education; but I have been affured by his contemporaries, that he did not, in the courfe of it, difplay any fymptoms of thofe fhining abilities, which afterwards made the progrefs of his life fo brilliant.

Soon after he went to the Temple to ftudy the law, he married a daughter of dodor Nugent, who had been bred at Doway in Flanders, and was a moft bigoted Romanift.  A year after he had gone to the

F 2 Temple,

36

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Temple, a perfon, who was at that time ferving his apprenticefliip to Mr. Burke’s father, informed me, that his mafter fent him to London, relative to fome law bufinefs, and that Mr. Edmund Burke detained him many days longer than he had permiflion to remain there : that during his Hay, he feemed much agitated in his mind, and that, when they were alone, he frequently introduced religion as a topick of converfation, and faid, that he had ftrong reafons for thinking more favourably of the Romifh perfuafion than he formerly did. For thefe reafons, this gentleman affured me, he verily believed, that he was become a convert to popery.

Soon after this gentleman’s return, Mr. Burke, fenior, having heard a report that his fon had really changed his religion, was much concerned at it; becaufe he had entertained the moft fanguine hopes that he would acquire great wealth and fame at the Irifh bar, from pradifmg at which Romanifts were excluded by law.

He therefore employed Mr. Bowen, his brother-in-law, who, as a linen merchant, had a very extenfive correfpondence in London, to make ftrift enquiry about the converfion of his fon.

Some days after, Mr. Bowen entered his office, and in the prefence of the gentleman who gave me this information, threw him a letter, faying. There, your fon is moft certainly become a Roman catholick. On reading the letter, Mr. Burke became furious, lamenting that the rifmg hope of his family was blafted, and that the expence he had been at in his fon’s education was now thrown away.

As fome of the greateft men, even at an advanced period of life, have become flaves to the pafTion of love, it is very poffible that Mr. Burke, in the fpring of life, when its influence is irrefiftible, and endued with a lively imagination, and all the tendernefs of fenfibility, might have conformed to the exterior ceremonies of popery, to obtain mifs Nugent, of whom he was very much enamoured; but it is not to be fuppofed, that a perfon of fo vigorous and highly cultivated an underftanding, could have continued under the fhackles of that abfurd fuperftition.

At laft, when he had ferved a fufficient number of terms to be called to the bar, he refufed to return to his native country, declaring, that

the

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

the climate of it difagreed with him; and that he expeded to get fomc employment in the line of his profefllon in America, through one of the Grenville family. He therefore remained in London, where he fubfifted chiefly by his pen; and he foon acquired a confiderable degree of celebrity, as a writer, and a man of genius, by the publication of his Treatife on the Sublime and Beautiful, and by his Vindication of Natural Society, in imitation of lord Bolingbroke, which introduced him to the notice and acquaintance of Mr. Hamilton. When that gentleman came to Ireland, as fecretary to the earl of Hahfax, he, wilhing to avail himfelf of Mr. Burke’s talents, folicited him to attend him, but in no official capacity; and he accordingly compUed.

He accompanied him a fecond time to Dubhn, when Mr. Hamilton was fecretary to the earl of Northumberland, and was rewarded with a penfion of 3 cel. a year.

When they returned to England, Mr. Hamilton intended to have fpoken a fpeech on the peace in the year 1763, which he had prevailed on Mr. Burke to compofe.

It unfortunately happened, that as he was about to rife, Mr. Charles Townfhend entered the houfe;. and as his wit and eloquence had been always terrifick to him, his appearance palfied his exertions and ftruck him dumb. Mr. Burke, enraged at this, (as they had united their talents in a kind of partnerfliip) faid, with fome warmth. What fignifies my making fpeeches for you, when you cannot fpeak them?

A warm altercation enfued, in the courfe of which Mr. Hamiltoninformed Mr. Burke, that he had been overpaid; on which Mr. Burke, with becoming fpirit, refigned his penfion, which was afterwards given to ar gentleman who enjoys it at this time. Mr. Mc. Cormick in his life of Mr. Burke ismiftaken in this circumftance. Their quarrel became a matter of curiofity and debate in th2 fuperior circles of focicLy, in which the pamizans on each fide vv^ere very warm.

The difcuffion of this affair introduced Mr, Burke to the notice of lord Rockingham, who having form.ed a friendfnip for him, made him an unJer-fecretary in the treafury; but having loft that employment in fix months, the period of his lordfhip’s adminiftration, he brought him into parliament, v/here tlie eloquence and the great intelleclual powers

difplayed

38 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

difplayed in his fpeeches, will remain a ftriking and an eternal monument of his genius.

When the enormities committed by the white boys were about to draw on them the vengeance of the law, and fon^e time before f;r Richard Afton proceeded on his comniiffion to try them, Mr. Edmund Burke fent his brother Richard, who died recorder of Brii’lol, and Mr. Nagle, a relation, on a miflion to Munfter, to levy money on the popifh body, for the ufe of the white boys, who were exclufively papifls.

Some Roman cathoHcks complained bitterly of the fums of money which they extorted from them. * The defpotifm which the Romifli prelates have over their own body is fuch, that they can at any time levy large fumS of money on them, to promote the intereft of their church, which is a moft dangerous engine in a well-governed ftate. The open and general exercife of it in the years 1792 and 1793, and again in 1794 and 1795, was fufficient to create an alarm in the government. At thofe periods fome of the lower claffes of people in Munfter complained loudly of the exactions pradifed on them; and on being alked, for what purpofe they were? they anfwered, that they had made that enquiry, and were informed, at one time, that it v/as to obtain for them the eledive franchife; at another, to procure the privilege of fitting in parliament for perfons of their own perfuafion. It is well known that Mr. William Todd Jones was their warm partizan while in the houfe of commons; f and, from the intemperate zeal which fome members of that body fliewed in promoting their defigns, it was univerfally believed that they were aduated by fmifter motives.

It was ftrongly fufpefted, that a perfon in an elevated fituation in England, from his fmgular pertinacity in adhering to their caufe, when in actual and open rebellion, had received fome of their contributions;

and

* I have 110 other proof that thefe gentlemen were employed by Mr. Burke, than that they declared fo without referve to the perfons from whom they obtained money. In doing fo, he mi^ht have been aduated by motives of charity and humanity, as numbers of the white boys were to be tried in different counties, and thty had no other means than eleemofynary contributions to prepare for their defence.

t It is well known that Mr. Jones afterwards accufed, in the publicly prints, the Catholick committee, of not giving iiim the whole of the money which they had promifed to pay him.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

39

and the debates which took place in the Romifh convention in the year 1792, and which the reader will fee in the fequel, and the fudden, fuccefsful, and unexpedled turn which their affairs took in the year 1793, left very little room to doubt, but that fome extraordinary fecret influence was exerted in England. *

In the year 1757, there appeared a very fniguhr and unqueftionable proof that thofe doctrines of the Romilh church, which had difturbed the peace of all proteftant countries ever fmce the Reformation took place, exifted in full force in Ireland.

In that year, a bill was introduced into the houfe of lords, to fecure the proteftant fucceffion, in which there was an oath of allegiance.

Thomas Burke, titular bifhop of Offory, and publick hiftoriographer to the dominican order in Ireland, made the following obfervations on that oath. After animadverting on the feverity of fetting afide the different foreign branches of the Stuart family, he fays, “ would it not exceed the greateft imaginable abfurdity, that a Catholick prieft, who inftructs his Catholick people in the will of God, from fcripture and tradition, by his difcourfe and adlions, and nourifheth them with the facrament of the church, fhould fwear fidelity to king George, as long as he profefleth a heterodox religion, or has a wife of that religion? that then, and in that cafe, the fame Catholick prieft ought inftantly to abjure the very king to whom he had before fworn allegiance.” Impiety moft horrible If

Thomas Burke was made titular bifhop of Oflbry in 1759, and died at Kilkenny in September, 1776. He was, as he frequently tells us, a favourite of pope Benedict XIV. was a man of refpedtable learning, and perfe£lly well acquainted with the doctrines of the Romifti church, the bulls and epiftles of the popes, and the fentiments of the Irifh Roman catholicks; and yet fome of the heads of the Irifh clergy have had the effrontery and duplicity to vilify the talents and information of this writer, and to reprefent him as a dotard, haunted with dreams of pontifical omnipotence; but iuch perverfion of truth, and fuch varnifhing of odious dodrines are only calculated to deceive, and can

impofe

• It cannot be fuppofed that I allude to any of his Majefty’s minifters, whofe honour and integrity are far above my praife. t” Hibernia Dominicana, page 723.

40

TMEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

impofe on no rational man; for all the tenets contained in his book were carried into practice during the late rebellion.

Burke, after reciting part of pope Paul V.’s bull, encouraging the Irifh in their rebellion, exclaims, Quid celebrius? Quid infignius?*

On the flight of king James II. he fays, that he feafonably left the BritilTi nation, whom he brands as perjurers and traitors, who confpired againft his life, fubjecl to the flavery of this new Cromwell (meaning king William,} vilifTuni novi hujus Cromwelli fervitute.

The firfl; part of his Hibernia Dominicana was printed at Kilkenny in the year 1762, the fecond in 1772, both by Edmund Finn; but it was ftated to have been publilhed at Cologne, Colonia: Agrippinas.

In fpeaking of the gun powder plot, he fays, it was an invention, and that the gun powder was fecretly put under the parliament houfe, by the order of William Cecil, to afford a fpecious pretext for extirpating all the catholicks of England.

Again, in the year 1768, when an oath of allegiance, to be taken by the Roman catholicks of Ireland, was in the contemplation of parliament, Thomas Maria GhiUini, the pope’s legate at Brulfels, who had a complete control and fuperintendance over all the northern churches, and fpoke ex cathedra, made the following animadverfions on that oath, in four letters to the titular archbifliops of Ireland; and thefe letters are ftyled by Thomas Burke, who publifhed them in his Hibernia Dominicana, literse vere aurese, cedroque dignge.

The legate treats the claufes in the propofed oath, containing a declaration of abhorrence and deteftation of the doftrines, “ that faith is not to be kept with hereticks; and that princes, deprived by the pope, may be depofed or murdered by their fubjefts, as abfolutely intolerable; becaufe, he fays, thofe doclrines are defended, and contended for by mofl Catholick nations, and the Holy See has frequently followed them in pradice. On the whole he decides, that, as the oath is in its whole extent unla\\ ful, fo in its nature it is invalid, null, and of no efiecl, infomuch that it can by no means bind or oblige confciences.” f

It is well known, that fimilar decifions have been uniformly made by the Roman pontiffs, on the validity of oaths any way detrimental

to

* Wli.it cnn he move famous? What more ilkiRriiiiis?

t r.ige 925  This was in the fupplement of that work publiriied ii> the vir’ar 177;.

\

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 41

to the Holy See. In the late rebellion, the popifh multitude, and many of the Romifh clergy and gentlemen, paid no regard whatever to an oath of allegiance.

When the emperor and the Roman catholick princes of Germany concluded a peace called the treaty of Weftphalia, in the year 1648, with the proteftant princes, they mutually bound each other by a folemn oath, to the obfervance of it; on which the pope publilhed a flaming bull, in which he pronounced the oath to be null and void, as no oath could bind them to hereticks. This bull was expofed by Hornbeck, a famous German divine, in a work entitled, “ Examen bullfe papalis, qua Innocentius X. abrogare nititur pacem Germanigs.”

The conduct of the parliament of Ireland, from the beginning of his prefent majefty’s reign till the end of the year 1793, prefents the reader with an uninterrupted feries of blunders in politicks.

All our difgraces and misfortunes are to be found in the hiflory of our penal laws, and in the feeble execution of them, beginning with the third of Geo. III. cap. 19. for indemnifying all fuch perfons as have been, or fhall be aiding in the difperfmg of riots, and apprehending the rioters, which was enacted for the fuppreffion of the white boys. As the boldnefs and temerity of thefe infurgents continued to encreafe, the fifth of Geo. III. cap. 8. pafled, and was entitled, “ An aft to prevent the future tumultuous rifmgs. of perfons within this kingdom.” The want of enforcing the falutary provifions of thefe laws tended to encourage the white boys in the commiffion of atrocities for above twenty years after. About the year 1773, that fyflem of conciliation and concefTion, which laid the foundation of the late rebellion l>egan; for, while this popifli banditti, encouraged by their clergy, were committing the moll dreadful enormities, the thirteenth and fourteenth of Geo. III. cap. 35, to enable Roman catholicks to teftify their allegiance to his majefty by oath, w^as enafted; but the folly and abfurdity of that law were fully proved by the neceffity of pafTmg, foon after, the thirteenth and fourteenth of Geo. III. cap. 45. to prevent malicious cutting and wounding, and to punifli offenders, called chalkers; for the afl’affin in the morning teftified his allegiance to his king, and at night, with his chalking knife, renounced his allegiance to

G his

42

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

his God, by mangling and maiming his fellov/ creature, and houghing his cattle.

As the barbarous excefles committed by the white boys continued to encreafe, the fifteenth and fixteenth of Geo. III. cap. 21. was enaded againft them. It recites that the fifth of Geo. III. cap. 8. was infufficient for fuppreffing them; and it ftates, “ That they aflembled riotoufly, injured perfons and property, compelled perfons to quit their abode, impofed oaths and declarations by menaces, fent threatening and incendiary letters, obftrufted the export of corn, and deftroyed the fame.”  This is an exadt defcription of the defenders.

As their turbulence and ferocity continued to encreafe, and as they made a conftant praftice of houghing foldiers in a wanton and unprovoked manner, the chalking a£t was extended, and amended by the feventeenth and eighteenth of Geo. III. cap. 49.

Concefiion and conciliation holding pace with an encreafe of the enormities committed by thofe favages, a law paffed foon after the feventeenth and eighteenth of Geo. III. cap. 49. to enable Roman catholicks to take leafes for nine hundred and ninety-nine years, or five lives, at any rent; and by it, all lands of which a Roman catholick was at that time feized, were made defcendible, devifable, and transferable, as fully as if the fame were in the feifin of any other perfon.

The preamble of this a£t recites, “ That for their uniform peaceable behaviour, for a long feries of years, it appears reafonable and expedient to relax feveral of their incapacities and difabilities.” The falfity and inconfiftency of this alfertion will be an eternal ftain on the parliament of Ireland.

There is not a doubt, but that the Romanifts had fome hired agents in that affembly at this period. A ftrong argument in favour of an Union!

As a mark of gratitude for thefe indulgences, this infamous banditti proceeded to commit greater enormities than they had pradifed before, in confequence of which the legiflature were obliged to pafs the eighteenth and nineteenth of Geo. III. cap. 37. and the title of it will fhew how neceffary it was : “ An ad to prevent the deteftable praftice of houghing cattle, burning houfes, barns, haggards, and corn; and for other purpofes.”

Though

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

43

Though they continued to commit their ufual excefles, the legiflature, a£buated by what was called liberality of fentiment, put the Roman catholicks on the fame footing with proteftants, as to property, in the year 1782; and almofl: the whole of the reftridlive laws were repealed. The volunteers checked, in fome degree, the barbarous outrages committed by the white boys from the year 1780 to the year 178-}, when the inftitution began to languifli, and then we find them as furious as ever in the province of Leinfter. This proves how neceffary a numerous and well-armed police, confifting of proteftants, is to the profperity of Ireland.

In December, 1784, a body of white boys broke into the houfe of John Mafon a proteftant, in the county of Kilkenny, in the night, placed him naked on horfeback, and having carried him in this manner five or fix miles from his houfe, they cut off his ears, and in that ftate buried him up to his chin; they alfo robbed him of his fire arms.*

This year they were fo outrageous in the province of Leinfter, particularly in the county of Kilkenny, that a denunciation was read againft them in all the popifti chapels in the diocefe of Offory, on the feventeenth of November, 1784.

This was a ftrong proof of the returning loyalty and obedience to the laws of the popifti clergy of that diocefe; or, if they were infincere and fecretly encouraged the white boys as much as formerly, of their extreme dupHcity.

As doftor Butler, brother of Mr. Butler of Ballyragget, and of the noble houfe of Ormond, was at that time titular archbiftiop of Cafliel, a gentleman who was fincerely loyal, it is very likely that he prevailed on his clergy to adopt this procedure. He ftiould not be confounded witli dodor Butler who was in that See when the white boys began their excefles.

All thefe privileges were granted with a good grace by parliament, and they met with no oppofition from the conftituent body, who were at that time exclufively proteftants.

Notwithftanding fuch liberality on the part of the proteftant ftate, the white boys ftill continued to commit nocturnal depredations in different parts ,of Leinfter and Munfter; but in the latter they were

G 2 fucceeded

* See Appendix, No. I. 8. for a few fpcclmens of white boy atrocity.

44

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

fucceeded by a fet of infurgents called right boys in 1786, who refembled them in every refped, except in the title which they aflumed. Their proceedings, chiefly directed againft the proteflant clergy, were not the wild and extravagant efforts of ralh and ignorant peafants, but a dark and deep-laid fcheme, planned by men fkilled in the law and the artifices by which it may be evaded. Such men fuggefted to the farmers, to enter into a combination under the fandion of an oath, not to take their tythes, or to affift any clergyman in drawing them.

Some of the proteflant gentlemen, hoping to exonerate their eftates of tythes, by the machinations and enormities of thefe traitors, fecretly encouraged them; and others connived at their exceffes, till they began to oppofe the payment of rent, and the recovery of money by legal procefs, and then they came forward in fupport of the law.

A form of a fummons to the clergy to draw their tythe, penned v/ith legal accuracy, was printed at Cork, and circulated with great diligence through many parts of Munfler. In order to make the combination univerfal, fome of the mofl aftive and intelligent members of it adminiftered oaths to all the lower clafs of people, at the Romifli chapels and market towns.

To varnifh over the knavery and turpitude of their defigns, they publifhed a tything table, according to which they pretended that they would pay the clergy, but to which they did not adhere, and, if they had done fo, it v/ould not have afforded them a fubfiftence; befides, by (wearing not to hire horfes to them, and by a great number of them combining to fever the tythe, and draw their corn, on the fame day, they completely robbed them of their property; and the proteftant clergy would adually have ftarved, but that an aft of parliament paffed in the year 1787, to enable them to recover the tythes of which they had been defrauded in this manner.

At lafl, the proteftant clergy in the county of Cork were fo much intimidated by the menaces and infults which they received from them, that many were obliged to fly to the city of Cork for proteftion. They foon proceeded from one aft of violence to another, and eftabliftied fuch a fyftem of terror, that landlords were afraid to diftrain for rent, or to fue by civil procefs for money due by note. They took arms from protellants, and levied money to buy ammunition.

They

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

45

They broke open gaols, fet fire to hay and corn, and even to houfes, efpecially to thofe occupied by the army. At laft they had the audacity to threaten the cities of Limerick and Cork, and the town of Ennis, the capital of Clare, w ith famine; and took meafurcs to prevent farmers and fifhermen from conveying fupplies of provifions to them. They proceeded by fuch a regular fyftem, that they eftabhflied a kind of poft-office, for communication, by which they conveyed their notices with celerity for the purpofe of forming their meetings, which were frequent and numerous.

This fpirit of riot and infurredion occafioned the pafTing of a law in the year 1787, drawn by the prefent lord Clare, entitled, “ An ad; to prevent tumultuous rifmgs and affemblies, and for the more effedlual punifhment of perfons guilty of outrage, riot, and illegal combination, and of adminiftering and taking unlawful oaths and in the formation of that law, he fhewed the fame political wifdom, and firmnefs of mind, which he evinced on all fubfequent occafions. By that law government were empowered to raife an armed police in any county they chofe, and the introduction of it into the counties of Kilkenny, Tipperary, Cork, and Kerry, occafioned fuch a revolution in the morals and manners of their inhabitants, and was fo efficient in preferving focial order, that fome of the principal landholders in them declared openly in parliament, that their eflates were encreafed two years jjurchafe in value by that falutary inftitution.

An ingenious foreigner obferved to me, that he never faw a country in which fo many proclamations were ilTued againfl malefaftors, and the commilTion of crimes, as in Ireland; a fure prcof of the feeble execution of the laws!

At laft, doctor Woodward, bifhop of Cloyne, fhocked and alarmed at feeing his clergy driven from their houfes tO’ the city of Cork, whilher they went for an afyluni, and that a confpiracy was formed for the deftrudion of the proteftant church, wrote a very able pamphlet, ftating the origin and progrefs of the infurredions in Munfter, hoping thereby to roufe government to take meafures for its defence.

Nothing marked fo flrongly the depravity of the times, as the malignant attacks, attended with fcurrility and abufe, which were made

on

46

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

on this amiable prelate, for this feafonable and fpirited difcharge of his paftoral duty. I had the honour of being well acquainted with him, and I never knew a perfon more profoundly and elegantly learned, or fo well verfed, not only in every thing that concerned the ecclefiaftical department, but in the various duties of every line of focial life. Having vifited every part of the Continent, he fpoke the modern languages with great fluency and purity, and had uncommon eafe and affability of manner.

He had the moll exalted piety, and was not only very charitable himfelf, but an a£tive promoter of publick charities. His eloquence in the pulpit was irrefiftible, as his ftyle was nervous and elegant; his voice was loud and harmonious, and he had great dignity of manner.

With all thefe exalted qualities and endowments, he polTefTed the moft brilliant wit, and fuch a happy vein of humour, as enlivened fociety wherever he happened to be.

This neceflary and important duty, the negledl of which would have been criminal, drew on him a hoft of foes, confifling of popifh bifliops, priefts, friars, and prefbyterian minifters, who abufed and vilified him with fmgular malignity; and even fome members of parliament had the hardened audacity to arraign him with much feverity.

This amiable prelate made a mofl; eloquent fpeech in fupport of the privileges granted to the Roman catholicks in the year 1782.

This fpirit of infurredion fpread over mofl parts of Munfter. The confpirators bound each other by oath to refift the laws of the land, and to obey none but thofe of captain Right; and fo ftriftly did they adhere to them, that the high fheriff of the county of Waterford, * could not procure a perfon to execute the fentence of the law on one of thefe mifcreants who was condemned to be whipped at Carrick-on-Suir, though he offered a large fum of money for that purpofe. He was therefore under the neceffity of performing that duty himfelf, in the face of an enraged mob.

* The writer of tbcfe pages was high fheriff at that time.

ORIGIN

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

47

ORIGIN OF THE VOLUNTEERS.

In the year 1779, when England was involved m a war with the French, Spaniards, and Americans; when the combined naval armaments of the enemy were fuperior in point of number to the channel fleet; when conftant and well-grounded apprehenfions were entertained that Ireland would be invaded, the loyalty of her parliament, trembling for the fate of the empire, left the kingdom almoft deftitute of any military force for its defence. At the fame time what little commerce fhe then enjoyed, was completely ftagnated by privateers, which conflantly hovered on her coaft. In this critical junfture,^ fome maritime towns, dreading that they might be plundered by the latter, applied to government for a military force for their defence; but received in anfwer, that they muft arm and defend themfelves.

This gave rife to the volunteers, of which numerous bodies were immediately raifed, who fupplied themfelves with arms; and government, wifhing to encourage the laudable fpirit which the Irifli nation Ihewed, diftributed immenfe quantities among them.

It is moft certain, that thefe military aflbciations deterred the French from attempting an invafion of the kingdom, which they meditated at that time; and they completely preferved the police of the country.

To their immortal honour be it fpoken, that, though felf-embodied, armed, and difciplined, they not only fhewed the greateft refped for the laws, but the utmoft zeal in enforcing the execution of them.

Without attempting to detrad: from the inftitution, or queftioning the important advantages derived from it, every perfon acquainted with the fcience of civil polity muft acknowledge, that no power fhould be allowed to exift within a ftate, capable of overawing or of overturning it.

Government were foon fo much intimidated by the volunteers, that they fhewed a degree of obeifance and deference for their officers, bordering upon pufillanimity; and popularity among that order became a certain ftep to preferment.

It

48 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

It was a common praftice to obtain adulatory addreffes from the Volunteers, of which great numbers conftantly appeared in the publick prints; and he who could procure the greateft number of them, was fure to fucceed in his ambitious defigns. It was to be lamented, that they foon began to deviate from the end of their inftitution, and to form provincial meetings, for the purpofe of new modelling the ftate; of which a notable inftance occurred on the fifteenth of February, 1782; when delegates from one hundred and forty-three corps of the province of Ulfter alTembled at Dungannon, and entered jnto refolutions of that tendency, which were foon adopted by all the volunteer corps and grand juries of the kingdom.

It is far from my intention to cenfure that aflembly, who were actuated by the generous defign of improving the conftitution, and of diifufing the bleffmgs of civil liberty as extenfively as poflible; but every moderate and rational perfon muft allow, that it was incompatible with the principles of found policy, that an armed body fhould take upon them to didate to the government. It is to be lamented that fuch affemblies and their difcuffions taught the mafs of the people to fpeculate upon politicks, and as they cannot diftinguifli fophiftry from truth, prepared their minds for the reception of thofe deleterious doctrines which produced the rebellion.

On the ninth of Odober, 1783, delegates from all the corps of the province of Leinfter aflembled at the Royal Exchange of Dublin, when reform of parliament, and the admifTion of Roman catholicks to the eledive franchife were propounded.

On Monday the tenth of November, 178?, the grand national convention of volunteers, confiding of delegates from every county in the kingdom, met at the Royal Exchange in Dublin, marched in regular proceflion to the Rotunda, where they opened their feffion, and entered into deliberation, on new modelling the conftitution. Some men, diftinguifhed in parliament for wifdom, virtue, and eloquence, were fo much heated with the frenzy of innovation which then prevailed, that they took the lead in that fingular affembly, v/hich was faid in moft of the publick prints to confift: of the real reprefentatives of the people.

On

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 49

On the twelfth of that month, father O’Leary, an Irifli friar, and chaplain to the Irifh brigade, a popilh corps of volunteers, entered the convention; and fuch was the folly of the times, that the volunteer guard at the gate received him with a full falute of reftqd arms; and many members of the convention paid him the moft ilatterinocompliments.

On the twenty-fifth of November, the committee of the convention reported their plan of reforming the conftitution; and one of its menibers, the right honourable Henry Flood, attempted, on the twenty-ninth, to introduce it into the houfe of commons, in the fhape of a bill; but it was fcouted with a degree of indignation which did honour to that aflembly.

On the firft inftitution of the volunteers, fome low perfons, v.ho turned out notorious traitors in the late rebellion, alfumed the rank of officers; and many gentlemen of rank and fortune, who headed them at firfl, having retired, were fucceeded by men deflitute of both, and well knov/n to be difaffeded.

Of this defcription were Napper Tandy, Bacon the tailor, Matthew Dowling, and many others concerned in the late rebellion, whom the lenity of government has faved from the vengeance of the lav/.

Such men having acquired popularity and influence among the volunteers, fome of the firft of our nobility and gentry, who olFered themfelves candidates for a fuperior command among them, courted thefe mifcreants for their intereft, with all the meannefs of fervility; for they elefted their own officers.

There is not a doubt, but that numbers of unprincipled men, enrolled -among the volunteers, formed fchemes for fubverting the conftitution; and their invitation to the Roman catholicks to take up arms, and their earneft defire that they fliould be admitted to a participation of the eledtive franchife, were m.ade with the hope of procuring their co-operation for that purpofe.

That amiable nobleman the earl of Charlemont, who had very great influence among the volunteers, well knowing that fuch propofitions flowed from finifter defigns, fuccefsfuUy oppofed them in the year 1784.

H There

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

There is not a doubt, but that the flirtation between John and Peter was formed during the exiftence of the volunteer inftitution. *

Mr. Edmund Burke alluded to this heterogeneous coalition between Roman catholicks and prefbyterians, in the following paflage of his letter to fir Hercules Langriihe in the year 1792, on the claims of the former to the eleftive franchife : “ As to the low, thoughtlefs, wild and profligate, who have joined themfelves with thofe of other profeflions, (meaning the prefbyterians) but of the fame charadter; you are not to imagine, that, for a moment, I can fuppofe them to be met with any thing elfe than the manly and enlightened energy of a firm government, fupported by the united efforts of all virtuous men; if ever their proceedings fhould become fo confiderable as to demand its notice, I really think that fuch aflbciations fhould be crulhed in their very commencement.”

Mr. Burke did not know that the mafs of the Roman catholicks were infefted with revolutionary defigns at fo early a period, not only in Dublin but in many other parts of the kingdom, as we fhall find in the fequel. A corps called the Irifh brigade was raifed in the city of Dublin, of which nineteen out of twenty were Roman cathoUcks, and they appointed father O’Leary, an obfcure itinerant friar, their chaplain. I have been aflTured, that they exceeded in number all the other volunteer corps in the city. From the principles which fome of its members difplayed during the late rebellion, we may infer that they harboured treafonable defigns even at that early period.

On the fifteenth of May, 1784, the Belfall firfl volunteer company refolved and agreed to inflruft, in the ufe of arms, perfons of all ranks and religious perfuafions, who fhould prefent themfelves for that purpofe; and they oflfered them the ufe of their own arms.

On the fixteenth of May, 1784, the builders corps in Dublin refolved, that their drill ferjeant fhould attend at Marlborough-green, three days in the week, to teach perfons of all ranks and religious perfuafions the ufe of arms.

They refolved alfo, to have annual parliaments, and to impart the eleftive franchife equally to perfons of every mode of religious worfhip.

On

* This alludes to St. Peter and John Cahin.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 51

On the twentieth of May, 1784, delegates from all the volunteer corps in the city and county of Dublin refolved unanimoufly, that the training to the ufe of arms every honeft and induftrious Irifliman, however moderate his property, or deprefled his fituation, was a meafure of the utmoft utility to this kingdom, and would produce a valuable acquifition to the volunteer arms and intereft. Similar refolutions were entered into in different parts of the kingdom.

In the fummer of the year 1783, the iTilh brigade, and the Dublin independent volunteers, commanded by James Napper Tandy, Matthew Dowling, and Bacon the tailor, formed an encampment between Roebuck and Dublin, under the pretext of ftudying tadicks, and learning camp duty; though it was well known, that they were hatching revolutionary projefts. It is to be obferved, that the war, the only pretext for their arming, was now at an end; and yet many corps in different parts of the kingdom refolved not to lay down their arms, but with their lives.

The volunteer inftitution occafioned much idlenefs and diflipation among the induftrious part of the community, and deftroyed fubordination, fo effential to the exiftence of focial order; for perfons of low rank, aflbciating with their fuperiors, loft that refped which they had entertained for them, and were infpired vdth levelling principles.

The immenfe quantity of arms, which government diftributed among the volunteers, fell into the hands of traitors in the late rebellion, and made it more terrifick.

It is ftated in the report of the fecreT committee, and it is ftridly true, that the national guards, who, in the year 1792, meditated the fubverfion of the conftitution, fprung from the volunteers.

The principal argument ufed againft the Union by the gentlemen who oppofed it was, that the conftitution, as fettled in the year 1782, was perfedt and therefore conclufive : how came it then, that a reprefent-ative body of the whole nation in arms, and many of them confiftiug of the very firft of our nobility and gentry, affembled for the exprefs purpofe of remedying the defeds of that very conftitution, the year after “it was eftabliflied? and it is very remarkable, that many members of both houfes of parliament, who were conftituent members of that mock jparliament, vvcre the moft fangiune oppofers of the Union.

H 2 In

-2 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

In fhort, it will appear, that, from the year 1782, when our conftitution was fuppofed to arrive at the fummit of perfeftion, that an immoderate and alarming fpirit of innovation, which ultimately produced the rebellion, never ceafed to break forth in and out of parliament; and that Mr. Grattan and his adherents, who piqued themfelves on being the chief authors of the conftitution of 1782, were the principal promoters of that very fpirit of innovation, which fhook the pillars of the throne in 1798, defolated fome of the mofl fertile portions of Ireland, and aimed at its feparation from England.

ORIGIN

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

53

ORIGIN OF THE DEFENDERS.

A. S a great conflagration is often kindled by a fmall fpark, fo the feuds and altercations between the peep-of-day boys and defenders, the former prefbyterians, the latter Romanifts, which occafioned much ftrife and bloodfhed, has been afcribed to a trifling difpute between two individuals.

On the fourth of July, 1784, two men of the former perfuafion had a quarrel and fought near Market-hill, a fmall town in the county of Armagh, when one of the combatants became viftorious by the advice and afl!iflance of a Roman catholick peafant and Lis brother, who happened to be prefent, for which the vanquiftied hero vowed vengeance againfl; the latter.

A fecond challenge took place, but the two Romanifts would not attend the combat, having been informed, that the preflDyterians, who had been defeated, refolved to be revenged of him and his party.

At lafl: the vanquiflied prefbyterian publiflied, that a horfe-race would take place on a certain day at Hamilton’s-bawn, where the combatants met and fought a fecond time; v/hen the conqueror became viftorious by the afllftance of fome Romanifts who fought on his fide. Both parties began to raife recruits, and to coUeft arms; but prefbyterians and papifts mixed indifcriminately, and were marked for fome time by the diftrid; to which they belonged, and not by any religious diftindion. Each body aflTumed the fmgular appellation of fleet, and was denominated from the parifh or town-land where the perfons who conipofed it refided.

The Nappack fleet was at firft headed by a Roman catholick; and the people in the neighbourhood of Bunker’s-hill, (in the road from Newry to Armagh,) entered into an affociation to defend themfelves againft the Nappack fleet, chofe a diflTenting minifter for their leader, affumed, for the firft time, the title of defenders, and were joined foon after by the Bawn fleet, in order to proted themfelves againft the Nappack fleet. On Whitfunmonday, in the year 1785, the two parties met, and were to have had a defperate engagement.

The

5i MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

The Nappack fleet, 700 in number, were all armed with guns, Cwords, and piftols. The Bunker’s-hill defenders, and the Bawn fleet, though much more numerous, were not fo well armed. When they were on the point of engaging, Mr. Richardfon, of Richhill, member for the county of Armagh, and two more gentlemen, interpofed, and induced them to feparate, which prevented a great effufion of blood.

From the inveterate hatred which has ever exifl:ed between the two fefts, they foon began to feparate, and to enlifl under the banners of religion; and as the Roman catholicks fliewed uncommon eagernefs to colle£t arms, the prefbyterians began to difarm them.

The former affumed the appellation of defenders, the latter that of peepof-day boys, becaufe they vifited the houfes of their antagonifts at a very early hour in the morning, to fearch for arms; and it is mofl certain, that in doing fo, they often committed the mofl; wanton outrages, infulting their perfons, and breaking their furniture.

The pafiions of both parties being very much inflamed, they never miffed an opportunity of exercifmg hofl:ilities againft: each other, which .frequently terminated in the commiflion of murder.

A detail of their battles would be as uninterefliing as that of the kites and crows.

To exafperate the defenders, and to induce them to embody themfelves from motives of fear, prophecies were frequently made, that the Scotch ■(meaning the prefbyterians) would rife on a certain night, and maffacre the Romaniflis, who, being credulous and timorous, pofted watches all night to give the alarm. As fuch reports were conftantly made, fome time previous to, and during the rebellion, as devices to inflame the popifii multitude againfl: the protefliants, we may reafonably conclude, that the authors of them, at this early period, had the fame fmiflier defigns.

By a feafonable exertion of government, this fpirit of combination and autTage might have been eafily extinguiflied; but I have been aflured, that it was fomented by the improper interference of country gentlemen, who efpoufed one party or the other, for eledlioneering purpofes; and it happened, that one perfon, who had popifli tenants, was partial to the defenders, and another, whofe eftate was chiefly occupied by prefbyterians, proteded the peep-of-day boys.

In

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

55’

In the year 1785, fome prefbyterians, profecuted by one Keegan, apapift, whom they had beaten in a moft cruel manner, were fentenccd to be imprifoned for a certain time; but they were immediately liberated at the inftance of a gentleman of influence. In the fame manner;, one Mc.Quone, a defender, who was fentenced to die at Armagh, in the year 1787, for the murder of one Donaldfon, a prefbyterian, obtained his pardon by the interference of an individual of confiderable weight.

In the year 1787, the difturbances rofe to fuch an alarming pitch, in the county of Armagh, that two troops of dragoons were fent to the city of Armagh to quell them, as infantry were found inadequate for that purpofe.

At lafl it became a downright religious war, and the fanaticks of one fedl exercifed the moft barbarous revenge on the innocent members of the other, for the crimes of the guilty.

On the trials of fome of the infurgents, at the fummer aflizes of 1786, it was proved by fome refpedable witnelfes, that, in a riot at Tanderagee, the defenders, who were then arraigned, had offered 5I. for the head of a proteftant.

In the year 1788, the defenders combined among themfelves, not to purchafe any goods from a proteftant, which turned many perfons of the eftabliftied church againft them^ who had formerly been rather friendly to them,and induced them to retaliate.

The people of Lurgan, and its vicinity, were remarkably quiet during the heat and frenzy of the infurgents, becaufe it abounds with proteftants of the eftablifhed. church; the only feft uniformly attached to the conftitution.

In the year 1788, fome volunteer corps were raifed, for the purpofe of checking the fpirit of turbulence and outrage that prevailed, by ftrengthening the arm of the civil magiftrate. * They completely put an end to the perambulations, and the domiciliary vifits of the peep-of-day boys, and very wifely entered into refolutions, that they would not Ihew favour or affeftion to any defcription of men who fhould difturb the publick tranquillity; and yet the defenders ftiewed the moft decided averfion

to

* In the fame manner aflbciations of armed men were ncceflary to put down the white boys.

56 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

to this inftitution, began to collect arms with more zeal than ever, and even to learn the manual exercire.

Thefe volunteer corps were very ufeful in jDrcventIng tumultuous meetings, riots, and dillurbances. In confequence of a challenge given by the defenders and peep-of-day boys, there was a numerous meeting within two miles of Lifmadil, in the county of Armagh, in the year 1788; and the confequences might have been very fatal, had not eighteen of the firfl volunteer Armagh company repaired there, and declared that they would lire on the firu: perfon who would refill the lawful commands of the magiftratc, and they took fome arms from both parties.

In the fame year, the defenders, emboldened by their numbers and the arms they had procured, fcnt fome challenges to the volunteers, of which a notable inftance occurred at Granemore in the fame county, when they fent a challenge to a party of the latter, after they had fired their laft cartridge in their evolutions, preparatory to a general -review. The volunteers, thus circumftanced, being unable to defend themfelves, were obliged to retire to a place of fafety, till they procured a reinforcement for their proteftion; and then they proceeded to their refpedive homes.

The Benburb corps of volunteers, in the county of Tyrone, having proceeded, without arms, to hear divine fervice at the church of Armagh on a Sunday, headed by Mr. Young, one of their officers, palfed by a Romilh chapel, the congregation of which abufed, and threw ftones at them. The volunteers, having procured fome fire arms at Armagh, the altercation was renewed at their return, and ended in a conflid, in which two of the popifli congregation were killed, and fome perfons were wounded on both fides. It was conjedured that the former were prepared for the combat, as they had five mufkets.

The volunteers were very much cenfured for having returned by the fame road, when they might have taken another.

The open hoftility which the defenders difplayed againfl the volunteers, raifed for no other purpofe but to maintain focial order, and their intemperate zeal to furnifli themfelves with fire arms, alarmed all loyal and peaceable fubjeds; in confequence of which the earl of Charlemont, governor of the county, and the grand jury, publiflied a manifcfto in the

year

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

57

year 1788, againfl: all papifts who (hould anemble in arms, and againfl any perfons who fhould attempt to difarm them without legal authority.

It appears then, that the fears of the prefbyterians were not groundlefs; and as they were prevented from difpolTeffing them of arms, which they were collecting in great numbers, they fought for legal redrefs, and indidted fome of the defenders in the year 1788; but baron Hamilton qualhed the indidlments, and difmiffed both parties, with a warm and imprefTive exhortation to live in peace and brotherly love.

The following difcovery, made in the year 1789, clearly proved that the defenders were fyftematically organized, and that their uncommon eagernefs to procure arms and ammunition, arofe not from defenfive, but offenfive defigns. One of their plans or conflitutions was found in the year 1789, by a magiftrate of the county of Armagh, on one of their leaders of the name of Sharky, and dated the 24th of April of that year, at Drumbanagher.* It is very evident that their views muft have been hoftile, as one eflential required in a member of the order was, to be poflefled of a mullvet, and a bayonet. It prevailed alfo in the county of Louth, and they could not plead in excufe for introducing it there, that it was done for proteftion againft the prefbyterians, as none of that perfuafion, and but few proteftants of the eftablifhed church, exifted there. It muft have taken up fome time to bring this fyftem to maturity, and they were probably numerous in the county of Armagh, as Sharky’s lodge is number 18. There muft have been an intercourfe, and a communication between the lodges of different counties; for, in this plan, there appears a certificate, that Michael Moore was a brother defender, and he is recommended to the committee of Carrickarnan, number i, in the county of Louth. Sobriety, fecrefy, the accumulation of arms, and the giving afliftance to each other on all occafions, feem to have been leading objedts with them. They were exclufively of the Roman catholick religion. They knew each other by fecret figns : they had a grand mafter in each county, who was eleded at a general annual meeting, and they had aifo m.onthly meetings.

For the following reafons, it unqueftionably appears, that they had freafonable defigns:

I The

‘ See Appendix, No. it.

58

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

The defenders oath found in every other part of the kingdom, correfponds in general with this;* and it has one peculiarity which is worth obfervation. They are required to take an oath of allegiance, which ends thus, W/ji!e we live under the fame government.

Weldon, a noted defender, who was tried in the year 1795, in Dublin, and iifterwards hanged, for various treafonable practices, but particularly for having adminillered this oath, obferved, on the lall paragraph of it, “ If the king’s head were off to-morrow, you would not be under the fame government.”! Weldon dated the origin of the order in 1 790, but I fuppofe he alluded to the introduction of it into Dublin. It appeared afterwards, on the trials of all the noted defenders, particularly on thofe of Weldon, Hunt, and Brady, in Dublin, that the extirpation of proteftants was one of the chief objects of the inftitution. Some intelligent tnagiftrates in the county of Armagh have affured me, that they were organized at an early period, with fuch a degree of art and ingenuity, as the low people of which they were compofed, could not have pofl’effed; and the fame obfervation is made in the report of the fecret committee of the houfe of lords of 1793.

We cannot be furprifed at this, when it is very well known, that the famous father Quigley | was very active among the defenders. As he interefted himfelf very much in their concerns, it is not improbable that their organization was on the French plan, as it has been difcovered, that he made a practice of going often to France.

They had parochial and baronial committees, and a fuperior one to which they appealed; and from a connexion which appeared afterwards to have fubfifted between them and the CathoUck committee in Dublin, we may infer that they were much influenced by it.

The diflurbances excited by them in the counties of Armagh, Antrim, Down, Louth, and Monaghan, were fuch, in the year 1789, that general Euflace received orders to repair to thefe counties, and to take the command of a body of troops for fuppreffmg them.

At Rathfriland, in the county of Down, and its vicinity, he found that the papifts and prelbyterians harboured fuch mutual enmity and fuf

picion,

* But after the war broke out, they were univerfally bound to join and aflift the French.

t I give this man’s trial in the year 1795.

\ He was afterwards hanged at Maidftone, in Kent, in 1798.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

59

picion, that a body of each under arms, conflantly kept watch and ward. On being alked their reafons for fo doing, each faid they were afraid of being murdered by the other.

At Loughbrickland, their animofity was fo great, that the general recommended to a Mr. White to quit it, as it would be unfafe for a proteftant to refide there; and he followed his advice.

Many gentlemen of the North have affured me, that the origin of the defenders, and the exceffes which they committed, may properly be imputed to the favage and fanguinary fpirit of the lower clafs of Romanifts in the county of Armagh, where they are peculiarly barbarous.

The following tranfadion will fully prove this, and that fanaticifm was one of the principal fources of defenderifm:

Richard Jackfon, of Forkin,in the county of Armagh, efquire, who died on the nth of January, 1787, devifed an eftate of about 4000I. a year to the following charitable purpofes : That his demefne, confifting of 3000 acres, ftiould be colonized by proteftants;* and that four fchoolmafters fhould be eftablifhed on it, to inftruft, gratis, children of every religious perfuafion.

In the year 1789, the truftees obtained an a£t of parliament, to carry the provifions of the will into execution; and they appointed the reverend Edward Hudfon, redlor of Forkill, who was alfo one of the truftees, agent to tranfacl the bufmefs of the charity. The papifts, who lived in the neighbouring country, a favage race, the defcendants of the rapparees, declared, without referve, that they would not fuffer the eftablifliment to take place; and they foon put their menaces into execution. They fired tv/ice at Mr. Hudfon. On one occafion, an affaffin was fent from a popilh chapel, when the congregation was alTembled, to the road fide, where Mr. Hudfon was palling by, and he deliberately fired at him with a mu&et, from behind a bufh, and killed his horfe. The new colonifts were hunted like wild bcafts, and treated with favage cruelty : their houfes were demoliflied, and their property was deftroyed.

The treatment of Alexander Barclay, one of the fchool-mafters, in February, 1791, will fhew the reader the ferocious difpofition of thefe favages; and he muft fliudder with horror at hearing, that they openly exulted in the perpetration of thefe enormities, many of which they

I 2 committed

‘ It had no tenants on it, as it was his demefne.

6o MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

committed by torch light. They burned the manor mill, and would have murdered the miller, but that he made his efcape, naked, acrofs a river, in the night.

A Report of fome of the Trustees of the charity at Forkill, devifed by Richard Jackson, efquire, of the i^aflacre of the Barclay family^ to the biihop of Dromore. ‘ ■

My lord, Forkill Lodge, i ft Feb. 1791.

*’ We whofe names are hereunto fubfcribed, having alTembled at Forkill, purfuant to aft of parliament, to fuperintend the execution of the charities of the late Mr. Jackfon, are much concerned to acquaint your lordfhip, that a moft horrid outrage was committed on Friday laft, on the perfon of one Barclay, one of the fchool-mafters appointed by us, in this parifh, (the particulars of which we enclofe to your lordfhip,) in confequence of which, we think it abfolutely neceflary to fufpend all operations of the charity, until the opinion of a general board can be had, which we requeft your lordfhip will fummon with all convenient fpeed, and take fuch further fleps as the circumftances may require. We beg leave to remind your lordfhip, that at the laft general board, it was unanimoufly refolved, that the eftabhfhment of a barrack* at Forkill, for a company of foot, would be of general utiHty, and that your lordfhip agreed to recommend it to the lord lieutenant. The late event fhews the expediency of fuch an eftablifliment; and we greatly fear, that if fome means are not immediately ufed to reftore the peace of the country, the objedls of the charity can never be fulfilled.

PERCY JOCELYNv RICHARD ALLOTT. E. HUDSON.

“ On Friday evening at feven o’clock, a number of villains affembled at -the houfe of Alexander Barclay, one of the fchool-mafters in the parifh of Forkill, near Dundalk, appointed by the truftees of the late Richard Jackfon’s charities, to inftruft indifcriminately the children of the poor of faid parifh.  They rapped at the door, he enquired who was there,

and

* From the time of the laft rebellion in Ireland, in 1689, there had been a fmall barrack there, in which troops were cantoned, till within 30 or 40 years before this period, to reprcfs the ferocious fpirit of the rapparces.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 6v

and one man of the name of Terence Byrne, his near neighbour, (whofe voice he well knew, and had before at different times admitted upoiv knowing his voice,) told him it was he was there; he opened the door, and a number of men ruflied in, threw him on his face, and three of them flood on him, and flabbed him repeatedly. They then put a cord’ round his neck, which they tightened fo, as to force out his tongue; part of which, as far as they could reach, they cut off. They then cut off the four fingers and thumb of his right hand, and left him on the floor, and proceeded to ufe his wife in the fame manner. To add to their barbarity, they cut out her tongue, and cut ofl’ her four fingers and thumb, with a blunt weapon, which operation took them up above ten minutes, one or two of them holding up her arm, while they committed this inhuman aftion. They then battered, and beat her in a dreadful m.anner. Her brother, a boy of 1 3 years of age, had come from Armagh that morning to fee her. They cut out his tongue, and cut off the calf of his leg, and left them all three in that fituation.

“ No reafon can be aiTigned for this moft inhuman tranfaftion. The man was a proteftant, a peaceable decent man; he taught above 30 of their children gratis, being allowed a falary by the truflees for 40 more. He afked them, whether he had ever offended them? They faid not; but that was the beginning of what he and thofe like him* fhould fuffer.

“ Shocking as this account is to human nature, it is publickly exulted at in the parifh; and no perfon feems to think, that any punifhment will follow the commiiFion of this mofl atrocious wickednefs. So far were they from wifliing to conceal it, that they proceeded on the road with torches, publickly, and in defiance of every body.

“ There is every reafon to dread the mofl alarming confequences from the effeds of this tranfadion. The proteflants are every where in the greatefl terror; and unlefs government aflbrds them affiflance, mufl leave the country; as this recent inflance of inhumanity, and the threatenings thrown out againfl them, leave no doubt upon their minds of what the intentions mufl be againfl them.

*’ The man and the boy can fpeak a little, the woman f cannot, and

fortunately

* Meaning proteflants.

t She was a handfomeyoung^oman; they cutoff one of her breafts, and flie foon after died.

62

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

fortunately they are all likely to die; as, if they live, they are incapable of earning their fubfiftence.  Terence Byrne is fince fled.”

One Devitt, who was privy to it, turned approver, and charged a man of the name of Murphy, with being concerned in it. The watch of Alexander Barclay was found in his houfe; and all the family having identified him, he was convicted at Armagh, and hanged at Forkill. In his way thither, he fliewed ftrong figns of defpondency, fobbing, fighing, and bewailing his fate. But when near Forkill, he met a prieft, who whifpered a fhort time in his ear, after which his countenance brightened up, he advanced to the place of execution with firmnefs, and was launched into eternity with fingular refignation. The barbarous treatment of this colony by the Romanifts, and their favage cruelty towards the Barclays, convinced the prefbyterians that the extirpation of proteflants of every denomination was the main defign of the defenders.

As their zeal to colled arms ftill increafed, and as a large quantity of thehi was imported into Newry for their ufe, which occafioned a general alarm, the grand jury and high flieriff of the county of Armagh entered into the following refolution, at the fpring aflizes of 1 79 1 :

Refolved, “ That a rage among the Roman catholicks, for illegally arming themfelves, has of late taken place, and is truly alarming : In order then to put a ft:op to fuch proceedings, and to reflore tranquillity, we do pledge ourfelves to each other, as magiflrates and individuals; and do hereby offer a reward of five guineas, for the convidion of each of the firft twenty perfons, illegally armed and alTembled as aforefaid.”

Though the origin of the defenders has been imputed to a particular quarrel, and dated from a certain period, we may fairly conclude, that they had^ treafonable and revolutionary fchemes, which were infpired by miffionaries from France; probably fome of their own clergy; and what corroborates this opinion is, that the fermentation among them increafed, and kept pace with the diflurbances of that kingdom.

When Spain was the moft potent (late in Europe, the Irifh maintained a connedion with her, and fought her affiflance to make war againft their liege fovereign, and to fepara’te their native country from England; for which purpofe they brought two Spanifh armies into Ireland, in the reign of queen Elizabeth, which produced tv/o dreadful civil wars.

When

0

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 63

When France rofe to unrivalled wealth and power, on the declenfion of the Spanifh monarchy, under the aufpices of Richlieu and Mazarine his eleve, the Irifh began, and have never ceafed, to attach themfelves to her, hoping, through her aid, to accompUfh their treafonable defigns; and the popifli clergy, many of whom have been bred in France, never fail to infpire their flock with admiration of the Gallic nation, and with the mofl inveterate hatred towards the Englifh, whom they brand with the odious appellation of hereticks. For this reafon, we find father Quigley, an adive agitator among the defenders, and afterwards among the united Iriflimen^

In the years 1792 and 1793, they broke out into open rebellion, and attacked, with deftrudive rage, proteflants of every denomination, in the counties of Dublin, Louth, Meath, Cavan, Monaghan, Rofcommon, Weftmeath, Donegal, Leitrim, Down, Mayo, Sligo and Derry, Limerick, Wexford, and even in the county of Kerry. In fliort, we may venture to aflert, that before the end of the year 1793, they had fpread the feeds of combuftion over mofl parts of Ireland. Not to interrupt the courfe of the narrative, I have annexed, in an Appendix, fome of the principal outrages committed by them.

In the year 1792, they plundered one hundred and eighty proteftant houfes in the county of Louth, though the proteflants in it are not numerous; and they never experienced any enmity or oppofition from them, till they were rouzed to come forward in defence of their lives and properties. The depriving proteflants of their arms and ammunition feemed to have been one of their principal defigns.

In fome places, landlords were obliged to reduce their rents, and the clergy to rehnquifh their tithes, to calm the florm of licentious turbulence, but without effed. Many proteftant famihes abandoned their houfes, and fled to the capital for protection.

In the autumn and winter of 1792, fo many barbarous outrages were committed by them, in the county of Louth, that at the fpring afTizes following, held at Dundalk, twenty-one defenders were fentenced to die, twenty-five to be tranfported, twelve to be imprifoned a certain time, for having confpired to murder diflferent perfons, thirteen indifted for murder put off their trials, and bench warrants iffued againft eighty perfons who abfconded.*

They

* In the reign of queen Elizabeth, before England had completely experienced the ble/Tings of the Reformation, we find frequently as many, nay more delinquents, at an aflizes.

64

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

They would have completely defolated the county of Louth in the year 1792, but that the right honourable JohnFofter, fpeaker of the houfe of commons, whofe adivity as a ufeful country gentleman, can be equalled by nothing, but the zeal and wifdom which he has difplayed in parliament for the profperity of his country, gave them a complete overthrow, by the moft vigorous and unabated exertions, in the courfe of which his life was often endangered.

In the county of Louth, they marched in great numbers, and in regular array, to their mafs houfes, to fairs and patrons, and were at times heard to declare, that they would not fuffer any proteflant to live in the country.

In the year 1788, Mr. Camac employed a number of mafons to build an inn between Dundalk and Drogheda. Some carriers, who were conveying linen from Dromore to DubHn, were flopped by the mafons, who required them to crofs themfelves, and fay their Ave Maria. Such of them as were papifts, of courfe complied; and one prefbyterian, who living much with Romanifts, knew all their tricks and manoeuvres, was permitted to pafs unmolefted; but a proteflant, who unfortunately happened to be ignorant of them, was mofl grievoully beaten by them.

Some people have been led into the following error, as to the origin and the title of the defenders :

That they often, and particularly in the year r786, indidled fome of the peep-of-day boys, who were acquitted, though their guilt was evident : That finding no redrefs from the laws of their country, they united, collefted arms for their defence, and alTumed the name of defenders.

Some perfons of both parties were frequently convided and punifhcd. Two peep-of-day boys at the fpring affizes of 1788, at Armagh, were fentenced to be fined and imprifoned for ill treating a Roman catholick. Baron Power, in the year 1795, hanged three defenders, and two peepof-day boys. In the year 1797, government fent the attorney general to Armagh, to difpenfe juflice equally to both parties. He tried alternately two of each party, and fome of both were found guilty, and puniflied.

As the defenders were committing the moft dreadful outrages in the county of Louth, in the year 1792, and the Roman catholick gentlemen did not fhew any inclination to affift in fuppreffing them, the following query appeared in the Dublin Journal of the third of January, 1793:

Have

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

flave the Roman catholick gentlemen and landholders of the county of Louth, ftepped fairly forward, in conjunction with the proteflant gentry and landholders, in reprefilng the outrages of the banditti, called defenders? Or do they keep back, filent and inactive, pretending to difapprove, yet really acquiefcing in their condud? This query demands an anfwer.

On the third of January, 1793, ^ few perfons, who called themfelves the Roman catholick inhabitants of the county of Louth, affembled at Greenmount, near Gaflle Bellingham,entered into ftrong refolutions againfl the defenders, and exhorted all perfons of their perfuafion, to abftain from their combinations, and their unwarrantable practices; and they publiflied them in the Dublin Journal. It was figned by fixty laymen, molt of them in very low fituations, and by eighteen popifh priefts, and doftor Reilly, the titular primate of Ireland.

The following perfons were among the laymen who figned it : One Coleman, of Dundalk, with whom Sweetman, fecretary of the Catholick committee, correfponded in the month of Auguft, 1792, relative to protefting the defenders then in prifon, and for whom he employed counfel in their defence, as ftated in the report of the fecret committee of the houTe of lords :*

• Another man of the fame name, convided of lying in wait, and con’

fpiring with others, to murder Parker M’Neil, efquire, a magiftrate, becaufe he had taken an a£tive part againfl: the defenders :

Patrick Byrne, of Caftletown, efquire, a man of fortune but very feditious, who was fined loool. and imprifoned two years, for having/ publifhed an inflammatory pamphlet, and who has fince abfconded, having been deeply engaged with the defenders :

John Hoey and Anthony Marmion, convided of treafonable pradices, as defenders, and hanged at Dundalk, in the fummer of 1798 :

Thomas Marky, condemned to die, but his fentence was mitigated to tranfportation : Bartholomew Mc. Gawley, tranfported for defenderifm :

One Mc.Allifter, deeply concerned with the defenders : John Conlon, a noted defender, who afterwards became an approver; and it is mofl: certain, that the majority of thofe who figned that paper were defenders,

K Oa

T-his is given at large in the origin of the Catholick committee.

66 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

On the feventh of November, 1792, Mr. Mc. Neil was fired at in the night, when at a window in his houfe, on account of the adive part which he had taken againft the defenders.

In the year 1793, the grand jury and high iheriiT of the county of Cavan, entered into ftrong refolutions againft them, at the fpring affizes.

The magiftrates, gentlemen, and landholders of the county of Meath, vifcount Headfort in the chair, did the like.

The landholders in the Queen’s County, duly affembled by the fherifF on the twenty-ninth of June, 1793, alarmed at the outrages committed by them, refolved to unite and exert themfelves for their fuppfeflion.

The inhabitants of the barony of Demifore, in the county of Weftmeath, adopted fimilar refolutions on the twenty-feventh of January, 1793.

At laft, they became fo furious and alarming, that the lord Heutenant and council ilTued a proclamation, on the thirteenth of February, 1793, offering a reward of locl. to any perfon, who would profecute them, in the counties of Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Cavan, Dublin, and the county of the town of Drogheda, where they affembled in large bodies, with arms and other offenfive weapons, adminiflered illegal oaths, fent threatening letters, plundered houfes of arms and other things, and burned both houfes and offices.

It has been faid, in their excufe, that they aded in their own defence, in the counties of Armagh and Down, having been attacked by the prefbyterians; but in the other counties, Vv’hich I have mentioned, their aggreiTion on the proteftants was wanton, fpontaneous, and offenfive; as there were but few, if any, prefbyterians in them, and they met with no provocation whatfoever. Some gentlemen, in the North, of great fagacity and folid judgment, have afcribed the origin of the defenders to the following caufe :

During the American war, when volunteering was in its meridian, fome prefbyterians, who had revolutionary projeds, invited the Roman catholicks to join them in arms, from the ufe of which they were prohibited by law.

They meant to avail themfelves of their afTiflance to fubvert the conftitution, knowing that they, on all occafions, had evinced a decided hoftility to the proteflant flate.

When

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

When the refloration of peace had defeated the hopes of the prcfbyterlans, they refolved to difarm the Roman catholicks, who, animated by the poffeflion of arms and a knowledge of difcipUne, not only refufed to furrender them, but proceeded to colleft large quantities of them, and even boafled that they would not lay them down, until they obtained a further extenfion of their privileges, in addition to thofe which were recently conceded. Such boafting alarmed the fears, and roufed the indignation of the prefbyterians, who proceeded in large bodies to difarm them, which produced mutual hoftility.

From the envenomed hatred with which the popifli multitude are infpired from their earlieft age by their clergy to a proteflant {late, their proteftant fellow-fubjedts, and to a connedion with England, and which has appeared in various fhapes, fuch as levellers, white boys, right boys, united Iriflimen, and defenders, we cannot be at a iofs to account for the origin of the latter; they are but a link of the fame chain; they, like the white boys, cement their union by oaths, plunder or burn houfes, put out the tongues, and cut off the ears of their fellow creatures, mangle, maim, or murder them, and hough cattle; — a barbarous pradice, which is peculiar to the favages of Ireland!

In the year 1795, the Romanifts, who affumed the name of mafons, ufed frequently to affemble in the neighbourhood of Loughgall, Charlemont, Richhill, Portadown, Lurgan, the Ban foot and Black-water foot, and robbed proteftants of their arms.

In the month of September of that year, they aflembled in arms, in;the day time, marched into the parifli of Tentaraghan, in the county of Armagh, and fired into the houfes of proteftants.

Next day the latter affembled in arms for their defence, and a con= ftant difcharge of muflcetry was kept up at each other from diftant hills, but no lives were loft.

On the eighteenth of September, fome magiftrates of the neighbouring country, prevailed on the leaders of the proteftants and the defenders, to repair to the houfe of one Winter, near Portadown, where articles of amnefty and mutual reconcilement were drawn up, and figned by both parties; who alfo entered into recognifances of 50I. on each fide, to keep the peace, which were alfo figned by two popilh priefts on the .part of the defenders.

K a Mr,

^3

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Mr. Atkinfon was one of the gentlemen who figned the articles on the part of the proteRants; yet the defenders way-laid and fired at him, as he was returning to his houfe, at <^rowhill, on the fame day.

The defenders, in violation of thefe articles, affembled next day, in arms, and attacked the proteftants, who again propofed peace and mutual forgivenefs, but in vain.

The defenders, elate with their nunlbers, having fent for reinforcements to the mountains of Pomeroy and Ballygawly, in the county of Tyrone, made an attack on the proteftants, near a village called the Diamond; and were heard to declare, that they would not fufFer a perfon of their perfuafion to remain in the country.

The (houts and the firing of the defenders alarmed the proteftants, who alTembled from all quarters; and an engagement having enfued, forty-eight of the defenders were killed, and a great number were wounded, on the twenty-firft of September, 1795.

It was univerfally allowed, that the defenders were, at leaft, ten to one in this conflid, ever fince known by the name of the battle of the Diamond.

During the three days that the defenders continued under arms, provifions were fent to them in abundance, on cars, from remote parts; fo ftrong was the fpirit of their party!

As the paffions of both parties were now fd much inflamed, that they feeined mutually to think of nothing lefs than extermination; as the defenders were in the proportion of fix to one td tlie proteftants; and as the former had been fupplied clandeftinely with large quantities of arms and ammunition from Dublin, and various other quarters; the former proceeded, immediately after the vidtory, td fearch their houfes for them, and wherever they found them concealed, they demolifhed both therri and the furniture; in confequence of which their inmates emigrated to the province of Conhaught, particularly to the counties of Mayo and Sligo, where they were well received and proteded; but it will appear in the fequel, that their protestors had reafort to repen^’ of the reception which they gave them.

The reader may form fome idea of the ahimofity of both parties in $he county of Armagh, from the following circuniftance : A refpeftable

.gentleman

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

69

gentleman of that county affured me, that the proteflant inhabitants of the parifli of Sego, were fo much afraid of being murdered by the Romanifts in the year 1795, that they would not venture to go to Lurgan or Portadown, market towns in the neighbourhood, unlefs they were well armed, and in confiderable numbers.

All the emigrants to Connaught did not go from Armagh, or in confequence of feuds or quarrels. Some gentlemen of the county of Tyrone affured me, that many popilh families emigrated from it to Connaught, in confequence of prophecies frequently uttered, that civil wars would foon take place on the eaft fide of the Shannon; that the rivers would be crimfoned with blood, and that there would be a deftrudive plague, occafioned by the number of putrid carcafes unburied. The proteftants in the county of Armagh, finding that it was neceffary they fhould unite for their defence, inftituted Orange clubs, of which I fliall now proceed to give an account.

But I think it neceflary to obferve, that the fpirit by which the defenders were adtuated, appeared in a moft defperate and outrageous manner in four of the moft remote counties of the kingdom, in the year 1793, in Kerry and Donegal, in Wexford and Limerick, and in many of the intermediate onesj which clearly proves that their plans were not defenfive.

OTIIGIN

0

70

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

ORIGIN OF THE ORANGEMEN.

As the defenders not only became ternfick to individuals, in mod parts of the kingdom, by the conflant perpetration of nofturnal robbery and affaffination; as they formed afyftematick combination, and fupplied themfelves with arms, for the obvious purpofe of fubvertiug the conftitution in church and ftate; and as they were encouraged and diredled by the Catholick committee, and the united Irifhmen, the proteftants of the eflabliflied church, to defeat their malignant defigns, found it neceffary to excite and cherifh a fpirit of loyalty, which began to languifh and decline, in a very alarming degree, and to rally round the altar and the throne, which were in imminent danger.

The battle of the Diamond, in the county of Armagh, in the month of September, 1795, and the duplicity and treachery of the Romanifls, on that occafion, convinced the proteftants, that they would become an eafy prey to their enemies, from the paucity of their numbers, unlefs they affociated for their defence; particularly, as the fanatical vengeance, which they difplayed on that and other occafions, convinced the members of the eftablifhed church, that they meditated nothing lefs than their total extirpation.

In commemoration of that vi£lory, the firft Orange lodge was formed in the county of Armagh, on the twenty-firft of September, 1795, though the name of orangeman exifted fome time before.

They were merely a fociety of loyal proteftants, affociated and bound together, folely for the purpofe of maintaining and defending the conftitution in church and ftate, as eftabliftied by the prince of Orange, at the glorious Revolution, which they regarded as a folemn and facred duty. It confers diftinguifhed credit on its early members, that they united and ftood forward for this truly patriotic purpofe, unfupported and unprotefted by the great and the powerful, to whom their motives were mifreprefented by traitors, who knew that the inftitution would form a firm barrier againll their nefarious machinations.

I have

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.;i

I have univerfally obferved, that the difaffected, who arraigned with the utmofl: feverity the Orange focieties, never uttered any cenfure on the committees of affaflination, to which fo many loyal men fell a facrifice.

Plutarch, in his life of Solon, tells us, that he procured a law to be palTed at Athens, by which any perfon fhould be branded as infamous, that remained neuter when any diflurbance or commotion took place, which endangered the exiftence of the flate. Should not, on the fame principle, thofe who did not affift in oppofing the rebellious defigns of the defenders and the united Irilhmen, be deemed difloyal, or even traitors?

The lower cbfs of proteftants of the eftabliflied church, actuated by an invincible attachment to their king^ and country, flood forward at this perilous crifis, in the fpirited defence of both, and avowed their unalterable determination to ftand or fall with them.

As they encreafed, a fpirit of loyalty encreafed with them, and ftrength and confidence fucceeded to the place of fupinenefs and defpondency, in the breafts of loyal men. Supported by a confcioufnefs of the goodnefs of their caufe, and by the proteftion of Providence, they perfevered through every difficulty in their generous refolution; rapidly encreafed in numbers, and became an irrefiflible obftacle, wherever the inftitution got a footing, to the progrefs of the feditious focieties. Left its members,’ roufed by wanton and unprovoked outrages, might have been ftimulated to retaliate, and from retaliation to commit any excefTes, gentlemen, highly refpeftable, not only by birth and fortune but by moral excellence, put themfelves at its head, to regulate its motions; whofe chara£lers were alone fufficient to refute the many falfehoods and calumnies uttered againft the inftitution. As a further refutation of them, they publiftied a declaration of their principles in the newfpapers, which will convince the reader of the purity of their intentions.*

The members of the Orange inftitution, being thus inftrumental in uniforftily refifting the progrefs, and contributing to defeat the revolutionary defigns of confederated traitors, became of courfe objedls of their moft pointed and vindictive refentment. Every means were ufed to traduce and vilify them.  The nature of their affociation was mifreprefented,

and

* Sec Appendix, No. V.

72 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT’

and oaths which they abhorred, were fabricated and impoftd upon the publick as the obligations of orangemen.

With eq[_ual virulence, and from the fame motives, the eilabliniment of the militia, and the formation of the yeomanry were oppofed by them.

The following circumftance unquellionably proves, that the inftitution was perfeftly defenfive : It never was introduced into any county or diftrift, till it had been fonie years diilurbed or defolated by the defenders or united Irifhmen.

It was not eftablifhed in the metropolis, though many years threatened with open rebellion, till the month of January, J798; and many gentle-men of high charafter and confiderable talents placed themfelves at its head, to give the inftitution a proper diredtion, and to filence the calumnious clamours of traitors againft it.

It is well known, that the Revolution in England could not have been effefted, if combinations of perfons, attached to the conftitution, had not been made for its accomplifhment; and it is univerfally acknowledged, . that it could not have been maintained againft the many confpiracies formed for the reftoration of king James, but by the fame means.

As the Jacobites vilified and maligned thofe atfociations, from the fame motives that the difafFeded did the orangemen, the houfe of commons of England refolved in the year 1695, “ That whoever fiiould affirm, an alfociation was illegal, ftiould be deemed a promoter of the defigns of king James, and an enemy to the laws and liberties of the kingdom.”

From the year 1792, to the year ^797, the county of Monaghan had, been difturbed by the defenders, who at that time became terrifxck by the aid and co-operation of the united Iriflimen.

In the beginning of that year, the loyal fubjefts, alarmed for their fafety, began to form Orange clubs, againft the combination of traitors, who were conftantly committing nofturnal robbery and aflaffination; but fome of the leading gentlemen of the county oppofed the inftitution.

In confequence of this, the difaffe&ed dilTeminated their doftrines fo rapidly, and with fo much fuccefs, that many loyal fubjefts were obliged to compromife with them from motives of fear, to take their oaths, and to enter into their fyftem.

At laft, thofe very gentlemen, who at firft oppofed the Orange inftitution, perceiving that their oppofition muft foon terminate in a total fub

verfion

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

73

verfion of focial order, and the deflrudtion of their lives and properties, encouraged with infinitely more zeal, than they had before rcfifted, its eftablifhment; in confequence of which, the loyal fubjecls, animated by their united ftrength, ftruck the combined traitors with terror and difmay, and reftored energy to the execution of the laws. The fame thing occurred in the counties of Fermanagh, Donegal, Derry, Tyrone, and Armagh, where it was obferved it had a peculiar good effecc in detaching the prefbyterians from the union.

I have been alfured by a very refpedtable gentleman of the county of Tyrone, that its inhabitants were fo much intimidated by anonymous threatening letters, and by the afTaffmations committed there, that in the lordfnip of Caledon, containing ten thoufand people, the whole of them^ except about fix or eight perfons, were fworn; but the loyal fubjeCts having entered into the Orange focieties, and having gained courage and confidence by their united ftrength, renounced with indignation thefc traitorous combination*, invigorated the arm of the civil magiftrate, and completely checked the progrefs of treafon. The honourable general Knox, a gentleman whofe fagacity is not inferior to his courage and military Ikill, which he has difplayed in Europe, Afia, and America, commanded at Dungannon, in the fummer of 1798; and he alfured government, that the inftitution of Orange lodges was of infinite ufe, and that he would reft the fafety of the North on the fidelity of the orangemen who were enrolled in the yeomanry corps.

I think it right to mention, that the Orange afTociation fhould not beconfounded, as it has often invidioufly been, with the mutual and difgraceful outrages which prevailed in the county of Armagh many years preceding, between the loweft clafs of preftjyterians, under the denomination of peep-of-day boys, and the Roman catholicks, as defenders; for it was not inftituted till the defenders manifefted their hoftile defigns againfc proteftants of every defcription, in moft parts of the kingdom.

Borlafe tells us, that, in the year 1641, the lords juftices invited the lords and gentlemen of the pale to come to Dublin, and aflift them in preventing ftrife or fedition; but they refufed, under a pretext that every perfon of their order v/as to be maffacred, which was done merely to alarm the lower clafs of Roman catholicks, and infpire them with vengeance againft proteftants; and for the fame reafon the difaffeded aflerted,

L in

74

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

in the years 1797 and 1798, that all perfons of that order were to be murdered by orangenien.

James Beaghan, executed on Vinegar-hill the twenty -fourth of June, 1799, for various murders, which, he faid, he was infligated by popifh priefis to commit, confefTed, that “ every man that was a proteftant was called an orangeman, and every one was to be killed, from the pooreft man in the country. They thought it no more fm to kill a proteftant than a dog.”  See his confeffion at large in the fequel.

However ufeful the Orange inflitution may be in a country where the members of the eftabliflied church are numerous, it muft be allowed, that it muft have been injurious where there are but few, becaufe it only tended to excite the vengeance of the Romanifts againfl: them; and they could not unite with celerity, and in fufficient numbers for their defence. It fliould not be admitted in our regular army, or mihtia, confifling of both, and therefore would be likely to create party zeal and difcord.

As foon as the maffacres perpetrated at Vinegar-hill and Scullabogue were known in the North, numbers of prefbyterians, of whom fome had been difalfefted, and others lukewarm, in the counties of Armagh, Tyrone, Fermanagh, and Donegal, trembling for their fafety, became Orangemen; and general Knox, depending on their zeal and fincerity, embodied them, and procured arms for them from government..

In the year 1792, when the diffemination of treafon and the formation of feditious clubs, in London, threatened the immediate deftrudion of the conftitution, Mr. Reeves, by feafonably encouraging loyal focieties, checked the progrefs and the baneful effeds of their dodlrines. The inflitution of orangem^en did not differ from them in the fmallefl degree.

I give the following extrafts from Harris’s Life of king William, to fliew that the Irifh Roman catholicks in the year 1689, propagated reports of the malevolent defigns of the proteftanrs towards their order, fimilar to thofe Vifhich were fet on foot of the orangemen, and for the fame purpofe :

“ In the mean time, the Irifh papifls throughout the kingdom, proceeded in impeaching the proteflants of traitorous defigns; but their plots were fo ridiculoufly contrived, and made up of fuch palpable contradic’

tions

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

75

lions and incongruities, that they ferved only to demonflrate the innocence of the accufed, and inveteracy of the informers. Thefe impeachments failing of the intent, they applied themfelves to other courfes, many turned tories and highwaymen, houfebreakers, and ftealers of cattle, and were guilty of fo many enormities to the Englifli, that thoufands were forced to defert the kingdom, and pafs into England, under as great fears and jealoufies as if there had been an open rebellion, and five hundred together tranfported themfelves to the Englifh foreign plantations.”*

“ The Irifh pretended, that the proteftants aflembled in great numbers in the night time; and, to gain the more credit, the vulgar Irifli were inftruded to forfake their houfes, and to hide every night in the bogs, pretending a fear, that the Englifh would, in that dead feafon, cut their throats; a praftice, as notorious among them, as unheard-of amongproteftants, and for which there neither was, nor could be, the lealt foundation; for their infinitely fuperior numbers to the Englifh, in fome parts an hundred families to one, fhewed how ridiculous the invention was; and they were convinced, both by the practice of the proteftants and the principles of their religion, that they were not men of blood. Whoever confiders the genius of the Reformed and Romifh churches in this particular, muft needs acknowledge a ftrange oppofition between them. However, with what malice and injuftice foever the Englifh were reprefented as nightwalkers, with defign of murdering the Irifh, yet examinations of thefe charges were taken by juftices of the peace, calculated for the purpofe, and tranfmitted to the lords juftices and council; upon which, by the king’s diredions, a proclamation was iffued, forbidding all night meetings, though the lords juftices well knew there was no fuch pradice.”t

* Harris’s life of K. William III. edit, of 1 749, Dub. foli<> 107.     -f lb. p. loj.

ORIGIN.

76

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

ORIGIN OF THE CATHOLICK COMMITTEE.

Th E Abbe O’Connor fays, in the life of his grandfather Charles O’Connor, the Irifli antiquary, page 330, “ that he, dodor Curry, and Mr. Wyfe of Waterford, firft thought of eftablifhing a Roman catholick committee in the city of DubHn, in the year 1757.”

“ The firft meeting was held at the Globe cofFee-houfe, in Eflex-ftreet, and only feven gentlemen attended; Mr. O’Connor, Mr. Wyfe of Waterford, do£tor Curry, doftor Jennings, Anthony Mc.Dermott, Mr. James Reynolds of Alh-ftreet, and another gentleman, whofe name I could not find among the original letters now in my pofleffion.”

Their numbers foon increafed, and they alTembled and determined with the greateft fecrefy on the beft and moft likely means of procuring a reftoration of thofe privileges which they had been formerly deprived of.

They, at fome period which I cannot afcertain, affimilated to the confederate catholicks, affembled at Kilkenny in the year 1641; for members, duly eleded and returned by towns and diflrifts, in almoft every part of the kingdom, fat in it; gentlemen of landed eftate had a right to a feat there; and they foon began to regulate their proceedings according to the form and folemnity of parliament.

Thefe particulars are fully proved by the following refolution, which they entered into the fifteenth day of November, 1783 : “ Sir Patrick Bellew, in the chair.

“ Refolved, That we feel ourfelves particularly called upon to declate, that this committee confifts of every Roman catholick nobleman and gentleman of landed property, and of other gentlemen, chofen by their fellow-fubjeds of that perfuafion in Dublin, and other principal parts of the kingdom.”

** Refolved, That thus conftituted, we have, for fever al years pq/i, been the medium through which the voice of the Roman catholicks of Ireland has been conveyed, and the only one competent thereto.”

“At

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 77

. ** At a feflion held by them on the tenth of February, 1791, ftyled a meeting of the general committee of the Roman catholicks of Ireland, they refolved. That the feveral papers now read, containing refolutions and inftruftions from this city, and from the principal cities and towns of Ireland, be referred to a committee of eight, who fhall report thereon to this committee, on Friday the eighteenth inftant.”

They affembled again on the eighteenth of February, the earl of Fingal in the chair, when the report was received, and the committee of eight produced a petition, which was to have been presented to parliament, praying a repeal of fome of the reftriftive laws; but after different interviews with Mr. Hobart, the lord lieutenant’s fecretary, it was refolved not to prefent it that feflion.

In a report, made the eighteenth of April, 1791, by the committee of eight, after ftating the interviews and difcufllons which they had held with the lords Fingal and Kenmare, and Mr. Hobart, they caft fevere cenfures on thofe noble lords, as if they had, by their condud, thrown obftacles in the way of prefenting the petition, which, however, lord Kenmare prefented to the lord lieutenant, on the twenty-feventh of December, 1791, as the addrefs of the Roman catholicks of Ireland, and which contained ftrong expreflions of loyalty, and of attachment to the conftitution.

They refolve in it, to apply to parliament in the next feflion, for a further repeal of the refliridive laws; and they fay, that they do not prefume to point out the meafure or extent to which fuch repeal flrould be carried, but leave it to the wifdom and difcretion of parliament, confiding in their liberality and benevolence.

It breathed that fpirit of mildnefs and moderation which appeared in all their proceedings, while they were regulated by the nobility and gentry of the Roman cathoUck perfuafion.

It was figned by the lords Fingal, Gormanfl:own, Kenmare, dodorTroy, titular archbifliop of Dublin, and by moft: of the landholders and refpeclable gentlemen of their perfuafion in the kingdom.

On the fixth of January, 1792, the general committee of the RomaiL catholicks in Dublin, publiflied refolutions condemning the addrefs prefented by lord Kenmare on the twenty-feventh of December, 1791, as furreptitioufly obtained; and not containing the real fenfe of the Catholick body, and they refolved to addrefs the lord lieutenant, to fignify to his

majefly

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

majefty their reafons for withdrawing their fignatures from faid addrefs. They refolved, that lord Kenmare had entirely forfeited their confidence, by his late condud in procuring, by his own exertions, and thofe of his emiflaries, certain fervile and infidious addrelTes, calculated to divide the catholicks of Ireland, and eventually to defeat their juft applications for relief from the grievous oppreflions under which they laboured. They alfo flruck out his name from the lift of the committee of eight.

The turbulent leaders of that affembly were very much enraged againft Jiis lordlhip, becaufe he had prefented a loyal addrefs in the name of the Roman catholicks of the county of Kerry, containing exprelFions of concern, that certain inflammatory writings had appeared, and that a^^ociations had been attempted to be formed, which might poflibly fow the feeds of difcontent among the lower clafTes of their perfuafion.*

Parochial meetings were held in dilTerent parts of the kingdom, in which addrefTes were voted to the general committee, refledting on the lords Fingal and Kenmare, and recommending their expulfion.

The Catholick fociety, compofed of fome difcontented members of the Catholick committee, feceded from them in the year 1791, and continued to a£t as a feparate body.

They announced that their object was, to obtain a repeal of the popery laws; they invited their fellow-fufferers throughout the kingdom to unite with them for that purpofe; and they aflerted, that it is the intereft of every man in the kingdom, that the entire (hould be aboUfhed.

The lords Fingal and Kenmare, and fir Patrick Bellew, were at the head of the committee, till the beginning of the year 1792, when they, and above fixty refpeftable Roman catholick gentlemen, difgufted and alarmed at their intemperate proceedings, feceded.

Some of its demagogues, who had revolutionary defigns, fearing that the moderation and loyalty of thefe noblemen and gentlemen would check them in their furious career, made the committee fo unpleafant to them, that they prudently refolved on retiring from it. Lord Fingal was voted out of the chair, in rather a tumultuous manner, and Thomas Braughall

was

♦ Such feditious publications frequently appeared at that timein the publick prints, and afTociations were formed in many parts »f the kingdom, in order to agitate the popifh multitude

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

79

was voted into it; on wliich his lordfliip faid, “ Sir, I wifli you iuck with it.”

I have been aflured, that lord Fingal declared, foon after this event, that he fhould be very forry to fee the members of his church put on an equal footing with thofe of the eftablifhed religion.

A writer of their own perfuafion, doftor Mc. Kenna, made the following ftriftures on their intemperate conduft at that time, in v/hich he depidled the committee as it then flood : “ If ever there fliould arife among us a ridiculous cabal of men, ambitious of rule, without abilities to regulate, who, aduated by vanity and jealoufy, will endeavour to eftrange from our caufe the men of rank, and difguft its natural leaders, and difcountenance men of letters, its natural auxiliaries; fuch perfons may mean well, but their good intentions will only retard, not avert, what they well deferve, the execration of the body, whofe opinions they caricature, and whofe intereft they injure.”

“ I am obliged reludantly to exprefs, (what the entire nation muft perceive,) that the few gentlemen of the metropolis, the fub-committee of catholicks, who have hitherto alTumed the diredlion of bufmefs, ftand in need of coadjutors. I queflion their prudence, not their zeal, not their intentions; but their refledion, forefight, and political fagacity. It is time the caufe of a great people fhould affume the appearance of fyflem. For the lafl ten months it has fluduated before the publick in the hands of unfkilful managers, without even the dignity of fleadinefs, advancing and retreating, afferting and retrading, with the giddinefs of fchool boys, and the random of a game of nine pins.”

The proceedings of the committee were then governed by Edward Byrne, John Keogh, Randal McDonnell, Thomas Braughall, John Sweetman, and Richard Mc.Cormick. They had three fecretaries, the two latter and Theobald Wolfe Tone, who turned out to be notorious traitors, and whofe charaders I fhall defcribe in the fequel.

The claims of the committee were moderate as yet, compared to thofe which they made a few months after; for at a meeting held the fourth of February, 1792, Edward Byrne in the chair, they declared that they expeded no more than,

ifl, AdmifTion to the profeflion and pradice of the law.

2d, Capacity to ferve on county magiflracies.

3d, A.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

3d, A right to be fummoned and ferve on grand and petit juries.

4th, A right of voting in counties only, for protcftant members of parliament, in fuch a manner however as that a Roman catholick freeholder fhouldnot vote, unlefs he either rents or cultivates a farm of 20I. per annum, in addition to his 40s. freehold, or that he fhall be in poffeflion of a freehold of 20I. a year.

They faid, that they thus publifli their expedations, in vindication of themfelves; as their enemies, to injure them, affert that they expedt more.

In the beginning of the year 1792, there was a correfpondence between Sinclare Kelburn, a prefbyterian minifter at Belfaft, as chairman of a town meeting of its republican inhabitants, held in a meeting-houfe, and Edward Byrne, as chairman of the Roman catholick committee, at that time fitting in Dublin.

The fiidden union and fraternity of two fe£ls, who were formerly as hoftile to each other as they were to the ftate, muft have had a queftionable appearance in the eyes of every perfon interefted in its prefervation.*

Kelburn was an a£tive demagogue at Belfaft, the mafs of whofe inhabitants are prefbyterians; and his conduct as an agitator was fo flagrant, that government found themfelves under an indifpenfable neceffity of having him committed on charges of a ferious nature, in the year 1797.

This man, as chairman of the town meeting at Belfaft, wrote to Edward Byrne, then at the head of the Catholick committee, to fend him a declaration of the religious tenets of Roman catholicks, that he might read and explain them to the members of the town meeting, ufually held in his meeting-houfe.

The leaders of the confpiracy for fubverting the conftitution, well knowing the antipathy which had always exifted between the preftjyterians and papifts, and that they could not indulge the moft diftant hope of effecting a revolution without the concurrence of the former, ufed their moft ftrenuous exertions to reconcile and unite the two orders, v/ho were well inclined individually to fubvert the conftitution, and they began with the fadious demagogues of Belfaft, the focus of republicanifm, as they had very great influence over the preftjyterians of the north.

Edward

• This flirtation between John and Peter, began during the American war, as I before obferved.

REBELLIONS IN IRELANt).

Edward Byrne having aflembled the leading Roman catholicks of Dublin on the twenty-third of March, 1792, they framed a declaration of their tenets, which their chairman forwarded to Kelburn, and he read it in his meeting-houfe to his levelling fedlaries, whoexpreffed their approbation of it by acclamation.

This declaration was figned by doctor Troy, titular archbifliop of Dubhn, Edward Byrne, and Richard Mc.Cormick.*

In the rebellion which broke out in the year 1798, the Romanifls violated every principle which they pretended to maintain in it, and followed and reduced to pradlice the old deleterious do£lrines which they afFetled to renounce.

The popifh inhabitants of Belfaft and its vicinity, in imitation of thofe in Dublin, alTembled on the fixth of April, 1792, James Mooney in the chair, adopted their declaration, and fent it to Edward Byrne, Theobald Wolfe Tone, and Todd Jones. Tone, the fecretary and agent of the Catholick committee, was deteded in a confpiracy with the reverend Mr. Jackfon, in the year 1 794, for bringing the French into Ireland; but was permitted, through the miftaken lenity of government, tc tranfport himfelf, and even obtained a fum of money for that purpofe.

He was afterwards taken by fir John B. Warren, in a French fquadron, on the northern coaft of Ireland, on the twelfth of Odober, 1798, being attached as an officer to a body of French troops, who were coming to invade Ireland. He was tried and convided of high treafon; but put a period to his exiftence before the fentence of the court could be executed.

Mr. Jones^ a member of parliament, was a fanguiae advocate for the Romanifls in the houfe of commons^ fo early as the year 1792; he accufed them afterwards in the Belfaft News-letter, of having withheld a confiderable portion of the money which thfey had flipulated to pay him.f

M When

* Tranfported for being a traltoi’.

t It is not improbable that they had many hired agents in a great aflembly, from the intemperate zeal which fome gentlemen fliewed in their caufe. It is well known, that the Romanifts often levied money on every individual of their order; and when fome poor people in the province of Munfter complained to me of the fums which were extorted from them. Talked them, to what purpofe it was to be applied? and many of them iaformcd me, they were told that it was to bribe the parliament.

82

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

When the Roman Catholick committee aflembled on the twenty-third of March, 1792, to frame a declaration of their tenets, a debate took place, which fliewed the defigns and the rafhnefs of that body.

A Mr. O’Sullivan faid, “ That they did not lament the abfence of the landholders, nor did they wilh for their prefence, till they had repented of their political fms. If they were prefent, the aflembly would be contaminated by a fet of felf-interefted hypocrites, who preferred their private advantage to the good of the community to which they belonged; hypocrites, who had not courage to a£l right, and who were afraid to fpeak the truth.”

Many grofs untruths were uttered there, to impofe on the publick, and to inflame the popifli multitude.

John Keogh, who had chief fway in the committee, and guided all their movements, faid, that a gentleman of high rank told him a few days before, that he was obliged, with great regret, to tranfport whole villages,* to prevent his lofmg his eleftion : Now I will take upon me to fay, that no inflance can be proved of a papift being deprived of his farm, for the purpofe of fubftituting a proteflant.

Mr. Mc. Laughlin faid, “ By this declaration, fanftioned by our moft refpeftable prelate, will our proteftant brethren be refcued irom fears and fuperjlitious prejudices, which, however ill-founded, muft have made too deep an impreffion on their minds, as having imbibed them from their earliell education.*’

In the month of February, 1792, a petition was prefented to the houfe of commons, on behalf of the Roman catholicks, ftating, that they expedled no other extenfion of their privileges, than what was announced by their committee on the fourth of February. It was conceived in fuch difrefpeftful and indecorous terms, that the gentleman who prefented it requefled permiffion to withdrav/ it.

The committee were fo much a/liamed of it, that they attempted to fubftitute another petition, more decent and temperate, in its place, which they had printed in many newfpapers and magazines; but the original was publifhed in the Northern Star of the twenty-eighth of April, 1792.

Another petition, prefented foon after, was rejected. The numbers for its reje£lion were 202, for receiving it 2 c.

The

• Meaning of Roman catl-.olicks.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 83

The honourable Denis Browne, who gave it the warmell fupport, expatiated largely on the loyalty and the peaceable deportment of the Roman catholicks, whom he and his family vindicated and panegyrized on all occafions; but in the rebellion which broke out in the year 1798, they experienced an. extraordinary degree of ingratitude from them.

On the third of March, 1792, at a poft affembly held in Dublin, confiding of the lord mayor, the fherifFs, commons, and citizens, they voted their thanks to the 202 members of the houfe of commons, who reje£led the petition of the Roman catholicks, for obtaining the eleftive franchife.

On the twelfth of the fame month, the Catholick fociety, Theobald Mc.Kenna in the chair, Thomas Braughall, fecretary, condemned, in rather fevere language, the refolutions of the poft alTembly; and thanked the minority in parliament, who fupported their claims. Not only the grand juries at the fubfequent aflizes, but the Proteftant and Roman catholick inhabitants of many counties and towns aflembled, and followed their example; the former, thanking the majority in parliament, and declaring their determination to maintain the conftitution as it then ftood; the latter, the minority, and refolving that they will perfevere in afferting their claims; by which the palTions of both parties were very much inflamed.

About the fame time, parochial meetings were held in different parts of the kingdom, where the loweft orders of Roman catholicks affembled, debated on their rights, cenfured the conduft of the grand juries, and applauded that of their delegates in the Catholick committee, which engendered univerfal difcontent and diifatisfadion among the popifli multitude.

The reader may form an opinion of the fpirit of commotion which their leaders endeavoured to excite among the popifh multitude, fo early as the month of January, 1792, when their warm and uniform advocate, fir Hercules Langrifh, faid, in the houfe of commons, “ That, notwithftanding my prepoffefrions in favour of the Roman catholicks, I was checked for fome time in my ardour to ferve them, by reading of late a multitude of publications and paragraphs in the newfpapers, and other publick prints, circulated gratis with the utmoft induftry, purporting to convey the fentiments of the catholicks. — What was their import? — ‘they were exhortations to the people never to be fatisfied at any conceffion,

M 2 till

«4 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

till the ftate Itfelf was conceded : they were precautions againfl: publick tranquillity; they were invitations to diforder, and covenants of difcontent; they were oftentations of ftrength, rather than folicitations for favours; rather appeals to the powers of the people, than applications to the authority of the ftate; they involved the relief of the catholick, with the revolution of the government; and were diflertations for democracy, rather than arguments for toleration.”

At this time the Irifli Roman catholicks had more civil liberty than the moft; favoured fubjeds of any ftate in Europe, except England, and much more than the proteftant fubjefts of any Roman catholick ftate.

A Calvinift teacher, if detefted and convided in certain provinces in France, was punifhed with death; and thofe who gave him a fupper or a bed, were fent to the .gailies for life.

On the fourteenth of April, 1792, the g«ieral committee, Edward Byrne in the chair, Richard Mc. Cormick, fecretary, voted an addrefs of thanks to Mr. John Keogh,* which was to be prefented by a committee of five. They affert in it, *’ that his conduft, refolute without rafhnefs, and firm without obftinacy, has reftored the general committee to the fenfe and practice of their duties; and the Catholick community to the knowledge and aflertion of their rights.”

In the fefTion of parliament in 1792, the following privileges were granted to the Roman catholicks :

That, after the twenty-fourth of June, 1792, they may pradife as barrifters and attornies; that proteftants and papifts may intermarry; that popifh fchool-mafters need not obtain licenfes from the ordinary to keep fchool; and all reftridions as to foreign education were removed.

Thefe favours, which parliament granted with a good grace, were certainly obtained through th6 mediation of lord Kenm^re; but they loaded him with opprobrium, fpurned at them, and refolved to fucceed by a fyf* tem of terror in the whole of their ambitious defigns.

At a poft aflembly, confifting of the lord mayor, flieriffs, commons, and citizens of the city of Dublin, held the eleventh day of September, 1792, they condemned the objedt of Edward Byrne’s circular letter; and

refolved,

• He has confiderable abilities, and was the moft ambitious and enterpriiing member of the commtttfee; And, it is believed, ad’/lfed the expuliion of th^c rrobrlity-and gentry fram it.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 85

refolved, in fpirited refolutions, to maintain the conftitution in church and flate.  See them in Appendix, No. III.

The proteftants were encouraged to adopt this procedure, by the fpirited and determined manner with which the government rejeded the demands of the papifts; and the aflurances which they received from its leading members, that the Romanifls never fliould obtain any fhare of pohtical power, uiduced them to fpeak out, and with firmnefs, by which the two fefts v/ere committed. Soon after, government having fwerved from their opinion, and conceded the whole of what they had peremptorily refufed, encouraged the Roman catholicks to rife in their demands, particularly becaufe they were thought to have been influenced by terror, as the defenders were at that time defolating many parts of the kingdom, and were terrifick in the environs of the capital. To this fyftem of terror, fucceeded by conceffion, we may in a great meafure impute the rebellion.

The general committee having got rid of the nobility and gentry of their perfuafion, refolved, by every means, however unwarrantable, to obtain a total repeal of the popery laws; and thinking that they might intimidate the government, by putting the mafs of the people in motion, Edward Byrne, by their order, iifued writs to every county, and to many towns and diftrids, defiring certain perfons therein to hold eledions, and to choofe reprefentatives, who were to be returned forthwith to Dublin, for the purpofe of forming a convention; and he fays, in his circular letter, that their chairman had adlually left Dublin, with an intention of going through a great part of Ireland to promote this defign.

The eleftions were to be held (according to the plan adopted by the republicans in France,) in the Roman catholick chapels in every diftrict.

He fays, in his circular letter, that frequent confultations were held, for the laudable purpofe of reuniting to the committee lord Fingal, and the other gentlemen who had withdrawn from it; and yet he fays, that the plan enclofed was fanftioned by lord Fingal, and thofe very gentlemen who had left the committee in the month of January preceding, by which he was guilty of a grofs inconfiftency.

We may conceive, how much the femibarbarous popifh rabble, tumultuoufly aflembled in their refpedive chapels, muft have been agitated by fuch a procedure*

The

86

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

The writs were obeyed, the eledions were made with the utmoll celerity, the convention aflembled, and began its felTion on the third of December, 1792, and was ridiculoufly called the Back-lane parliament; becaufe it fat in Tailors-hall in that (Ireet.

As the Roman catholick committee refolved on the fifteenth of January, 17S3, that the Roman catholicks of Ireland were fully and completely reprefented in that affembly, xve fliould be inclined to think, that ihis new plan of eleftion would have been unneceflary, and that it was brought about merely to put the popifli multitude into a ftate of commotion, to alarm and overawe the government.

A member of the Back-lane parliament, who quitted it on account of its rafli and intemperate proceedings, affured me, that on their firfl meeting they refolved, not to petition parliament as Roman catholicks, but as Irifhmen. This was done with a view of inducing the prefbyterians to unite with them; by infinuating, that they had no particular objed on the ground of religion, but were actuated by a pure and difinterefted love of liberty.

The proteftants were fo much alarmed at this bold and extraordinary procedure of Edward Byrne, in iffuing writs for eleding a popifli convention, that the grand juries, at the fummer affizes of 1792, entered into ftrong refolutions, condemning it in fevere terms; and declaring, that they would maintain the conftitution, as it then flood, againfl all hoflile attacks, particularly againfl the dangerous effeds of democratic principles; and fome of them vindicated the lords Fingal and Kenmare, and the refpedable Roman cathoUck gentlemen who had feceded from the committee, from the afperfions which had been cafl on them in the pubHck prints.

The latter end of the year 1792, and the beginning of the year 1793, the popifh houfekeepers in many parifhes affembled, and voted addreffes to the general committee, in which they vilified thefe noblemen and gentlemen, and flrongly recommended the expulfion of lord Kenmare.

The Roman cathoHcks affembled in feveral counties, diftrids, and towns, -defended Edward Byrne’s plan of eledion, and retorted with much acrimony on the refolutions of the proteflants. On the feventeenth of September, they fubmitted a cafe to two barriflers for their opinion, to know, whether the plan adopted by Ed^\ard Byrne, for fummoning a

popifli

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popifh convention, was loyal and conftitutional? and they anfwered in the affirmative. Thefe opinions and anfwers vi^ere publifhed in the publick prints, in order to give confidence and courage to the demagogues of the party, at that time very active in many parts of the kingdom in agitating the people.

The Back-lane parliament continued to fit and debate for fome time, v/ith the doors of the room in which they affembled, clofed; and they framed an addrefs to the king, containing an exaggerated ftatement of their grievances, which they forwarded by five delegates, fir Thomas French, Chriftopher Bellew, James E. Devereux, Edward Byrne, and John Keogh, efquires.

Having gone round by Scotland, attended by their fecretary Tone, a noted traitor, they met with a very kind and warm reception from the repubhcan levellers of Belfaft, who regarded the objeft of their mifficn as conducive to promote their wifhes of overturning the conftitution.

The following account of their arrival appeared in the Northern Star, a noted vehicle of treafon :

Belfaft:, December 12th, 1792.

“ At nine o’clock this morning, the delegates from the catholicks of Ireland, who were eleded to prefent their petition to the king, arrived at the Donegal arms in this town, on their way (by Portpatrick) to London, Immediately on their arrival being known, a number of refpedtable inhabitants waited on, and breakfafted with them. They remained here about two hours; and, on their departure, the populace, who had affembled in the interim, took the horfes from their coach, and having faftened ropes to it, dragged them throughout the town, quite over the long bridge on the road to Donaghadee; and then permitted the horfes to be put to, amidll the loudefl huzzas of “ fuccefs attend you,” “ union,” “ equal laws,” and “ down with the afcendancy.” The delegates politely returned thanks for this ftrong mark of affection; declared their determination to maintain that union which formed the ftrength of Ireland : and proceeded on their way, accompanied with three cheers.”

His majefty was pleafed, in confequence of the addrefs of the Roman catholicks, to recommend to parliament in his fpecch, in January, 1793, to take into ferious confideration the fituation of the Roman catholicks; and, in compliance v/ith his majeft:y’s benevolent intentions, they repealed the whole of the reft;ridive laws, except thofe which. excluded them from

fitting

88

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

fitting in parliament, and from about thirty great offices of ftate, which are immediately concerned in the confidential departments of the executive government.

We fhall find, in the fequel, that thefe very liberal conceffions by no means fatisfied the Roman catholicks.

The debate which took place in the houfe of commons, on the bill for granting thefe conceffions to the Roman catholicks, will remain a lafting monument of the depravity and frailty of human nature; for, though the defenders, a popiih banditti, encouraged by the Catholick committee, were committing murder and robbery at that very time in many parts of the kingdom, fome members praifed them for their Heady loyalty, their peaceable deportment, and refpeft for the laws.*

The refolutions of a numerous body of diffenters, affembled at Crofarule, in the county of Cavan, on the third of February, 1793, throw an oblique cenfure on the inconfiftency of thefe gentlemen in parliament. They (late and complain of “ the enormities committed by the defenders, in plundering the houfes of proteftants of arms, and other property, as if they meant to compel the legiflature, by intimidation, to grant a relaxation of the popery laws, which they were on the point of conceding from motives of liberality.”

In moil parts of the country, the prefbyterians held the defenders in fuch abhorrence, and were fo unwilling to commit any outrages, that they often joined and affifted the king’s troops, who, at different times, were wantonly attacked, when on their march, by this banditti. But the republicans of Belfaft laboured with unceafing fedulity, and at lafl; with fuccefs, in corrupting great numbers of them.

On the twenty -fifth of April, 1793, the general committee of Roman catholicks affembled at Tailors-hall, and agreed to an addrefs of thanks to his majefty for the benefits they had received, to the lord lieutenant, and to both houfes of parliament; and, after tranfading fome bufinefs, they refolved, that with pleafure and gratitude they obferved, that the houfe of commons had unanimoufly taken into confideration parliamentary reform; and they mofl earneftly exhorted the catholicks of Ireland, to cooperate

* Though there ifTiied a proclamation on the thirteenth of February, againft the defenilers who were defolating many counties, it is ftated in the preamble of the act of parliament for their relief, “ that from their peaceable and loyal demeanour, it is fit that the l eftraints and difabilities fliould be difcontinued.”

, REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

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operate with their proteftant brethren to carry into effed a meafure fo elFential to the freedom, happinefs and profperity of Ireland. After which, they dilTolved themfelves.

They alluded to the debate which took place in the month of January, on a motion for an addrefs to his majefty, when the heads and reprefentatives of the principal families of the kingdom declared in the houfe of commons, in the mod unequivocal manner, their willingnefs to facrifice their parliamentary intereft and influence, in conforming to the wilhes of the people, for reforming the houfe of commons. Their weaknefs and pufillanimity on that occafion afforded peculiar pleafure to that intriguing body, the Catholick committee, as they hoped that it would lead to their favourite objed, the eftablilhment of a republick.

The extraordinary inconfiftency of the Irifh parliament, in rejefting with indignant contempt the claims of the Roman catholicks in the year 1792, and the tamenefs with which they now conceded, much more than they had at that time demanded, joined to their fears and imbecility in exprefling their wifties to renounce their power and pre-eminence to gratify a democratick fadion,muft convince every Irilhman of fpirit and common fenfe, that fuch an aflfembly, conftantly ofcillating between one extreme and another, and convulfed by party zeal, was incapable of promoting the peace and profperity of his native country; and that he mull depend for its accomplifhment on nothing but the firmnefs, the wifdom, and difmtereftednefs of an Imperial parliament.

As exclufive falvation, of all the dodtrines of the Romifli church, is the mofl fatal to the peace and fecurity of fociety, dodtor Duigenan, a gentleman of great fagacity, extenfive erudition and of diftinguiflied firmnefs and integrity of mind, propofed that a claufe of the following tenor fhould be inferted in an oath of allegiance, prefcribed by the law which was then paffmg through the houfe of commons, for relief of the Roman catholicks : Nor do we believe, that any other fed of chriflians are, of courfe, to be doomed to eternal damnation hereafter, and that they may not enter into a flate of falvation, becaufe they happen to differ from us in religious tenets. But all their ecclefiaflicks, and the leading members of the laity declared, that the fundamental principles of their religion rendered fuch an oath inadmiffible.

The reader may judge of the fmcerity of the Roman catholick committee, from the following tranfadion :

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96 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

It appears by a report of the fecret committee of the houfe of lords, publilhed in 1793, inftituted for the purpofe of inveftigating the origin and caufe of the fpirit of treafon and difaffedion, which the defenders manifefted in many parts of the kingdom, that falutary meafures might be adopted to prevent the progrefs of it; that John Sweetman, fecretary of the Roman catholick committee in Dublin, wrote letters to a perfon in Dundalk, of the name of Coleman, of confiderable opulence, and of the Roman catholick perfuafion, relative to the defenders, numbers of whom were then imprifoned in that town; and in one of them, dated the ninth of Auguft, 1792,* he, in the name of the Roman catholick committee, direded enquiries to be made, touching the offences of which the culprits were accufed. By this report it appears, that the Roman catholick committee were warmly interefted about the defenders; and that the perfon to whom the letter was addreffed, did employ, at a confiderable expence, an agent and counfel, to ad for feveral perfons, who were then in prifon under an accufation of being defenders.

They were well able to do fo; for in the years 1792 and 1793 they levied an immenfe fum of money on the members of their religion, in every part of the kingdom, which appears by a circular letter, dated the fifth of February, 1793, pubHfhed in faid report of the houfe of lords, in which they fay, that the objed is, the raifmg a fund to defray the heavy and growing expences of the committee, in conduding the affairs of the cathoHcks of Ireland.  See thefe letters. Appendix, No. IV.

It is obfervable, that in the letter of the ninth of Auguft, 1792, the name of one Nugent, a defender then in prifon, is mentioned.

The Roman catholicks of the city of Dublin, aflembled in November, 1792, ftated in their declaration, that they never will forego the hopes of emancipation; that they defy the malice of invention to produce any one inftance of their having ever made any eflx)rts in favour of a popiffi king, or French connedions, fmce they confented to a Revolution in 1691; and that their inclinations are not to fubvert any one eftablifhment. They admit, “ that from the moment the proteftant began to make conceflions, the Roman catholick began to extend his claims; and in their addrefs prefented at St. James’s in January, 1793, they fpeak of their unvarying loyalty, peaceable demeanour, and fubmifflon to the laws, for cne hundred years, and their determination to perfevere in the fame.”

At

* Report of fecret committee, Appendix, No. I. », 3. t Ibid.

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At this time they enjoyed more extenfive privileges than the Roman catholick fubjefts of any proteftant ftate in Europe, and by far more than proteftants living under any popifli government.

Why they rofe in their claims, fo moderate at firft, may be accounted for in the following manner :

Knovv^ing that Mr. Edmund Burke, a warm favourer of popery, had in a high degree conciliated the efleem of our gracious fovereign, and the government of England, by his ingenious and energetic writings againft the extravagant theories and frantick proceedings of the French republicans; they refolved to employ his fon, an over-weening, petulant young man, to be their agent, in forwarding their pretenfions; hoping thereby, to enfure the weight and confideration of his father for that purpofe. They then fent one of their body to London, in September, 1791, to Mr. Richard Burke, who, through his father, rendered them the moft important fervices;* and foon after having gone to Ireland, he made a mofl: extenfive circuit there, and in the courfe of it, vifited many of the nobiJity and gentry, and endeavoured to conciliate them to fupport the claims of the Roman catholicks. As he was their hired agent, we are not to impute his condud to difinterefted and generous motives; though we may infer that he had a predilection for popery, from the ftrong attachment which his father had to it, and becaufe his mother was a moft rigid papift. Though he did not attain the objeft of his mifTion, he awakened the ambition of the Roman catholicks, and gave them the ftrongeft alTurances, that a fteady perfeverance in their claims would finally produce a total repeal of the popery laws.

The fuccefs of the French on the continent, to whom the Irilh Roman catholicks were, on former occafions, very much attached, and the invitation of the former, to the fubjeds of every nation in Europe, to rife againft their refpeftive governments, elevated their hopes, and filled them with expedations, that the parliament would be impelled by motives of fear, to grant what their policy and prudence might have refufed. To thefe caufes we may impute the fudden rife in their demands, and their condemnation and renunciation on the fixteenth of January, 1792, of the addrefs prefented by lord Kenmare, to the viceroy, on the twentyfeventh of December preceding.

N 2 It

• This was ftatcd by Mr. John Keogh in his fpcech.

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MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

It appears by the fpeech of Mr. John Keogh, in the debate of the Roman catholicks, aflembled on the twenty-third of March, 1792, in Dublin, that there was an interior cabinet in the Catholick committee, with the fecrets of which the nobility and gentry had been unacquainted; for he calls them, who figned the loyal addrefs prefented by lord Kenmare, “ fixty-eight dupes, many of whom were totally ignorant of the negotiation going on at the foot of the throne.”

Mr. Keogh faid, “ That, from the negotiation in London, there was every reafon to expeft, that though a great and vaft catalogue of reftric’ tions would be retained, yet fufficient would be removed, to afford protection to all the clafTes of our people.*’

“ I now come to what is more pleafmg; that is, to ftate my opinion, that the time is not remote, when we fhall meet to join with heart and voice, in the fincereft gratitude to parliament and to government. When that day arrives, and it will foon arrive, you will then prove your jufl: and unfeigned gratitude to your deliverers, to government, to the legiflature, to t^ie illuflrious men who efpoufed your caufe in parliament, to the virtuous, patriotick, and enlightened citizens ofBelfaft,the firft (let it never be forgotten) who came forward as a body to apply to parliament for our relief.”

From the confidence with which Mr. Keogh exprefled himfelf, we may infer, that he knew that their ambalTador in London had received fecret aflurances from high authority that they would fucceed in their expectations; but it is to be lamented, that their attainment did not fatisfy them, and prevent their body from proceeding afterwards to defperate excelTes.

As a very large fum of money had been levied on the Roman catholicks, it is not improbable that their ambalTador, who repaired to London in the year 1791, applied, with the afliftance of Mr. Burke, a large portion of it to very good purpofes; for otherwife how can we account for the extraordinary and fudden change which took place in the opinion of the adminiftration of England?

Mr. Keogh faid in that debate, fliould we look to America, to France, to the Netherlands, to all Europe, and afk each other why it is that we, as faithful fuhje6ls as any king in Europe can boaji of, are reduced to Jlavery.

The

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 03;

The invitation of the Roman catholicks to the proteftants to fraternife with them, and to extend civil and religious liberty equally to both orders, reminds us of James II.’s reign; for that monarch announced, on his arrival in Ireland, that his chief care was to fatisfy the minds of his proteftant fubjeds; and that the defence of their religion, their privileges and property, concerned equally his care with the recovery of his own rights; and the popifli parliament, which he aflembled in 1689, paffed a law for a general liberty of confcience; though it is well known, and the aft of attainder againfl all proteftant landholders unqueftionably proved, that they fecretly aimed at nothing lefs than a total extirpation of proteftants.

ORIGIN

94

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

ORIGIN OF THE UNITED IRISHMEN.

PERSON who had been many years a member of the Catholick committee, gave me the following account of this inftitution. I fhall not take upon me to vouch its authenticity; but fhall leave the reader to judge of it from the views and defigns which they afterwards difplayed.

The Catholick committee very wifely enlifted in their fervice fome proteftant barrifters of abilities, but defperate circumftances, and totally deftitute of all religious principle. Though they were ftipendiaries, and received pay, it was agreed that they fliould appear to have volunteered in their caufe from generous and difmterefted motives, for the purpofe of lulling the fufpicion of proteftants in general, of decoying and attachr ing to the Catholick caufe, by varnifliing it over with the femblance of general and abftraft liberty, fuch perfons of that perfuafion as had revolutionary defigns, particularly the prefbyterians.

The honourable Simon Butler, brother of the late lord Mountgarret, and Theobald Wolfe Tone, were the leaders of this band, and the firft perfons who engaged themfelves in the fervice of the Catholick committee.

The laft, who was the fon of a mechanick, received a good education in the univerfity of DubHn, and was afterwards called to the bar; but having a wife and children, being unfuccefsful in his profeffion, though he had diftinguiflied abilities, and being indigent in his circumftances, he hoped, by promoting that innovating fpirit which had fhaken the foundations of many European ftates, to fubvert our conftitution, and to rife, during a feafon of anarchy and confufion, from poverty and obfcurity to wealth and celebrity. Tone informed the CathoUck committee, that they could not fucceed in their extenfive plan of emancipation, unlefs it had, at leaft, the femblance of being fanclioned and approved of by a confiderable number of proteftants; and knowing that the inhabitants of Belfaft, the mafs of whom are Calvinifts, had manifefted during the American w;ir, when volunteering flouriflied, an earneft defire of fubverting

the

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 95

the conftitution, under the pretext of reforming it, propofed to fome republican friends in that town, to inftitute the fociety of united Irifhmen, round whofe ftandard revolutionifls of every religious perfuafion were to rally.

Tone, their hired agent, knew, that if the repeal of the reftridive laws were propofed by a numerous body of proteftants, it would have peculiar weight, as flowing apparently from a liberal and difmterefled love of liberty.

Subfequent experience has proved, that aflurances were at the fame time given to the republicans of Belfaft, that the Catholick committee and fuch of their perfuafion as they could influence, fliould co-operate with them in fubverting the conflitution.

They embraced the propofal with alacrity, and the firfl fociety of united Iriflimen fat at Belfaft in the month of Odober, 1791; when Richard Simms was fecretary.

But before I proceed further, it will be neceflfary to fhew the defigns of Tone and Jones, from their own publications. The former publifhed a pamphlet, entitled, “The Northern Whig,” in the year 1791, foon after he enlifted in the fervice of the Catholick committee. The whole of this publication, which he entitled, in the fecond edition, “ An argument on behalf of the cathoUcks of Ireland,” is entirely taken up in recommending a total repeal of the penal laws againft them.

He endeavoured to put on the cloak of liberality, and the maflc of difintereftednefs, by making the following declaration, in the beginning of this pamphlet : “ Before I proceed to the objed of this book, I think it neceflary to acquaint the reader, that I am a proteftant of the church of Ireland,* as by law eftabliflied, and have again and again taken all the cuftomary oaths, by which we fecure and appropriate to ourfelves all degrees and profefllions, fave one, to the utter exclufion of our Catholick brethren. I am, therefore, no further interejled in the event, than as a mere lover of jujlice, and a fteady detefter of tyranny^ whether exercifed by one man or a million.*’

This work was reprinted by the united Iriflimen of Belfaft in the year; 792, and fix thoufand copies of it were foon circulated, which fliewed

that

* He was a profeflcd dcift.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

that a clofe union, and an ardent defire of mutual co-operation exifled between them and the Catholick committee.

In it he cenfures and viUlies the conftitution, reprefents it as a fyftem of tyranny; and aflerts, that nothing but a total repeal of the reftridtive laws againft Roman catholicks can reftore it to its original purity.

This turbulent adventurer, the founder of the fociety of united Iri{hmen, was one of the fecretaries of the Catholick committee, and had the chief direction of both.

Mr. Todd Jones, having injured his fortune in electioneering, was led, by the hope of repairing it, to become their advocate, both in and out of parliament; and I have not a doubt, but that fome other members of that alTembly were attached to their caufe from the fame fordid and fmifter motives; as they often panegyrifed the Roman catholicks for their fteady loyalty and unremitted refpeci for the laws, when they were in actual rebellion.

Mr. Jones wrote a pamphlet in the year 1792, entitled, “ A letter to the focieties of united Irillimen of Belfaft, on the reftoration of the Catholick rights and he gives the following reafons for publifliing it :

“ In cherifhing from my early years the auguft idea of the emancipation of the catholicks from a profligate, miftaken, paflionate, and impolitick farrago of ftatutes of penalty and difqualification, I have frequently enquired into the motives of my own mind, why I fhould never experience apprehenfions upon this fubje£t, in common with many felfifh and fome innocent antagonifts of fuch a glorious reftoration to their country; and it may be pardonably objected againft me, that poffefling^ from my family decline, inconfiderable property to hazard, I could not be liable to that delicate fenfe of danger which muft come home to the feelings of the great proteftant proprietors; but granting I have but little, comparatively at ftake, that little is my all.”

He denies that the popifti parliament, which fat in Dublin in the yesr 1689, paffed a bill of attainder againft all the proteftant landholders of the kingdom, though James II. acknowledged in his diary, found in the Scotch college at Paris, that he gave his aflent to it with reluctance, and merely to gratify his Irifti Roman catholick fubje£ts; and Harris, in his life of king William, declares, that he found it in the Rolls office; but all the ads pafled by king James’s parliament, were afterwards burnt by

the

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the hands of the common hangman; and therefore Mr. Jones denies that it ever pafled, and aflerts, that it was fabricated by archbifhop King, who gives a copy of it.*

The firft fociety of united Iriflimen at Belfafl publiflied their plan or profpedus in the Northern Star in Odober, 1791, though it had been fabricated in Dublin.

We need no other proof of this, than that a paper, containing the original defign of that aflbciation was circulated in Dublin in June, 1791, which may be feen in page 50 of the report of the fecret committee.

We may fairly conclude, that the heads of the Catholick committee in Dublin, and the turbulent leaders of the prefbyterians at Belfaft, refolved to unite their refpedive orders, for the purpofe of fubverting the conftitution.

One of the mofl; intelligent and efficient members of the catholick body, and whofe writings ferved them materially, becaufe he affumed, at leaft, the appearance of moderation on mofl; occafions, made ufe of the following menace to the proteftant fliate, in a pamphlet which he publiflied in the year 1792: “ Will the prefl^yterian yeomanry of the North take up arms for the courtiers who enjoy penfions, for the parfons who exaft tithes, and for the landlords who exad rack rents? They too are complainants; and if they unflieath the fword againfl; their brethren, (meaning the protefl:ants of the efliabliflied church,) will they be likely to return it to the fcabbard, until they have procured very ample redrefs, and removed the caufe of their complaints? Should that people ever be embodied, tithes, boroughs, and all the arts and pradices of monopoly will inevitably fall before them.”

We may infer from this, that the Roman catholicks hoped for the co-operation of the preflayterians in their revolutionary defigns; but the prophecy was “not fulfilled; for the preflDyterian yeomen of the North continued loyal during the rebellion, though numbers of their perfuafion were feduced. This odious pifture of the confl:itutiori in church and fliate, the hope with which this writer endeavours to infpire the members of his fed, that they would be joined by the prefliyterians, and the lure

O which

* Though I condemn Mr. Jones for hiring out his talents to the Roman catholick?, yet I would not be nndcrftood to include him in the ftridturcs which 1 make on his coadjutors, as I kno\y and tftcem him> and believe him to be a gentleman of principle in other refptds.

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MEMOIRS OF THE DI^TERENT

which he holds out to the latter, indicate the dangerous defigns which were at that time brooding.

The Roman catholicks fucceeded fo eafily at Belfaft, that at a tovmmeeting held there the twenty-eighth of January, 1792, in a preibyterian conventicle, the reverend Sinclare Kelburn, one of their minifters and a noted demagogue, in the chair, they refolved * to petition parliament to repeal the whole of the popery laws; but two hundred and fifty-five of the moft refpe£lable inhabitants of that town protefted againft it.

In a fliort time after the commencement of the fociety at Belfaft, there were no lefs than four grand ones eftablifhed there, who refolved to fet on foot fimilar ones in every part of the kingdom.

On the ninth of November, 1791, the united Irifhmen of Dublin began their feffion, and publilhed their declaration, which was exadlly fimilar to that at Belfaft; but with this difference, that a teft was annexed to it.f The honourable Simon Butler was in the chair, and James Napper Tandy w^as fecretary. I ftiall refer the reader to Appendix, No. VII. for their conftitution and their mode of eledion. Revolutionary defigns are very evident in their declaration.

On the thirtieth of December, 1791, they held a feffion and adopted a circular letter, and refolved to have it printed and difpcrfed through every part of the kingdom, to encourage the formation of fimilar focieties 1 a nd they annexed to it a declaration of their political principles, and the teft which they had taken, “ as a focial and facred compad to bind them more clofely together.”  See Appendix, No. VIII.

On the fourteenth of September, 1792, they addreffed the Irifli nation, and declared their indignation at the infidious means employed to ftifle the catholick voice. The whole of this addrefs was on the grievances of the Roman catholicks; and it ftrongly recommends a total repeal of the reftridive laws. They fay in it, “ popery i^ no longer to be met with but in the ftatute book.”

It muft feem extraordinary, that a fet of men, who were deftitute of principle and property, (hould be fo anxious about the intereft of that fed from whom they differed in religion; but Tone and Butler, the leaders of the fociety, were their agents, and received pay from them.

In

* About the fame time a revolutionary club at Belfaft, called a reading fociety, entered uito refolutions in favour of the Roman catholicks. t See Appendix, No. VI.

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95^

In their addrefs of the fourteenth of September, 1792, to the Irifli nation, they feverely condemned the county meetings and the grand juries, who thanked the majority of the houfe of commons for rejeding the petition of the Roman cathoHcks, and for pafling refolutions againfl: granting the eleftive franchife to them, and for cenfuring Edward Byrne’s circular letter for choofmg delegates. They condemn alfo the addrefs prefented by lord Kenmare on the twenty-feventh of December, 1791, with as much acrimony as the demagogues in the Catholick committee did; and becaufe it was humble and refpedful, they called it an eleemofynary addrefs. In fliort, the whole of it is taken up with the claims of the Romanifls.

On the twenty-third of November, 1792, William Drennan, chairman, Archibald Hamilton Rowan, fecretary, they addrelTed the delegates for promoting a reform in Scotland; and on December the fourteenth, the volunteers of Ireland, to whom their addrefs is a direct invocation to rebellion. It direds that parochial meetings fhould be held, and that each fhould eledt and return delegates to form a national convention; and they fay in it, that the civil alTembly fhould be attended by military alTociations.

Odober twenty-fixth,they addreffed the friends of the people at London; November twenty-fifth, the delegates for reform in Scotland; and introduce catholick emancipation into it.

November thirtieth, they addreffed a circular letter to all the focieties of united Irifhmen in the kingdom; and refolved to effed a better organization, and a more intimate union with the different focieties, than had before fubfifled; and to communicate all their publications to the confederated focieties.

On the twenty-fifth of January, 1793, they addreffed the Irifh nation.

November twenty-fifth, they addreffed the Britifh convention who had affiliated with them, and propofed univerfal fuffrage and annual parUaments, which the united Irifhmen affented to, and refolved to adopt.

By a report made the fourteenth of Auguft, 1797, by a provincial meeting of delegates of Ulfler, it appears that there was a number of focieties of united Irifhmen in North America, whofe profeffed objed was to affift Ireland.*

O 2 All

* Sec report of the fccret committee, Appendix, No. IV.

100

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

All thefe addrefles, which are very inflammatory, are to be found in the Appendix, No. V. of the laft report of the fecret committee of 179B.

It is obfervable, that the main purport of them is the repeal of the penal laws againft the Roman catholicks.

They had a committee of conftitution, of finance, of correfpondence, of accommodation, a treafurer, a fecretary, and a feal of office.

Their law agent was Matthew Dowling, a fellow of a moft infamous character, who has been tranfported to Scotland with a numerous gang of traitors, who probably would have been hanged, but that they obtained the royal mercy on condition of going into banifhment.

A writer in America, who affumes the name of Peter Porcupine, defcribes the inflitution there, and gives an account of their declaration and conftitution. It complains much of the tyranny of England over Ireland, and enforces the neceffity of her emancipation, and the eftablilhment of a republick there.

On the twenty-firft of January, 1792, they made a report of the popery laws in force in the kingdom, by their chairman, the honourable Simon Butler. In faft, he was in the utmoft indigence, and was paid by them for making it, though it was in the name of the fociety. It contained many grofs falfehoods and exaggerated miftatements, tending to inflame the popifli multitude, and to deceive the government of England and Ireland.

In the debate of the Roman catholicks, affembled in Dublin on the twenty-third of March, 1792, Mr. Keogh faid of it, “ For a late publication, the digeft of the popery laws, the united Iriftimen, and their refpeftable chairman, the honourable Simon Butler, demand our warmeft’ gratitude.”

It is ftated in the report of the fecret committee of the houfe of lords, made in 1797, “ That the leaders and diredtors of the united Irifhmen are now, and have been for fome time paft, anxioufly engaged in uniting with them a clafs of men who had formierly difturbed the peace of this country by ads of outrage, robbery and murder, under the appellation of defenders; and that the committee had reafon to apprehend, that in a certain degree they had fuceeeded.”

I

The

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

lof

The following obfervation is to be found in the report of the houfe <)f commons made in 1798, page 9; and, in the courfe of my enquiries, I have found it to be ftriftly true :

“ That the counties in which defenderifm had prevailed, eafily became converts to the new dodrines; and, in the fummer of 1797, the ufual concomitants of the treafon, namely, the plundering houfes of arms, the fabrication of pikes, and the murder of thofe who did not join the party, began to appear in the midland counties.”

William Paulet Carey, who was admitted a member of the focicty, became their printer. He pubUfhed a newfpaper, called the National Evening Star, which he called the organ, and himfelf the printer, of the people.  It was very inflammatory.

He was profecut-ed by the attorney -general for having printed in his paper fome feditious publications, at the inflance of the united Irifhmen, who refolved, in the moft folemn manner, to defend him at their own expence; but they afterwards abandoned him to the vengeance of the lav/,’ and he was ruined.

In revenge, he wrote a pamphlet,, in which he abufed and expofed them with fome ability, and not without wit.

He bellows the following encomium on Mr. John Keogh. In fpeaking of one Matthew, a chandler, he fays, “ In the Catholick committee he appeared for nine years the colleague of Keogh, whofe courage and talents firll gave the impulfe of freedom to three millions of Iriflimen, and who originated the bold meafure of overturning the ariftocracy of the Catholick committee.”*

He fpeaks of Napper Tandy in the highefl Rrain of panegyrick, and of E. Crooklhank Keane.

He is extravagant in his praife of Edward Byrne, and of William T. Jones, the firft proteflant fenator, he fays, who brought forward the queftion of CathoUck emancipation.

Among the lift of worthies whom he panegyrizes, we find Matthew Dowling.

Carey fays, in his pamphlet, “ That as the united Irifhmen came forward in the prefence of God, and pledged themfelves to labour for a reform

* This alludes to the feceffion of fixty-thrcc member*.

102’

MEMOIRS OF THi: DIFFERENT

form of every fpecies of corrupt influence, and had eloquently declaimed tigainfl the profufion of the publick money, he could not have expeded that they would have abandoned the prefs and the printer, for the wine calk, the cook and the vintner.”

They, in excufe, complained of the apathy of the people; that their funds were exhaufted; that money came in flowly; and that they muft difcharge, in the firfl: place, 200I. which fum was yet due for wine drank in Newgate. This alludes to the imprifonment of Bond and Butler, which I fliall explain hereafter.

Though they facrificed this unfortunate man, they defended, at their own expence, Meflrs. Drennan, Rowan, Tandy, Bond and Butler, who were profecuted for feditious practices.

Carey makes the following jufl: remark in his pamphlet : “ The hiftorj of political parties is but too often a pidlune of knaves betraying, and of knaves betrayed; of ambitious and indigent profligates, labouring to get into afliuence and power; and of honefl: men contributing by their own degradation to Hft them into aflfluence and power.”

The idea of uniting the prefbyterians and Roman catholicks, to fubvert the conftitution, had exifted for fome years.

I mentioned before, that the bifliop of Cloyne -wrote a pamphlet in the year 1787, on the perfecution of his clergy; and that it drew on him the vengeance of fome prefbyterian minifters and popifh priefl:s, whofe feftaries feemed to rejoice at this apparent junction of the two orders. On that occafion, Carey, who had been bred at the Dublin fociety as an engraver, publiflied a print, reprefenting dodor Campbell, a dilfenting minifter, and father O’Leary, a friar, fhaking hands. They were the moft virulent antagonifts of the bifhop.

In the beginning of the year 1793, the houfe of lords infliituted a fecret committee, to enquire into the nature and origin of the difturbances made in different counties by the defenders, and fummoned fome perfons to give evidence concerning them.

The fociety of united Iriflimen in Dublin, the honourable Simon Butler in the chair, Oliver Bond, fecretary, publifhed fome fevere animadverf.ons on the powers which they aflTumed; and in doing fo, they were guilty of a grofs libel on that aflfembly, and a violation of its privileges;

fqr

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

f&r vjhich ^lley were committed to Newgate by the houfe of lords, and fined 500I. each.

While in prifon, they were maintained in the following manner, by the iHembers of the fociety -. They made four hundred tickets, of which a certain number were blanks, the remainder were marked with the dates of the days that the prifoners were to remain in confinement; and any perfon who drew one of the latter, was obliged to provide a dinner, with twelve covers, on the day fpecified in his ticket. Four perfons were invited by each of the prifoners, and three by the perfon who procured the i;epaft, who, with himfelf, made twelve.*

There is not a doubt, but that there was a clofe connection between the Cathohck committee and the fociety of united Irifhmen, for fome of the former were members of the latter; but it is very remarkable, that none of the Romanifts ever took an open and a£live part in it, fuch as chairman or fecretary; but remaining behind the curtain, they left the obnoxious and oftenfible proceedings to be conducted by a few men who were totally void of all religious principle, though they alTumed the mafk and the name of proteftants.

The united Irifiimen, who were bold and enterprifmg, affaulted the conftitution as it were with a battering ram; the Catholick committee filently, and by fap, inciting the people to infurredion and outrage, while they made publick declarations of their unfhaken loyalty and unremitting refped: for the laws.

The latter had this advantage, that none but Romanifts could be members of the committee; and perfons of their perfuafion were admitted into the fociety of united Irifhmen, and were adtually alTociated in it.

We find, that when perfons were fent to different parts of the country from Dublin, to perfuade the people to unite and fraternize, they often confifled of perfons delegated from each body, which fhewed their intimate connexion.

As the lower clafs of prefbyterians bore an inveterate hatred againft the Roman catholicks, and as they on all occafions fuccefsfully oppofed • the defenders, who were encouraged and proteded by the Catholick committee,

* The heavy expence attending this fchemc contributed to damp the ardoinr of the fociety, and induced fome members to fecede from it.

IC4 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

mittee, we find that the latter, and the united Irifhmen, ufed the utmofl: exertions to unite the two^” orders, as their co-operation was neceffary to promote their revolutionary defigns.

In the month of July, 1792, Theobald Wolfe Tone, John Keogh, and Richard Mc Cormick were fent by the Catholick committee on a miflion to the northern counties, which were difturbed by the peep-of-day boys and defenders, to effedt a reconcilement between them.* In their way they were joined by Samuel Neilfon, an adive and artful demagogue, who was profeffedly a prefbyterian, but who, as well as Tone, a reputed proteftant, was deftitute of all religious principle. They pretended to be adbuated by motives of the purefl patriotifm and benevolence; but as Tone, Neilfon, and Mc. Cormick, appeared afterwards to be notorious traitors, we cannot be at a lofs to know their real views.

At Rathfriland, in the county of Down, Tone mounted the roflrum, and haranguing the populace, recommended peace and unanimity to them, on the grounds of chriftian charity and brotherly love. He threw out .many inveSives againfh government, whom he reprefented as defirous of dividing the people, for the purpofe of governing them corruptly and defpotically; and he advifed that all orders Ihould unite to oppofe their bafe and fmifter defigns. A magiftrate, who happened to be prefent, filenced the orator, by reminding him that there were ftocks in town; on which he and his alTociates precipitately left it, and proceeded on their miffion.

Soon after, Mr. John Keogh, accompanied by one O’Hanlon, a grocer of Newry, and his fon, both papifts, made a fecond attempt to reconcile ihefe two orders, at Rathfriland; but the diffenters fhewed fo ftrong an averfion to it, that the miflionaries were forced out of town, and were refufed accommodation at the principal inn.

It required fome time and unabated exertion to overcome the flrong antipathy which exifted between the papifls and the lower clafs of prefbyterians; and it probably could not have been accompliftied, if the leaders of the confpiracy had not attached to their caufe the clergy of both.

From the men who compofed this miffion, it is evident, that the Catholick committee, and the united Irifhmen were clofely connefted,

and

* Many mifiions of this kind were undertaken in 179* and 1793.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

and labouring in the fame vineyard : Tone was at the fame time the fecretary of the former, and the original framer and the chief leader of the latter in Dublin; Neilfon in Belfafl; Keogh and Mc. Cormick were the moft aftive members of the former. At a general meeting of the Roman catholick committee in July, 1792, an addrefs was voted to the defenders, and circulated in every parifh, where they had made their appearance, exhorting them to a peaceable deportment, a refpe£l for the laws, and to abftain from every meafure that might give offence to their proteflant brethren. For their laudable endeavours in this inftance, as well as by their miffionaries, to reftore peace and focial order, they received many flattering encomiums from their republican friends in Belfall, publifhed in the Northern Star.

The follovsdng anecdote will Ihew the reader what a flirong antipathy there exifted between the prefbyterians and papifts of the North :

On Monday, May fixth, 1792, the funeral of a Roman catholick, attended by great numbers decorated with ribands, carrying a flag and forming a kind of martial proceflion, proceeded from the village of Hilltown in the county of Down, through the town of Rathfriland to the grave-yard of the parifh of Ballyroney. In pafllng through Rathfriland, they were hooted, infulted and pelted with dirt, by the prefbyterians; but when they arrived at the grave-yard, and the priefts began to chaunt the requiem of the deceafed, they were attacked by the prefbyterians with flones and clubs, and compelled to fly, leaving the corpfe unburied. They were then hunted acrofs the country, and purfued to a confiderable diflance by their afl’ailants.

There appeared in the year 1792, in the Northern Star, a newfpaper publifhed at Belfafl, which was a vehicle of treafon and fedition, many exhortations to the Roman catholicks and prefbyterians to unite in the common caufe; an addrefs to them for that purpofe, penned with peculiar energy, was publifhed in that print on the feventeenth of January,. 1792. It is certain that the prefbyterians of Belfafl were as warm in this courtfliip as the Roman cathohcks. In the year 1792, when the form.er paid the mofl fervile adulation to the latter, they built a chapel for them at Belfafl; and Waddell Cunningham, a merchant of great wealth in that town, and a noted republican, attended the celebration of mafs in a popifh chapel there, at the head of a company of volunteers,

P who,

i6’6 M£M6ms OF THE DIFFERENT

who, as well as their leader, were prefbyterians; and a fimilar fcene was exhibited at Lifburn by doftor Crawford, a phyfician and captain of a company of prefbyterian volunteers. As religionifts they hated each other; but both having one grand objeft, the fubverfion of the conftitution, politicks became the inftrument of their union, like two fluids that are heterogeneous and immifcible, but which can be made to unite and amalgamate by what the chymifts call an intermede or a tertium quid.

About that time, a priefl: of Belfaft, who was fenfible and loyal, happened to be invited by two principal merchants of that town to take (hare of a bottle of wine with them. Politicks, and the fmcere regard which the prefbyterians of Belfafl; entertained for their catholick brethren, became the fubjed oiF cbnverfatioti, when one of the merchants propofed that a marriage fhould take place between the two orders. The prieft wittily replied, with all my heart, I can have no objeftion to it; though when a fimilar propofal was lately made to me by a member of the cllablifiied church, I abfolutely oppofed it. Why fo? faid one of the prefbyterians; that appears very extraordinary : Not at all, replied the jprieft; for I cohfid’er aii union with the eflablifhed church as a kind of ihcefl, as we are too nearly related; but the prefbyterians may marry with us whenever they Choofe, for we are net the leafl akin.

It is mofl certain, that the fiTft leaders in the North, though regarded as prefbyterians, were in fact infidels, who endeavoured to extinguifh all religious principle by the diiTemination of French doftrines, the circulation of Paine’s Age of Reafon, and publications of that flamp; and well knowing that even the religious part of their order were inimical to monarchy, and particularly to our hierarchy, they endeavoured to a!vail themfelves of that propeni^ty in them to overturn the government; knowing alfo, that the Roman catholicks had difpofitions ftrongly hoftile fo a proteftant flate, they endeavoured to form a union with them for {he above purpofe.

The prefbyterians engaged in the confpiracy were chiefly confined to the counties of Down and Antrim; and even there none of the refpedlable members of that order were concerned in it. Some of the mofl profligate difTenting miniflers * in thofe counties, who became partizans

of

• See in Appendix, No. XII. the prefbyterian miniflers of the Coimties of Down and Antrim concerned in the rebellion, and the punifliments which they fufiercd.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 107

of the united Irifhmen, prevailed on the rabble of their perfuafion, and fuch of them as were devoid of principle and property., to join in the plot; but very few, if any, of the really religious prefbyterians entered into it.

Some of the moft intelligent perfons of the N^th have aflured me, that the infidel leaders thought they had gone rathei* too far, even before the rebellion broke out, in raifmg the hopes of a popifh eftablifhment in the mafs of the Roman catholicks; having difcovered too late that religious bigotry formed the principal, if not the fole fpring of adion among them, which evidently appeared on the explofion of the confpiracy.

It is a pofitive fuft, that John Sheares f promifed a complete extindion of his religion in confideration of catholick co-operation, without refledling that it was an a£t of fpontaneity in them; by this he meant the fubverfion of the proteftant hierarchy, for he was as deftitute of religious principle as the few confpirators of that perfuafion who confederated vsdth him.  The only bounds of feparation between the prefbyterians and papifts was the eftabliflied church, which fufpended and fupprefled their mutual enmity; and the fubverfion of it, hke the removal of a peninfula between two raging feas, would have produced collifion and difcord. While fome of the unprincipled prefbyterian miniflers of the counties of Down and Antrim were decrying religious bigotry, under the pretext of liberality, they almoft proftituted religion itfelf, in order to prepare the minds of their flock for the reception of rebellious do£lrines; but the popifh priefts, fearing that the light of the new philofophy would difpel the illufions of purgatory, holy oil, holy water, and abfolution, which gave them a complete afcendancy over their fuperftitious fedaries, and which, like true alchymifts, they could turn into gold, infufed into them a more than ordinary degree of fanaticifm, well knowing that it would augment the facerdotal power over them, and encreafe their hatred to the proteftant eftate; for thefe reafons, the popifli multitude appeared more fanguinary againft the members of the eftablilhed church, and more devoted to their clergy wherever the rebellion broke out, than they had been for many years before; though they univerfally pretended that their influence was entirely done away.

P 2 Thus

* A Cork gentleman who was a moft efficient mcniber of the union, having ftudied the theory of infurredtion at Paris.

io8

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Thus the diflenting minifters and popifh priefts endeavoured to attain the fame end by different means. Joined to the malignant efforts of the united Irifhmen, there is not a doubt, but that the aftive interference of fome French democrats among the difaffefted part of the Irifh nation, their extravagant admiration of the French revolution, and their correfpondence with fome of the clubs in France, contributed materially to diffufe the intoxicating poifon of republicanifm.

In the years 1791 and 1792, Rabaud de St. Etienne, the bofom friend of BrifTot, the famous leader of the Girondine party in the French national affembly, paffed fome time between Dublin and BelfaH:, fowing the feeds of future combuflion.

The fociety of the friends of the conflitution, affembled at Clermont in France in the month of Odober, 1791, refolved, that, on perufing the different publications addreffed from various parts of Ireland to the national affembly and the people of France, an addrefs, then agreed to, fliould be forwarded to the volunteers of Ireland, at Dublin, and which addrefs was publifhed in the publick prints; and an anfwer to faid addrefs was agreed to by the volunteers of Dublin, and forwarded to France in January, 1 792. It was figned by James Napper Tandy, Thomas Bacon a tailor, Edward Newenham, William T. Smith, A. H. Rowan, J. T. Aflienhurft; and contained the mofl: extravagant encomiums on the French conflitution, and condemned the Irifh as imperfecl:, and as founded in tyranny.

In a fociety of united Irifhmen affembled at Temple Patrick, in the county of Down, on the nineteenth of December, 1791, which was foon after the formation of the inftitution, and fhews how rapidly it fpread, they refolved to promote Catholick emancipation, and a reform of parliament; and affert, that whilfl an extra-national government retains the power of the national purfe; and whilfl religious animofities, under the diredion of infidious adminiflrations, continue to difunite Irifhmen, it is vain to exped emancipation, or the bleffmgs of a free conflitution.

The celebration of the anniverfary of the French revolution, which took place at Belfafl on the fourteenth of July, 1792, opened a wide and extenfive theatre for traitors and difaffeded perfons of every rank, charader, and religious perfuafion, to fraternize and fpread the infedion of their noxious principles.

Some

1

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 109

Some months before, it was announced in the publick prints, and all the volunteers of the province of Ulfler were invited to affifl: there. Mr. Tone, thinking that this would afford him a good opportunity of attaching to his fyftem a great number of the Northern prefbyterians, well trained to arms, fent to a republican friend at Belfaft, the refolutions and declarations of the united Iriflmien, and defired him to propound them to the volunteers, when they were intoxicated with the admiration of French liberty.

The main objed: of the refolutions is, “ a complete internal union of all the people of Ireland, to refift the weight of Englifli influence.” He fays in his letter, “ with a reformed parliament every thing is eafy; without it nothing can be done. The foregoing contain my true and fmcere opinion of the ftate of this country, fo far as in the prefent jundture it may be advifeable to publifli them. They certainly fall fliort of the truth; but truth itfelf muft fometimes condefcend to temporize. My unalterable opinion is, that the bane of Irifh profperity is in the influence of England. * I believe that influence will be extended while the connexion between the two countries continues; neverthelefs, as I know that that opinion is for the prefent too hardy, though a little time may eftablifli it univerfally, I have not made it a part of the refolutions. I have not faid one word that looks like a wifli for feparation; though I give it to you as my mofl: decided opinion, that fuch an event Vv’ould be regeneration to this country.”

*’ I think the beft time for publifliing them will be on the fourteenth of July : I learn there is to be a commemoration of the French revolution; that morning ftar of Hberty to Ireland!”

“ The volunteers, if they approve of the plan, may adopt it, and I have worded it fo as to leave them an opportunity. I have left, as you fee, a blank for the name. As to the Roman cathoHcks, I have alluded to them, but fo remotely, as I hope not to alarm the mofl: cautious protefl:ant. It is wicked nonfenfe to talk of a reform in Ireland, in which they fliall not have their due fliare.”

This fliews how anxious he was about the Roman cathoHcks, whofe hired agent and fecretary he was at that time; and how artfully he endeavours

* In the reign of James II. the Irirti Rortian Catholicks made a great outcry again* Englifh intereft, as may be feen in lord Cla’’endon’s ftate letters.

110

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERFNT

deavours to allure the proteftants to promote their luleren:, though their own deflrudion was involved in it.

The anniverfary of this French revolution * was celebrated with great pomp and fplendom^ by a procelTion of many volunteer corps^ in which fome pageants and large emblematick figures, with mottos fuitablc to the occafion, were dravyn by horfes. On one of them, drawn by four horfes, there was the following infcription : ‘* The teleafement of the prifoners from the Baftile.” On the reverfe, there was a figure of Hibernia, with one hand and foot in fliackles, and a volunteer prefenting to her a figure of Hberty. The following motto was infcribed on another : ‘* Our Gallic brethren were born July fourteenth, 1789 : Alas! we are ftill in embryo.** On the reverfe, “ Superftitious jealoufy, the caufe of the Iri-fli Baftile : Leii us unite and deftroy it.” Among them appeared the portrait ©f do£lor Franklin, with this motto, “ Where liberty is, there is my country.”

I have been informed by many gentlemen well acquainted with the real fentiments of the prefbyterians of the North, that they harbour a moft: inveterate hatred towards the Roman catholicks; that they never fmcerely wifhed that they fhould obtain the eleftive franchife; and that they endeavoured to raife their expedtations very high, from a mahgnant hope,, that a difappointment, arifing from not having them fulfilled, would exafperate them againft the ftate^ and make them more fanguine in their “defires to overturn it.

On the other hand, the Romanifts were lefs fmcere; for the late rebellion proves that they meant to make ufe of that fed of the protcflants, merely as an engine to oveiturn the conftitution, and to have extirpated the whole order of proteflants when they had fucceeded. As there are many good and loyal fubjeds among both thefe religionifts, I think it right to apologize to them; and to affure them, that I allude only to the ignorant, the unprincipled, and uneducated ranks of both.

The Catholick committee, hoping that they might conciliate and gaia over to their caufe the volunteers cf Ulfter, alTembled at Belfaft, when the flame of liberty excited in their breads the moft tender emotions of ■fraternity and benevolence, and extinguiftied all mean and felfifti aftections, fent fourteen delegates there, of w hom one was a prieft, fome days before the civick feaft began.

‘A Frenchman

* It laftcd fome days.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND,

III

A Frenchman, who had been very bufy intriguing in Dublin, attended there alfo.

When the proceflion was over, the volunteers and many of the inhabitants of the town aflembled in the linen-hall, and entered on the difcullion of politicks. Parliamentary reform, and an univerfal refloration of all the privileges of the Roman catholicks were refolved on.

They then voted an addrefs to the national affembly of France, and another to the people of Ireland.

The leading orators, and the chief friends of the Romanifts on this occafion, were MefTrs. Sampfon and Neilfon, notorious rebels, preibyterians by profeffion, but decided deifts; the reverend T. Birch, the reverend dodor Dickfon, and the reverend S. Kelburne,* prelbyterian minifters, and dodor Caldwell, a noted republican.

Thefe adive citizens, and the delegates from the Roman catholick committee, whofe hatred towards each other could be equalled by nothing but their zeal to overturn the conftitution, which was their only bond of union, were like two bands of robbers in Arabia, whofe competition for plunder was an unceafing fource of enmity; but meeting with a rich caravan, fo well guarded, that they defpair fmgly of conquering it, they therefore unite for that purpofe.

The Roman catholick delegates having completely fucceeded in their negotiation for fraternizing with the prefbyterians, and for attaching them to their caufe, gave way to immoderate joy, and poured out many a libation to Bacchus, on the night of the day that the civick feaft was held.

On the fourteenth of July, the volunteers of Dublin alTembled and -fired three volHes on the quay, in commemoration of the French revolution; and on that day, and on the fixteenth of July, many political clubs dined together, to celebrate that event.

On the twenty-third of May, 1792, the Polifh revolution was celebrated at Belfaft; that day being its anniverfary. A numerous company who dined at the Donegal arms, drank the following among other toads: The rights of man and Tom Paine : the fovereignty of the people : may •philofophy enlighten all nations, and form the v/hole into one family : the revolution fociety of London : James Napper Tandy, and a fpeedy check to unconftitutional and undefined privileges.

May

• Birch andDickfon have been tranfportcd; Kelburn&was imprifoned a conliderable time.

112

IVIEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

May eighteenth, 1792, the Belfaft fecond fociety of united Iriflimen refolved on contributing their fliare of money to aflift the people of France in the prefent war.

At this time there exifted a Northern whig club, which frequently publilhed refolutions of a revolutionary tendency.

On the twenty-eighth of October, 1792, they celebrated, with great pomp, at Belfaft, the retreat of the duke of Brunfwick’s army from France. Lifburn, and many other towns of the North, followed their example.

December thirty-firft, 179?, the union fociety at Newry, confifting moftly of Romanifts, Patrick O’Hanlon,* fecretary, refolved, “ that their objedl was to remove religious prejudices, and to promote unanimity and brotherly love among Iriftimen of every fe£t and perfuafion.”

The Roman catholicks of Dublin, duly convened by publick fummons the thirty-firft of October, 1792, Thomas Braughall in the chair, voted their thanks to the different volunteer corps reviewed in Ulfter; to the focieties of united Iriflimen of Dublin and Belfaft; to the proteftant freeholders of Cork;t and the gentlemen on grand juries, and at county meetings, and to all others among their proteftant brethren \ who manifefted a wifh for their emancipation.

Left the lower clafs of the Romanifts ftiould not feel that enthufiafm in the caufe of emancipation which the Catholick committee did, numbers of the popifli multitude under the denomination of houfeholders of Dublin, were convened in their refpeftive pariflies, the latter end of the year 1792, when they entered into a difcuffion of their claims.

At an affembly of them the thirty-firft of October, one of the leading members of the Catholick committee, to animate them, faid, “ Look to the proteftant part of Ireland, the North; look to Belfaft; look to the four focieties of united Iriflimen there; to the declaration of the volunteers in every part of Ireland, ri/itig once more from their lethargy^ to raife their degraded country.’’’’

Two volunteer corps, affembled under arms at Belfaft on the feventh of September, 1792, expreffed their joy at feeing that the fpirit of volunteering

* Me attended John Keogh on his miffion to Rathfriland.

I This was a mob confiding moftly of papifls, convcntil by a few difcontented. gentlemen foured by difappointed ambition.

On the contrary, the real proteftants this very year were loud and vehement againft jranting the Roman catholicks the ckftivc franchifc.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 113

ilunteering was reyiving throughout the province of Ulfler, being confident, that the rights of the people are mofl fecure, when they are able to affert them; and that they are perfuaded the country owes whatever commerce and conftitution it polTeffes to the fpirit and wifdom of the volunteers; and they re-adopt the refolutions of thofe aflembled at Dungannon the fifteenth of February, 1782, and the eighth of September, 1783, in which a total repeal of the popery laws, and an union of perfons of every religious perfuafion, is recommended.

A revolutionary club, who called themfelves the Irifh jacobins of Beifaft, publifhed a moft feditious addrefs to the publick on the fifteenth of December, 1792, in the Northern Star, in which they fay there is no national government, and that there muft be a complete reprefentation of the people; and they inculcate the neceflity of parliamentary reform and Catholick emancipation.

Different revolutionary focieties in the North, raifed by fubfcription, in the year 1792, confiderable fums of money for the republicans of France. At Coleraine they fubfcribed 600I. The inhabitants of Drumacoe, in the parifh of Newtownlimavady, and its vicinity, fet one on foot the tenth of July, and invited perfons of every religious perfuafion to contribute to it.

In July, 1792, Monfieur Francois read a letter in the French convention, written by a fociety of friends to the French conftitution in Ireland, who praifed it very much, and offered eight hundred livres towards the expences of the flate.

In the year 1792, there exifted the following political clubs in Dublin : The Whig club : The Whigs of the capital, who circulated twenty thoufand copies of Tom Paine’s Rights of Man, at id. each, but many of them gratis^ to enlighten the people : The friends of the conftitution, liberty and peace :* The Catholick committee : The Catholick fociety : The united Irifhmen; who were very numerous : The defenders, who multiplied to a very extraordinary degree, were much influenced by the united Irifhmen, and with whom they began to affiliate in the year 1792 : Many reading clubs : The Shamrock, Telegraphick, and Philanthropick focieties,

Q which

* Many men of principle and good fortune, who wifhed for nothing but a fimple reform of parliament, were members of it, but did not know the latent dcfigns of the rebels.

114 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

which were ramifications of defenderifm, and confided of the lowed claffesof the people, and furnifhed the united Iriflimen with alTaflins. The Philanthropick paffed fentehce of death on captain Giftard in the year 1794* ■when high fherilf of the city; but the affalTm appointed to execute it, being touched with remorfe, informed him of it, and put him on his guard.

On Monday the twenty-feventh of February, 1792, an event happened which filled all loyal fubjedls with alarming apprehenfions, and with ominous conjeftures, left the malignant defigns of the traitors, who were numerous at that time in the metropoHs, might terminate in its deflruction. About the hour of four o’clock on that day, when the houfe of commons were in a committee, a member, conceiving that he perceived the fmell of fire, fent fome of the fervants to the dome of the edifice, and they immediately announced that it was on fire. The members, having inftantly retired to the oppofite fide of the ftreet, faw the flames burfting from it in feveral places and in oppofite dire£lions, and the whole was inftantly in a blaze. The utmoft exertion, with all the buckets and engines of the city, were ufed to extinguilh it, but in vain; for that magnificent edifice was entirely confumed.

It occafioned univerfal confternation; the guards at the caftle, and the magazine in the park, were doubled; and the artillery approached the city.

A committee of the houfe, who fat to determine on th^ caufe of it, reported, that it happened by accident; though the ableft members of that committee were convinced that it was done by defign; but they feared that the admifilon of it would be injurious to the trade and credit of the nation. An idea was univerfally difTeminated, that one of the metal flues, conftrufted for the purpofe of warming the houfe, had communicated fire to the dome; but for the following reafons that will appear to have been utterly impofllble : They were made of caft iron; they were placed outfide the houfe, fo as to have no communication with the dome, which was ftieathed with a thick coat of copper; and there was no timber employed in the conftrudion of the flues.

Mr. Penrofe, an able architeft,* and well verfed in many other fciences, was decidedly of opinion, that it was not polFible for the flues, or any

accident.

‘ He was architeifl of the houfes of parliament, and had been at that time daily infpe<Jting the roof of the houfe of commons, as he was repai<ring it.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

accident, to hnve cccafioned the fire; that it was done by deliberate defign, and muft have been effected by fome chemical proccfs.

The dom« was formed of an immenfe body of folid timber, which, in the ordinary pi-ogrefs of fire, would require fome hours to confume; and yet it foon formed a circular body of fixed inextinguifliable flame, and was confumed in about an hour and a half.

As there were at that time in the city two defperate factions, who, we have learned by fatal experience, meditated the fubverfion of the confdtution, and the deftruftion of the government, it is not unlikely that it was perpetrated by one or either of them, or by both in conjunction; as it v.’ill appear in the fequel that they often co-operated.

Napper Tandy had narrowly efcaped the vengeance of the houfe of commons, for having offered a grofs infult to one of its members; and a proclamation for his apprehenfion appeared at that time in the newfpapers.

About the fame time, all the efforts of Richard Burke, agent to the Catholick committee, were completely baffled; and he with difficulty efcaped the refentment of the houfe of commons. He had prevailed on one of its members to prefent a petition on the part of his employers, and he had the folly and prefumption to enter into the body of the houfe, to prompt the gentleman who had undertaken that talk, which excited the indignation of that affembly; and nothing but his precipitate retreat faved him from being arreffed by the ferjeant at arms.

The overweening and infolent petition of that body had been recently » difmiffed with indignant contempt; and the new popery bill, which though

it gave them confiderable privileges, blafted their future expedations, had juft paffed through the houfe of commons. The leading catholicks of Dublin gave various proofs of the indignation which they felt at thefe difappointments, particularly in their debate on the twenty-third of March in Fifhamble-ftreet.

From the many traitors and incendiaries who appeared in thefe two

bodies in the year 1798, we may fairly conclude, that they would not

hefitate to form a fcheme for deffroying the houfe of commons, when

they had meditated a plot for overturning the ftate, and the extirpation of

numbers of the moft valuable members of fociety.*

0^2 Suppofrng,

* Some of the wretches arrefted on the explofion of the rebellion, acknowledged that they knew of, and were privy to, the burning of the houfe, previous to ita perpetration; and one perfon fwore an information of it.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Suppofing, therefore, that it was an accident, it muft be acknowledged that it happened at a very critical moment.

It is obfervable, that a few days before the perpetration of this horrid crime, the following printed paper was diftributed through the ftreets in the form of a hand bill, and polled on the city walls, and even on the houfe of commons, under the proclamation iflued for apprehending Napper Tandy :

“ The members of a certain great houfe, not far from the college, are hereby cautioned how they perfecute to ruin a virtuous citizen, for defending his charader, and afierting the liberties of Ireland; if they do not, let them beware of the awl of the cobler of Melfina.”*

Early in the year 1792, a military body who ftyled themfelves national guards, becaufe they endeavoured to afTimilate to thofe at Paris, were arrayed and difciplined in Dublin. Subfcriptions were fet on foot to purchafe uniforms, pikes and accoutrements for them, and of which they befpoke large quantities.!

They wore green uniforms, with buttons, having a harp, and a cap of liberty inftead of a crown. + Their leaders were A. H. Rowan and James Napper Tandy, who addrefled each other, and the members of their rebellious corps, by the appellation of citizen, in imitation of the French.

The multitude in Dublin were fo much difaffefted at this time, that they ufed to wilh fuccefs to thefe traitors, openly and without referve, as they paffed them by in the ftreet, or faw them on parade.

The mafs of the people were fo much infected with treafon, and fo prone to rife the latter end of the year 1792, and the beginning of the year I79^^, that a general infurreftion was apprehended; and even particular nights were fixed for that purpofe, of which government had certain

* A gentleman, now living, informed a member of the privy council, that he was acquainted with circumftances which would lead to the difcovery of the burning of the houfe of commons; but he afterwards informed him, that the council did not wifli to enter into an inveftigation of it.

t This band of traitors fprung from the volunteers; as ftated in the report of the fecret committee.

\ Carey, the printer of the united Irifhmen, boafted in his pamphlet, *’ that he was Mr. Rowan’s companion in arms, in the firft national battalion; and that he oppofed and finally procured the abolition of the mifchievous button and cockade, which afforded a pretext to the enemies of our glorious volunteer inftitution to prevent its fufpenfion.”

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 117

tain information.  In fhort, the city was like a great ftiell, fraught with various combuftibles, and ready to explode on the application of a match.

Five nights out of feven alderman Fleming, by the orders of government, patroled the flreets with a body of horfe.

Lord Weftmorland defired him to attend particularly to the cuftomhoufe, the poft-office, and the gaol, as his excellency had undoubted information that they were the firft places to be attacked; and that the fignal for rifmg was to have been the pulling down of the flatue of king WilHam in College-green, with ropes.

One night lord Weftmorland was fo much afraid that the infurreftion would take place, that, though he had given orders in the morning to the alderman to patrole that night, he fent an aid-de-camp in the evening to fee that he was in readinefs to do fo.

It was discovered at that time, that there was a confpiracy to aflalTmate Mr. Beresford. One of the perfons privy to it confeffed it to alderman James.

The national guards, and all the volunteer corps of Dublin, were fummoned by Matthew Dowling, to affemble on Sunday the ninth of December, 1792, to celebrate the viftory of the French, and the triumph of univerfal liberty. The fummons began with the appellation of “ citizen foldier.”

Government, having received undoubted information that a general infurredion was meditated, i^^ued a proclamation on the eighth of December againft their alTembling, which ftruck fuch terror into them, that the national guards did not aflemble; and the only perfons who appeared on parade were A. H. Rowan, J. N. Tandy, and Carey the printer. For this meafure of precaution, which faved the city from plunder and conflagration, and its moft valuable inhabitants from affaflination, we are indebted to the earl of Clare, the prefent lord chancellor, whofe wifdom, fagacity, and unabated fortitude, notwithftanding many plots which were formed to murder him, have preferved the kingdom of Ireland, on various occafions, from utter deftrudtion. The exalted fphere to which he has been raifed, and the honours conferred on him by our gracious fovereign, prove the fuperior excellence of a mixed government like ours, where the monarch feleds men, like him, diftinguiftied for wifdom, abilities, and virtue, to fill the principal departments of the ftate; but in a republick, where demagogues can turn the giddy multitude like a torrent,

to

ii8 MEMOIRS OF TBE DIFFERENT

to overwhelm every thing that is great and good, a Tone, a Tandy, or a Sheares, would fill the department over which this noble lord fo worthily prefides.

On the thirty-firfl of January, 1793, an addrefs of thanks to lord Weftmorland was moved and carried in the houfe of commons, for having iffued this proclamationIn the debate on it, lord Edward FitzGerald arofe, and faid aloud, in an angry tone, “ I give my mod hearty difapprobation to this; for I do think, that the lord lieutenant, and the majority of this houfe, are the worfl: men in the kingdom.” The houfe had ferious thoughts of expelling him; but, with fmgular pufilianimity, pardoned him on making a flight excufe.

There was as much treafon in the city of Dublin in the year 1792 as in the year 1798; but with this difference, that it was not organized into fyflem.

An ingenious writer, in a letter addreffed to a friend in England, and publifhed in the year 1792, makes the following obfervations on this period : “ On your fide the water, philofophy, I fuppofe, is defined after the good old manner; the love or ftudy of wifdom, moral or natural, “With us it is a word of a very different import; for in Ireland, no man is allowed to poffefs either wifdom or learning, who does not believe in the new American gofpel; who is not in politicks a republican; and in religion a prefbyterian, a papifl, or an infidel. Out of thefe, there is no faving wifdom : Such are the figns by which Irifh philofophy is known. Sometimes, indeed, it difplays itfelf in libels on the king and the revolution; and he who difcharges the greatefl portion of filth is the deepefl philofopher.”

The political horizon of Ireland was fo much darkened at this time by black threatening clouds, that trade and publick credit were materially injured. Bank flock which had been fo high as 171 1. fell to 158 1. and the other funds in proportion. Lottery tickets fhared the fame fate.

As the Roman catholicks were chiefly inflrumental in bringing the country into this alarming ftate, do£tor Mc. Kenna, a member of that order, ftepped forward with a feafonable and judicious addrefs, in which he told them, “ that they lived under a wife and fortunate organization of fociety  that, violence in afferting what they call their rights, ought

not

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 119

not to be employed; for few political benefits are of fufficient value to be purchafed by commotion.”

When the difaffefted clubs found that they could not elude the vigilance of the magiftrates, v/ho often difperfed or arrefled them, they ufed to affemble in the environs of the capital, particularly at Harold’s-crofs, under a pretext of boxing or playing at foot-balL

Notwithftanding the proclamation of the eighth of December, the goldfmiths’ corps, commanded by major Bacon the tailor, and that noted traitor Dowling, paraded in Ship-flreety on Sunday the twenty-feventh of January, but were difperfed by alderman Warren; however, before their difperfion, they entered into ftrong refolutions in favour of catholick emancipation * and reform of parliament.

In defiance of the proclamation of the eighth of December, to prevent the alTociation and aifembling of difalfeded perfons in arms, under a pretence of obtaining a redrefs of grievances, the Dublin rangers paraded in Ship-ftreet, on Sunday the twenty-fourth of February, 1793^ Alderman James, unattended by any civil or military force, defired them to difperfe; but, on their refufal, Mr. Oliver Carleton, an adive and intelligent magiftrate, purfued and overtook them on Effex -bridge, where he attempted to feize the adjutant; telling him, at the fame time, that he was his prifoner; but he was refcued. Mr. Carleton received fome blows, and was pelted with ftones by the mob, who were warm partifans of thefe armed traitors. Alderman James purfued them to Drumcondra, with a party of the army, but they difperfed before he could approach them.

On the fixteenth of January, the inhabitants of Belfaft affembled, and voted an addrefs of thanks to his majefty, for having recommended the Roman catholicks to the confideration of parliament.

On the fourteenth of January, 1793, a motion was made in the houfe of commons for a parliamentary reform, which was the grand defideratum of the united Irilhmen, and one of the engines by which they hoped to overturn and proilrate the conftitution.f

Many

Thefe words were adopted to make the people of England believe that the Irifli papifts were flaves, though they enjoyed more civil liberty than the moft favoured fubjeds of any European ftate, except England.

t It is remarkable, that the oppofition in the parliaments of England and Ireland fed the hopeaand promoted the wifties of the difaiFedled by inflammatory fpeeches.

120

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Many attempts were made at Belfaft, fo early as the year 1792, to feduce the military. Jofeph Cuthbert, a mailer tailor, there was condemned to ftand in the pillory for that offence.

In the month of April, 1793, the difalfeded people of that town would not fulfer the loyal inhabitants to illuminate their houfes, for the fuccefs of our allies on the continent. Some of the diifenting minifters of that town offered up prayers for the fuccefs of the French republicans againft the powers who oppofed them. It generally happens that the moral and political principles of men, in a great meafure, emanate from and are modified by their religion. As the prefbyterian church was formed in a republick, and as its ecclefiaftical eflablifhment was affimilated to the civil policy of the flate, its members in every country in Europe have fhewn a diflike to every form of government but a democratick. For this reafon, the calviniftical minifters in France, juftified the rebellion againft Charles I. and prayed publickly for its fuccefs; and, left from their zeal they might have been confidered as entertaining views and wifhes hoftile to their own government, one of their ableft profefTors at Saumur publifticd the following abfurd apology for them : That the kings of France were abfolute by prefcription; but that thofe of England were fubordinate to the parliament. Nothing fhews fo much the excellence of our conftitution, as having the king at the head of the ecclefiaftical ftate.

I before obferved, page 8, that while this policy was adhered to by the emperors of Rome and Conftantinople, peace and tranquillity reigned in their dominions; but when the bifhop of Rome affumed a right to regulate religious matters in them, it produced inceffant ftrife and difcord.

It was a ftanding law of an early date at Rome, that no one fhould feparately have new gods, or worftiip privately foreign gods, unlefs admitted by the commonwealth, * and Ifocrates tells us, that the fame law exifted at Athens, f

Maecenas, in his advice to Auguftus, faid to him, “ Perform divine worfhip, in all things, exadly according to the cuftom of your anceftors, and fufFer no innovations in religion; becaufe thofe who create fuch,

are

* Cicero de Legibus, lib. rr.     f Ifocrates Areppagus.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

I 21

are apt to make changes in civil affairs; hence confpiracies, fcditions, and riots; things very dangerous to government.”; This obfervation apphes ftrongly to the ftate of Ireland at prefent, and that of England in the reign of Elizabeth and James I. before the blefiings of the reformation were fully experienced in it.

James Napper Tandy was indided at the fpring affizes of 1793, held at Dundalk, in the county of Louth, for having dillributed feditious handbills the preceding fummer, to encourage the people of that country, much infefted by the defenders, to rife; but having, through his attorney Matthew Dowling, difcovered that there were ftrong charges for high treafon againft him, he fled, forfeited his recognifances, and never fmce appeared, till he was brought a prifoner from Hamburgh.

On the feventh of March, 1793, alderman James found and feized fome pikes in Suffolk-ftreet, and lodged them in the king’s ftores; f fo early did the difaffeded begin to procure thefe weapons.

In the month of January, 1793, the Roman catholick inhabitants of many parifhes in Dublin affembled, debated on their claims and pretenfions, and voted addreflfes to their delegates in the general committee; in which fome of them recommended the expulfion of lord Kenmare, and applauded the condud of Meffrs. Braughall, Ryan, and Sutton.

The reader may eafily conceive for what purpofe the mafs of the papifts were thus affembled, and how much it muft have inflamed their paffions, and prepared their minds for the reception of fedition and treafon.

As the Roman catholicks of fome counties and diflirids had affembled with their proteftant fellow fubjeds, to join in an addrefs to teftify their allegiance, the fub-committee of the Roman catholicks diffuaded them from doing fo, “ fince,” as they faid, “ that end was anfwered in a more dignified, folemn, and authorized manner, by their delegates.”

As large quantities of gun-powder and arms had been fent from the metropolis to the defenders, concealed in packages, and it was univerfally believed that much of both had been imported into the kingdom, the attorney general introduced a bill into the houfe of commons, to prevent any perfon froVn keeping, importing, or removing, any more than a certain quantity, without a licenfe, under a penalty of 50CL

R This

* Dion Caffius, lib. iii.

t They were the firft of thofe weapons t^ifcovered in Dublin.

f

122

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

This very falutary lav^^, to which the falvation of the kingdom may in fome degree be imputed, was violently oppofed by the minority in parliament, and feverely condemned by the united Irifhmen, who feemed to concur in cenfuring every meafure of prevention and precaution, which government adopted to defeat the defigns of the confpirators.

In the year 1793, when repubhcan principles were difleminated by all the revolutionary focieties, in many publick prints, and various inflammatory publications, do£tor Troy, titular archbilhop of Dublin, publiihed a pamphlet, entitled a Pafloral Letter, in which, after departing from the main defign which he profeffed, he faid, that the antient republicks of Florence, Sienna, and Pifa, were eftablifhed and governed by Roman catholicks, who ftill continue to fupport thofe of Poland, Venice, Genoa, Ragufa, Lucca and Marino; and he makes the fame remark in refped to the popifh cantons of the Helvetic union, and obferves that the calviniftical ones prefer an ariflocratical government.

As popery has been generally congenial to monarchy, and rather favourable to defpotifm, it was believed that the doftor did this to attach more firmly the prefbyterians to their caufe, by proving that the popifli perfuafion was well fuited to a republick.

The reader may deduce from fubfequent events, whether this conjefture was well founded.

It flruck me, and many perfons of fagacity obferved, that the horrors which people in general felt at the cruelties and barbarities committed by the French republicans, began to abate in the minds of the Roman catholicks in the beginning of the year 1793, and that they continued to wear away gradually, till the rebellion broke out.

Dodor HufTey, in a paftoral letter, publiflied in the year 1 797, endea* voured to prove how well fuited popery was to a republican form of government.

We may form fome opinion of the alat^ming ftate df the North, from the report of the fecret committee of the lords, made in 1793; and from a proclamation which iflfued the eleventh of March, of that year, which alludes chiefly to Belfaft. It ftates, “ that certain feditious and illaffeded perfon’s, in feveral parts of the North, particularly in the town of Belfaft, have endeavoured to foment and encourage difcontent, and to defame the government and the parliament, by feditious pubUcations,

circulated

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

123

circulated among the people; and that feveral bodies of men have been coilefted in armed aflbciations, and have been levied, and arrayed in the faid town of Belfaft; and that arms and gun-powder to a very large amount have been fent thither; and that bodies of men have been drilled and cxercifed by day and night, under the pretext of obtaining a redrefs of grievances, though the obvious intention appears to be, to overawe the parliament and the government, and to diftate to both.”

It then charges all perfons, under their allegiance, to abftain from committing fuch offences refpedively.

This falutary and vigorous meafure gave a vital blow to volunteering; and the prelTure of the times called for it, as the Belfaft volunteer corr.pany, alTembled the feventeenth of December, 1792, refolved on an addrefs to the volunteers of Ireland; in which they encouraged them to aflemble as ufual, and feverely condemned the proclamation which iffued on the eighth of December.

When the proclamation of the eleventh of March iflued, the lord lieutenant’s fecretary wrote to the fovereign of Belfaft, defiring him to prevent all illegal meetings of perfons in arms; and informing him, that he and the other magiftrates would be aided by the military, ftiould they meet with any oppofition in difperfmg them.

In the month of January, 1 793, there was a meeting held at Ballynahinch, to which all the parifties in the county of Down fent delegates regularly chofen, and recommended to them to promote parliamentary reform and catholick emancipation; and at a town meeting held in February following at Carrickfergus, in the county of Antrim, befides difcufling thefe fubjeds, the policy of holding a national convention was ftrongly enforced.

In the beginning of the year 1793, meetings of the people were held in different towns and diftridts in the counties of Down and Antrim; when they inculcated the necefhty of parliamentary reform and cathohck emancipation, condemned the eftablifhment of the militia, as tending to enflave the nation, and recommended the volunteers to affemble as ufual.

On the fifteenth of February, 1793, a provincial meeting was held at Dungannon, in the county of Tyrone, to which moft of the parifhes in Ulfter fent delegates.

R 3 Their

1.24.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Their debates were highly inflammatory. Every thing that could tend to depreciate the conftitution, and debafe and vilify the members of the government in the opinion of the people, was faid there. They inveighed ftrongly againfl. the war, and entered into refolutioris againfl it.

Doctor Dickfon, a prelbyterian minifter, and a noted demagogue, was the leading orator there. He inveighed bitterly againfl fencibles;* faid that the mihtia were but fubftitutes for them, and that the objeft of both was to enflave and not to defend the nation. He faid, that catholick emancipation was but a fliadow, as the gunpowder aft, which he feverely condemned, deprived not only the Roman catholicks, but the proteftants, of the ufe of arms. He reprobated the proclamation iflued the eleventh of March againfl the illegal afTociation of men in arms, and flrongly exhorted the volunteers to afTemble as ufual. He declared, that he had three fermons ready for the prefs, which were calculated to enlighten the peo. pie; and he recommended to the delegates to circulate them in their refpeftrve diflrifts. The pubhcatiort of them was to be announced in the Northern Star, and Samuel Neilfon was one of the perfons appointed to receive fubfcriptions. He faid, that the militia eflabhfhment was merely to promote venality and patronage, for the infamous train who fatten on the fpoils of the people.  He condemned the war in fevere terms.

At the requefl of the herd of republicans afTembled at Dungannon, he preached a fermon, or rather a political difcourfe, fraught with phlogiflick principles, in a meeting-houfe, and was attended by perfons of every religious perfuafion. His text was Jofeph’s advice to his brethren, “ See that ye fall not out by the way.”

He recommended in his fermon catholick emancipation, and reform of parliament, on the bafis of chriflianity.

In thefummer of 1797, he, after the manner of Thelwall, ufed to read poUtical difcourfes, which he called evening ledures, to his congregation at Portaferry, for the purpofe, as he faid, of enlightening them.

At Dungannon, they framed fifteen refolutions, which refleded upon government, and were very inflammatory 5 and before their prorogation,

they

* Four regiments of them were raifed in the yean 782, on advantageous terms to the ftate; becaufe the officers were not to receive half-pay on being diibanded. They were hateful to the faflious demagogues of that day, who hoped, through the volunteers, to fubvert the conltitution, as there were but few troops in the kingdom.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

they appointed a (landing committee, who were to concert meafures f{)r aflembling a national convention.

Soon after, moft of the volunteers and many town and diftricl meetings of the people in Ulfter, affemblcd, and expreffed their approbation of thefe refolutions.

Nothing can afford a ftronger argument in favour of an union with Great Britain, than fuch meetings of the ‘ people, alTembled for the purpofe of overawing the parliament; particularly as they were conflantly encouraged and made ufe of as engines to diftrefs government, by the difcontented members of the houfe of commons, at the expence of publick morals, peace, and induftry.

In defiance of the proclamation of the eleventh of March, the true blue and Cork union volunteers adopted the following refolution, the thirtyfirft of May, 1793 : “ We proclaim aloud, that we will never part with our arms, but with our lives and many other volunteer corps entered into fimilar refolutions.

Though the Roman catholicks were recently put exadly on a footing with proteftants, except that they were precluded from fitting in parliament, and from about thirty offices in the executive department, the defenders began in the month of June to commit the mofl dreadful outrages in many parts of the kingdom, but particularly in the counties of Kerry, Cork, Wexford, Limerick, Queen’s County, Meath, Weftmeath, Dublin, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth, and in the liberties of Drogheda, Leitrim, Longford, Rofcommon, Mayo, Sligo, Armagh, Down, Donegal, and Derry.

Treafon and difafFeftion were univerfally diffeminated at this time. The united Irifhmen ufed to fend emilTaries to different parts of the kingdom, who made it a practice of difperfmg feditious hand-bills, in every county through which they paffed, from carriages.*

As the united Irifhmen of Dublin and the provincial meeting at Dungannon propofed the convoking a national affembly, which was to have affembled in the month of September following, the lord chancellor, whofe fagacity and political wifdom could be equalled by nothing but his

firmnefs,

* Left it fhould be faid, that what I have aflerted as to the diflurbed ftate of the kingdom this year is not founded, I give in Appendix, No. XII. a ftatement of feme of the outrages • committed in differeBt parts of the kingdom.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

firmnefs, prefentcd a bill, “ To prevent the ele£tion or other appoint-ment, of conventions, or other unlavs^ful aflemblies, under pretence of preparing or prefenting publick petitions or other addreffes to his majefty, or the parliament.”

This falutary meafure averted a ftorm, which vi^ould probably haVe produced general anarchy and defolation, as there were but few troops in the kingdom; and the volunteers, at that time numerous, well armed and. appointed, were very much inflamed againft government, by the fpeeches of faftious demagogues.

Nothing can evince more ftrongly the policy and utility of this law, than that Samuel Neilfon declared upon oath, before the houfe of lords, “ That the convention bill was calculated to meet every part of the fyftem of united Irifhmen.’* When he read it, he faid, “ he fuppofed the framer of it had their conftitution before him whilft he was framing it.” Neilfon was one of the moft active and intelligent members of the Irifti union,, except Tone.

In the month of Oftober, 1793, the reverend and amiable Mr. Butler,, chaplain to the bifhop of Meath, was murdered near hi& lordfliip’s houfe at Ardbrackan. It appeared afterwards, that he had been previoufly tried and fentenced to die by a committee of affaffination.

During the whole of the year 1794, the defenders became terrifick,, committing nocturnal robbery and alTafFmation, in the counties^ of Cork,Dublin, Meath, Leitrim, Longford, Armagh, Louth, Cavan, and part of Down; in confequence of which, the proteftant inhabitants of moft of them affembled, formed alTociations for their defence, and offered rewards for bringing the defenders to juftice.

They were fo daring and deftrudive in the county of Longford, that the nobility, clergy and freeholders united, refolved to levy money by fubfcription, for raifmg and maintaining a body of horfe for their defence; and having addreffed the viceroy for permiffion to do fo, obtained it.

In the month of February, 1794, a numerous body of infurgents aflem* bled between Dunmannaway and Bandon, in the county of Cork, and fwore feveral perfons not to pay tithes, taxes, or hearth-money, and to obey no laws but thofe of captain Right; and even threatened to attack the town of Bandon. They were incited to this by feditious hand-bills, fome of which. were fent by poll from. Dublin.

They

I

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

127

They affemblcd again in the month of March, aflumed the fun£lion of legiflators, and difperfed a body of police attended by a magiftrate. They had the boldnefs to attack a party of the Carlow nulitia, and wounded a magiftrate, while reading the riot aft.

In that month they affembled often in different parts of that county.

The flierifFs of the city of Dublin, in the year 1 794, and the other magiftrates there, affured me, that the defenders were conftantly forming plots and confpiracies in it.

On the fourth of March, a bill was prefented to the houfe of Commons, for a reform of parliament.

In the month of March, 1794, the united Irifhmen difperfed feditious hand-bills in the univerfity of Dublin, in order to feduce the ftudents from their allegiance.

In the month of January of this year, Mr. Pentland, a revenue officer, was barbaroufly murdered at Drogheda in the night.

On the twenty-eighth of April, 1794, the reverend Mr. Jackfon, a proteftant clergyman, was committed to.Newgate on a charge of high treafon.

He came to Ireland as a miflionary from the French government, to lay a plan for invading it; and was convifted of that crime in the year 1795 but died of poifon in the dock, before the fentence could be pronounced. This man was formerly the confidential friend and private fecretary of the famous duchefs of Kingfton, who was better known by the name of Mifs Chudleigh.*

A. H. Rowan, who was concerned in the plot with him, made his efcape from Newgate, where he was under fentence of imprifonment, for having difperfed fome feditious papers.

On the night of the twenty-third of May, 1794, alderman Warren, fherifFs GifFard and Jenkin, attended by fome conftables, repaired to Tailors-hall in Back-lane and difperfed the united Iriflimen, whom they found fitting in confultation, and feized their papers; but they continued afterwards to fit, and to carry on their nefarious machinations with fecrefy, but with equal effeft.  It appeared afterwards, that many of the

leaders

* Tliere is not a doubt but that this man was invited by the Irifh republicans to undertake this milTion.

128

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

leaders of the Catholick committee were members of the fociety of united Irifhmen, though they artfully concealed themfelves while that body openly avowed its exiftence, and publiflied its proceedings; having left the obnoxious and dangerous part to the proteftants, who, though few in number, ferved as fcape-goats to draw on them the vengeance of the law, and the deteflation of all good men and loyal fubjefts.

I give the reader the names of fome of the proteftant leaders, with the fate which befel them.

Theobald Wolfe Tone convicted,

but cut his throat. Honourable Simon Butler, died in

extreme poverty in Wales, James Napper Tandy, fled, Archibald H. Rowan,t Oliver Bond, convidted of high trea

fon, but died in prifon, Beauchamp B. Harvey,* Thomas RufTel,! Arthur O’Connor,! Roger O’Connor,! Samuel Neilfon,t John Chambers,!

Henry Sheares,*

John Sheares,*

Jofeph Levins,!

William Levingflon Webb,!

Henry Jackfon,!

Matthew Dowling,!

James Reynolds,!

Thomas A. Emmett,!

John Burke,!

Hugh Wilfon,!

Robert Simms,! proprietor of

the Northern Star, Edward Hudfon.!

I Exiles. • Were hanged

CIVIL

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

CIVIL ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED IRISHMEN.

I SHALL now endeavour to give the reader an idea of the organization of their clubs, which, to impofe on the people, were faid to be formed merely for civil purpofes; and the better to induce the populace to enter into them, it was falfely and wickedly fuggefted, that it would produce an abolition of tythes,. and an equal diftribution of property. The inferior focieties at their firft inftitution confifted of thirty-fix members; they were afterwards, however, reduced to twelve. Whenever they exceeded that number, the excefs was difmifled, with orders to make profelytes for the foundation of a new fociety. The twelve chofe a fecretary and treafurer; and the fecretaries of five focieties formed v/hat was called a lower baronial committee, which had the immediate direction and fuperintendance of the five focieties, who thus contributed to its inftitution.

From each lower baronial committee thus conflituted, one member was delegated to an upper baronial committee, which in like manner aflumed and exerciied the fuperintendance and diredion of all the lower baronial committees in the feveral counties. The next fuperior committees were, in populous towns, diftinguifhed by the name of diftridt # committees, and in counties by the name of county committees, and were compofed of members delegated by the upper baronials. Each upper baronial committee delegated one of its members to the diflrid:, or county committee, and theie diftrid or county committees had the fuperintendance and direftion of all the upper baronials, who contributed to their inftitution.

Having thus organized the feveral counties and populous towns, a fubordinate directory was ere£ted in each of the four provinces, compofed of two or three members, according to the extent and population of the diftrifts which they reprefented, who were delegated to a provincial committee, which had the immediate direftion and fuperintendance of the feveral county and diftrict committees in each of the four provinces; and a general executive diredlory, compofed of five perfons, was elefted

.S by

130 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

by the provincial direftories; but the eleftion was fo managed, that none but the fecretaries of the provincial knew on whom the eledlion fell. It was made by ballot, but not reported to the eledors, the appointment being notified only to thofe on whom the election devolved; and the executive directory, thus compofed, alTumed and exercifed the fupreme and uncontroled command of the whole body of the union.

The manner of communicating the orders ilTued by the executive diredory was peculiarly calculated to baffle detection. One member alone of the executive communicated with the fecretary of each provincial committee or directory; the order was tranfmitted by him to the fecretary of each county or diftrid committee in his province; the fecretaries of the county and diftricl committees communicated with the upper baronials in each county; they communicated with the fecretaries of the lower baronial committees, who gave the order to the fecretaries of each fubordinate committee, by whom it was given to the feveral inferior members of the union.

In the month of March, 1794, many perfons were convided at Dundalk of appearing in arms in the night as defenders, and of adminiftering unlawful oaths; thirteen of them were capitally convided.

In the month of May, 1794, the defenders were guilty of infurrections and outrages, little fliort of open rebellion in the counties of Meath and Cavan.  At Kilnaleek in the latter, and in the neighbouring * country, they were three days under arms.  They laid wafte a large

* trad of the bifhop of Meath’s eflate, having plundered and burned the houfes of many of his proteftant tenants. The royal Dublin militia, affifted by a number of prefbyterians, purfued them to Ballynaugh, which town they took pofleffion of, and fired on the king’s troops from the windows. At laft the militia were obliged to burn the town to diflodge ‘  • them.

About the fame time, at Drumfna in the county of Leitrim, nine police men fled into a houfe from a mob of infurgents, who fet fire to the houfe, and murdered all the police men as they endeavoured to efcape from the flames.

In the province of Connaught, particularly in the county of Rofconimon, the defenders were terrifick in the years 1794 and 1795. The mafs of the people were furniflied with pikes, and the houfes of proteflants were confliantly plundered of arms.  At laft, many of the nobility and

gentry

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

gentry aflembled at Rofcommon in the month of Auguft, and refolved to lower rents, and to raife the wages of labourers, in hopes of allaying the dreadful fpirit of outrage which aftuated the people.

They adjourned their meeting for a week; but they foon difcovered the folly of compromifmg with a mob in a ftate of infurredion, Uttle fliort of open rebellion.

When they were approaching the town, on the day to which they adjourned, they faw numbers of people armed with pikes in all the adjacent fields, who purfued fome of their philanthropick benefaftors fo clofely, that they narrowly efcaped into Rofcommon.

While they were fitting in the town-hall, afliamed of their folly and pufillanimity, Mr. Mills of Fairymount, about fix miles off, arrived with an account that a numerous body of pikemen had fet fire to his houfe, after having plundered it.

The reverend Mr. Carey, a magiftrate, having gone there with a party of dragoons, and found the houfe in flames, attacked a large body of the infurgents, who were armed with pikes, and killed about thirty of them.

In the year 1794, many houfes were plundered of arms in the counties of Meath and Weftmeath.

At the fpring afTizes for the county of Sligo, much difturbed by the defenders, many of them were convidted of robbing houfes of arms, and adminiftering unlawful oaths.

Early in the year 1795, one Cunny, a fchoolmafter, was detefted near Letterkenny, in the county of Donegal, in the acl: of adminiftering the defenders oath. He acknowledged his crime, and convifted fome of his accomplices. The purport of the oath was, to emancipate the Roman catholicks; to alTift the French, and to extirpate the proteftants; and it inculcated fobriety, fecrefy, and obedience to their committees in all things. It contained an oath of allegiance to the king, as long as he lives. Some fuch mental refervation appeared in all oaths adminiftered by the defenders; which was” conftrued thus (by Weldon, a defender, executed in the year 1796,) to fuch perfons as he fwore : “ If the Idng’s head were olf to-morrow, there would be an end of your oath.” This mental refervation was couched in the following words in the oaths adminiftered in other places : “ As long as I Hve fubjeft to the fame government   which appeared in the oath found upon Sharky, at Drumba

S 2 nagher,

132 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

nagher, in the county of Armagh, in the year 1789; but they meant to get rid of their oath by renouncing and overturning the government, which appeared afterwards to have been the object of all the defenders.

At the foot of the oath found upon Cunny, there was a tree of liberty, and a crofs marked thus, R.+C. meaning Roman catholick.

Defenderifm was introduced into the county of Donegal from Connaught, by Leitrim and Rofcommon; and the doftrines of the united Irifhmen from Belfaft, in the year 1796, by men who appeared in the guife of pedlars.*

In 1795 the defenders becarrie more furious and formidable than ever, in many parts of the kingdom, which arofe from the following caufe :

Lord Fitzwilliam, appointed to fucceed lord Wellmorland in the government of Ireland, landed at Dublin on the fourth day of January.

Some time before his arrival, the leading Romanifts having received alTurances that the whole of the popery laws would be repealed during his adminiftration, the fub-conimittee prepared a petition to parliament, praying that a law might pafs for that purpofe; and they recommended to perfons of their perfuafion, in all counties, towns and boroughs, to prepare fimilar petitions. Their orders were obeyed, and the petitions were prefented to parliament on its meeting.

It was univerfally faid and believed, that Mr. Grattan, who came to Dublin fometime before earl Fitzwilliam left London, gave undoubted afTurances to the leading Romanifts there, that they were to be gratified in their wiflies in the fuUeft manner.

It was faid in the Northern Star, on the eighth of September, 1 794, that there was good authority for faying, that lord Fitzwilliam was to be viceroy; and that the firft meafure of his adminiftration was to be the emancipation of the Roman cathoHcks.

On Monday the fecond of February, the petition of the town of Belfaft, (the mafs of whofe inhabitants are preft^yterians,) in favour of catholick emancipation, was prefented to the houfe of commons by the members of the county of Antrim. About

* This ftrongly marked the difcriminating features of the confpiracy. Belfaft was the centre of motion in the north, and its inhabitants, who were moftly prefbyterians, meditated the eftablifliment of a republick as their main obje>5l, and confidered affaflination merely as the means of promoting it; but the mafs of the confpirators inMunfter, Leinfter, and Connaught, being papifts, aimed at the extirpation of proteftants in the firft inftance, and as their primary objedt, of which the reader will be convinced in the fequel.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 133

About the fame time, there appeared in the Northern Star fomc inflammatory addreffes to the volunteers, invoking them to refume their arms and fave their country.

On the twelfth of February, 1795, Mr. Grattan moved for leave to bring in a bill for further relief of the Roman catholicks.

Lord Fitzwilliam was recalled fuddenly from the government of Ireland, and returned to England on the twenty-fifth of March.

The reafons affigned for it were, that his lordfhip exceeded the powers granted to him by the adminiflration of England, in attempting to repeal the whole of the popery laws, and to remove mod of the old officers of the crown, who had ferved his majefty the greater part of their lives with the utmoft fidelity; and this by the advice of his excellency’s cabinet minifters in Ireland, of whom Mr. Grattan was the chief.

It is not to be doubted, but that the Romanifts were buoyed up with the hope of being admitted to equal privileges with the proteftants, though the Englifh cabinet never empowered lord Fitzwilliam to make them fuch conceffions; but on the contrary, defired him to prevent the catholick claims from being difcufled. Lord Grenville and Mr. Pitt publickly defied his lordfliip to prove that he had received fuch powers.

On the fecond of March, 1795, a debate took place on the recal of . lord Fitzwilliam, in the courfe of which fir Laurence Parfons faid, that, if the Roman cathoHcks were difappointed in the expeftations with which they had been filled, every gentleman in Ireland would be under the neceffity of keeping five or fix dragoons in his houfe for his protection; and it turned out afterwards that he fpoke prophetick truth.

It was univerfally believed, and the contrary has never been proved, -that Mr. Grattan was the perfon who filled the Roman catholicks with thefe falfe hopes, with a view of acquiring popularity, or from fome other fecret motive.

It was generally thought that he reafoned thus : If the Roman catholicks of Ireland, the majority of its inhabitants, who have been ready on all occafions to join any foreign foe againft the intereft of the proteftant empire of Great Britain, fhall come forward in a body, and afk for an equal participation of civil liberty and political power with the proteftants, in a ftyle of fturdy and menacing folicitation, at a time that both Great Britain and Ireland are threatened by a barbarous enemy, the Englifh mi

niftry

^34

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

niflry mufl grant, from intimidation, what their poUcy and prudence might withhold.

At the fame time Mr. Grattan, and the partifans of the Romanifts, affured earl Fitzwilliam, that a feparation of Ireland from England would moft certainly take place, fliould they be disappointed in their expedations; and the very difturbed flate of the kingdom, agitated at that time by the defenders and the united Irilhmen, gave fome credit to their aflertions.

His excellency, relying on their veracity and integrity, perfifled in promoting the wifhes of the Romanifts, I beheve, from the beft motives, and was therefore recalled.

From the refpeftability and amiablenefs of his charadter, no perfon could doubt of the reftitude of his intentions, or that he had any other objed at heart than the intereft of the empire; but it is believed that his lordfliip was unacquainted with the real ftate of the kingdom.

Notwithftanding the recal of earl Fitzwilliam, Mr. Grattan prefented, on the twenty-fourth of April, a bill for further relief of the Roman catholicks, which contained a total repeal of the popery laws. It was read a fecond time, debated, and rejefted the fourth of May; the numbers having been 155 to 84.

It muft be univerfally allowed, that Mr. Grattan was very imprudent in bringing this meafure forward, becaufe he could not entertain the moffc diflant hope of its fuccefs; and he muft have known that the difcuflion of it would excite much difcontent among the mafs of the Romanifts, who had manifefted a ftrong fpirit of difaffedion during the three preceding years.

The Roman catholicks of Dublin voted an addrefs of thanks to Mr. Grattan for his exertions in their favour; and his anfwer to them was very intemperate and inflammatory.*

The difappointment of the Romanifts was fuch, as to fill them with the moft implacable hatred againft the government and their proteftant fellow-fubjeds, which manifefted itfelf in various ways, but particularly in the deftruftive rage of the defenders, who defolated many parts of the kingdom; and particularly the counties of Dublin, Meath, Weft

meath.

See Mr. Grattan’s addrefs, Appendix, No. X.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

*35

meath, Kildare, King’s and Queen’s-county, Louth, Armagh, Monaghan, Cavan, Derry, Donegal, Rofcommon, Leitrim, Longford, Sligo, and part of the county of Down.

They plundered proteftant houfes of arms, often burned them, and killed fuch of their inmates as made any refiftance : They houghed their cattle, wrote threatening letters to compel perfons to comply with their unreafonable requifitions; and frequently maflacred thofe who dared to profecute them, or to affift the civil magiftrate in enforcing the execution of the laws. The loyal fubjeds deferted their houfes in the difturbed countries, and fled to their refpeftive county towns, or to the metropolis for proteftion.

Lord Camden, who fucceeded lord Weftmorland as viceroy of Ireland, landed in Dublin on the fecond of April, 1795; a nobleman univerfally revered there, for his good fenfe and firmnefs, the mildnefs of his difpofition, and the amiablenefs of his manners.

The chief officers of ftate, and many of the nobility and gentry repaired to the caftle, to pay their refpeds to his excellency. The lord chancellor at his return was attacked by a gang of alTaffins, who, by repeated vollies of ftones, broke the pannels of his coach, gave his lordfliip a fevere contufion in the forehead, and would have murdered him, but that the fkill of his coachman, and the agility of his horfes, enabled him to efcape.

The primate was alfo attacked at his return from the caftle, but received no other injury than that his coach was in fome degree damaged.

The fame party repaired immediately to the houfe of Mr. John Claudius Beresford, nephew of the marquis of Waterford, and affaulted it with many fliowers of ftones; but one of them having been killed by a fhot from it, the remainder fled.

It was afterwards proved, that this mob v/as entirely conipofed of defenders, who had been felefted by their leaders, to raife an infurrcclion; and lord Clare and Mr. Beresford’s family were particaLirly the obje£t of their vengeance; becaufe they had given the moft decided oppofition to Catholick emancipation, and reform of parliament^ the two engines by which the difaffeded hoped to fubvert the conftitution.

The

136

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

The Romanifts in Dublin were fo much incenfed at lord Fitzwilliam’s recal, that a combination was formed in Francis-ftreet chapel, that no papifls fhould hold any dealings or any friendly intercourfe with proteftants; and their example was followed in all the other chapels.

There was to have been a charity fermon in James’s-ftreet chapel, but it was fuddenly put off, for the purpofe of entering into this combination; by which many of the poorer clafs of proteftants in Thomas, Francis, and James’s-ftreets, principally inhabited by papifts, were ruined.

An eminent flour faftor allured me, that all the popifh bakers, who had dealt with him, fuddenly left him; and that to make up for the lofs which he fuftained by it, he was under a necellity of giving credit to perfons whofe folvency was doubtful. Papifls alfo withdrew their cuftom from proteftant bakers.

Should the proteftants purfue the fame vindidlive and uncharitable fyftem, the Roman catholicks would be by far the greatefl fufferers; as the former pofTefs at leafl nineteen parts out of twenty of the property of the kingdom.

The mafs of the popifli rabble were univerfally infefted with defenderifm in the metropolis and its environs, in which outrages were perpetrated every night, and committees were frequently detefted and feized with their papers, in the a£t of forming treafonable plots. The police com.miflioners were in poffefTion of a mufler-roll of 4000 perfons affociated in thefe clubs; but the popifh multitude in the metropolis were at this time enrolled in them.

The united Irifhmen and defenders were then very aftive, and in many inftances fuccefsful in feducing the military from their allegiance, and in attaching them to their caufe. They occafioned a mutiny in the 1 04th and 1 1 1 th regiments quartered in Dublin, and endeavoured to procure their co-operation and afTiflance in an infurreftion and maffacre, which they meditated on the twenty-fourth of Augufl, 1795. Many of the foldiers deferted from their regiments to join the rebels; and on that day a mob of traitors, who met the caflle guard on EiTexbridge, were fo confident of being joined by them, that one of their leaders attempted to wrench the colours from the officer who bore them, as a fignal for a general infurredtion; and another of them mounted on the bridge, and began to exhort the populace to rife, in an inflammatory

harangue;

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

^37

harangue; but he was foon filenced by a dragoon, who drew his fword, and gave him a defperate wound.

Another dragoon, who was fent with intelligence of this event to the lord lieutenant, who refided in the park> was feized by the rebels, cruelly beaten, and narrowly efcaped aflaflination.

It was very fortunate that the intemperate zeal of the rebels got the better of their prudence; for, if they had poflponed the execution of their plot till night, it is very proTaable that the city would have been in flames; but the arrival of a large body of troops from Lehaunftown camp completely put an end to the hopes of the difaffefted. The joy of the ill-difpofed to government, and to the conftitution, on the arrival of the earl Fitzwilliam, could be equalled by nothing but the rage and difcontent which they difplayed at his departure; for they were led to hope, that the meafures of his adminiftration would have enabled them to fucceed in their grand objedl of forming a republick.

A general mourning was obferved at Belfaft the twenty-fifth of March, the day of his departure; and the congregations of two meeting houfes there refolved not to addrefs lord Camden.

Some of the diffenting congregations in Dublin, following their example, refolved, on the fixth of April, that it is the unanimous opinion of the underfigned, that this congregation fliould not, as a religious fociety, wait on any lord lieutenant, on his arrival in this kingdom, with a congratulatory addrefs.”

On the twenty-fifth of March, 1795, the following paragraph appeared in the Northern Star, printed at Belfaft : “ It cannot but be matter of proud exultation to the focieties of united Irilhmen, that the whole people of Ireland, with exceptions fcarcely worth mentioning, are now of thofe very opinions which they broached three years ago, and which were then confidered by the wife, the conftitutional, the moderate and the cautious, as fymptoms not only of madnefs, but even of wickednefs in the extreme j” fo convinced were the republicans of Belfaft, that the departure of lord Fitzwilliam had poifoned the minds of the people, and had infeded them with the contagious doctrines of the united Iriftimen.

The Romifli committee in Dublin, difappointed and incenfed at the lecal of lord Fitzwilliam, fent three delegates to St. James’s, John Keogh,.

T Edward

138 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Edward Byrne, and Mr. Hufley, commonly called baron Huffey, with a petition, which they prefented to his Majefty at the levee, praying that his excellency might continue in the government of Ireland; but they received no other anfwer, than that the fecretary of ftate informed them, that the lord lieutenant of Ireland had received orders to communicate to them his Majefty’s wilhes on the fubjeft of their appHcation.

On the ninth of April, a meeting of the Roman catholick gentlemen and tradefmen of Dublin was convened by publick notice at Francisflreet chapel, to receive the report of their delegates, who had prefented their petition at St. James’s.

Mr. John Keogh, ftated, “ that the only anfwer they could get from, the duke of Portland was, that his Majefty had communicated his wifhes on this head to the lord Heutenant of Ireland.”

He faid “ he was not forry however that the effort had been made, though defeated; for it pointed out one fad at leaft, in which the feelings of every Irilhman were interefted, and by which the Irifii legiflature would be roufed to a fenfe of its own dignity. It ftiewed, that the internal regulations of Ireland, to which alone an Irifh parliament was competent, were to be previoufly adjufted by a Britifh cabinet. * The prefent, he hoped, was the laft time the cathohcks would affemble in a diftindt body, their caufe being no longer a diftind caufe, but adopted by their proteftant brethren.” f

He ftated, “ that revolutions had taken place in America, in France, Brabant, Holland, and Poland, which arofe from the apprehenfions of the people, and which roufed them to refiftance : That in endeavouring to fubdue America, England had incurred a debt of one hundred miU lions, which ftie muft bear till the day of judgment, if her government lafls fo long.” In fliort, he gave a broad hint, what was to be apprehended from the difcontent of his brethren in Ireland.

In the courfe of the debate, the orators feverely denounced the meafure of an union with England, which they abufed as vicious, venal, ambitious, and bankrupt.

They

* This doftrine, which was univerfnlly entertained by the difafTefled, led to a feparalion, and evinced the riecefiity of an union.

t This was by no means true; for the proteflantsof the church of Ireland, with a very few exception!!, ^^ere averfe to conceding their claims; and the corporation of Dublin petitioned the throne againft them.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 139

They anxioufly endeavoured to imprefs the proteftants in the country parts of Ireland with a belief, that thofe of Dublin earneftly defired to promote the v/ifhes of the Romanills; which was by no means the cafe, as they frequently gave unequivocal proofs of the contrary in the years 1792 and 1795.

I fhall give the reader a concife account of the trial of James Weldon,. a trooper, who was tried for high treafon in Dublin, on the twenty-fifth day of December, 1795; as it will give him a perfeft idea of the malignant defigns of the mifcreants, called defenders, who were very numerous at that time in the metropolis.

Two men of the names of Kennedy and Brady having prevailed on one Lawler, a carver and gilder, to become a defender, conduced him to the lodgings of Weldon, near the barrack of Dublin, where he was quartered, and where he was fwdrn a member of that order.

At different meetings afterwards, it was faid, that there would be a rifmg, to carry into effed the purpofes of the defenders; and at one held in Plunket-ftreet, where eighteen or nineteen perfons were alTembled, a propofition was made for buying gunpowder and arms, for the purpofe of feizing. the caftle of Dublin y and it was alfo propofed to feduce the army.

They knew each other by certain figns, which Weldon communicated TO Lawler, and the pafs-word was Eliphifimatis, which has been varioufly explained.

Weldon adminiftered the following oath to Lawler : ‘* I WilliamLawler, of my good will and confent, do fwear to be true to his majefty king George the third.” This paragraph, which is not only unexcep-tionable but laudable, ferved as a lure to inveigle fuch perfons as were loyal, and to varnifti over the fubfequent partof it, which is treafonable. The next paragraph is : “I will be true while under the fame government :” Obliquely importing, that they would be faithful no longer than during the exiftence of the government, which they meant to fubvert. “ I fwear to be true, aiding and abetting, to every true brother;” which was a name for a defender known among themfelves. “ And in every form and article, from the firfl foundation in 1 790, and every amendment hitherto; and I will be obedient to my committees, fuperior commanders, and officers, in all lawful proceedings.”  This meant their own

T 2 bye

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

bye-laws. It then imports, “ that he will not quarrel with a brother, but live friendly and lovingly with him.”

In a fubfequent converfation, Weldon obferved on the firfl paragraph of the oath, “ That if the king’s head were off to-morrow morning, wc fnould be no longer under his government.”*

Hart, one of the confpirators, told a young man, whom he introduced to Weldon to be fvvorn, that the objecl was to get arms, and to afTift the French when they fhould’come.

Lawler faid he pafled for a Roman catholick among the defenders, becaufe Brady defired him to do fo; and Hart declared he would not fit with Dry and Coffey, two defenders, becaufe they were proteftants.

At laft. Hart having informed Lawler, who was a proteftant, that all perfons of that religion were to be malTacred, he, on the twenty-third of Augufl, difclofed the whole of the plot to Mr. Gowen of Grafton-flreet, who employed him.

The fubftance of what he related to Mr. Cowen, was this : That Hart informed him on Sunday the twenty -third of Auguft, that there was to have been a general infurredion, and a maffacre of all the proteftants, on Saturday the twenty-fecond; but it was pofliponed till the harveft was over, left a famine might enfue, Ihould it take place before. Mr. Cowen took him to Mr. Hamilton, the lord lieutenant’s fecretary; and while they were at the caftle, the mutiny, which I already defcribed, occurred on Effex-bridge. Another meeting took place next day, when Lawler informed them, that there was to be a numerous affembly of the defenders at the Coombe, in the Liberty, on that night; that they were to furprife the Coombe guard; to take their cloaths and their arms; to repair to the caftle, where, having the guife of foldiers, they would be admitted; and then to diftribute among their friends all the arms in the arfenal. As the two regiments in garrifon at this time were difaffefted, it is probable that they would not have been oppofed. Mr. Hamilton fent for alderman James, and defired him to repair to the Coombe with a body of cavalry, which he accordingly did, attended by Mr. Cowen and Lawler; and they found there a mob of three or four thoufand ruffians, who gave them

three

♦ This appeared in the oath found upon Sharky in 1789.

t Trial of Weldon, taken by counfellor Ridgeway, and publiflied by alderman Exfliaw.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 141

three cheers on their arrival, but hiffed them at their departure. Lawler, “who mixed with his brother defenders, recommended to alderman James not to fufFer a fhot to be fired, becaufe, fliould a conflifl enfue, it was to be feared that the Coombe guard would join them; however, on being threatened by alderman James to be fired on, they difperfed. Lawler fwore, on the trial of Brady, Kennedy, and Hart, that, at a meeting of the defenders held at Stoneybatter, they fpoke of attacking the chancellor in the courfe of the winter, as he returned from the houfe of lords, and of hanging him on a tree in Stephen’s-green.

^ Every collateral circumftance in this bufinefs corroborated the teftimony of Lawler. He fwore, that Weldon always carried the oath in his fob; and when he was arrefted it was found there. The fame thing occurred on the apprehenfion of Kennedy.

Weldon, on whom the defenders oath was found when arrefted, was convicled of high treafon, and hanged on the fecond of March, 1796. Previous to his execution, he confeffed to one of his officers, that Hanlon (a noted defender) told him, there was to be a general infurredion; that none but defenders would be fafe, and that they were all Roman catholicks.

It is very remarkable, that the defenders oath, adminiftered in the mod remote counties from the capital, was much of the fame tenor with that which Weldon exhibited to Lawler; and that it contained the condition, “ as long as I live under the fame government,” or, “ as long as the king lives.”

It appeared on the trials of Brady, Kennedy and Hart, for the fame crime, on the twenty -fecond of February, 1796, that one Burke, who had been expelled from the univerfity for having endeavoured to propagate treafon and atheifm among the ftudents, informed Lawler, tliat the plan was this : That he w as to find ten feied men, each of whom was to procure ten more; that each of them was to find five, and that they, united, would be fufficient to take the caftle.

One hundred of them were to get fcarlet uniforms, to make the people believe that the foldiers had joined them.

Lawler made up his number in a fortnight. They met in a room in High-ftreet, and were called the philanthropick fociety.  Le Blanc, a

Frenohman,

142

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENl^

Frenchman, who fled, was a member, and was moftly either chairman, or committee-man.

I give the reader a concife account of the trial of fome affaffins, who confpired to murder one Hanlon, a gunner in the artillery, as it will unqueftionably evince the fanguinary and treafonable defigns of the defenders.

Thomas Smith, a gunner in that corps, and a proteftant of the eftabliftied church, was fworn a defender in January, 1795, in the houfe of James Doyle, on George’s-quay, and in the prefence of faid Doyle and Andrew Glennan, who were commanders of the regiment of defenders to which they belonged. It was then propofed to him, to form an intimacy with Hanlon, to conduct him to Doyle’s houfe, with a promife of entertaining him there, that they might murder him, and throw his body into the river LifFey, as he was returning to his quarters at Chapelizod.Next morning Smith related the whole of what pafled at Doyle’s to Lane the ferjeant-major, and faid he would pretend to fecond their defigns.

The next meeting was at the houfe of one Carmichael, in Thomasftreet, on the twenty-fourth of January, 1795, when the affaflination was planned in the prefence of him, Glennan, and three men of the names of Kinfhela, Sleaven, and Shanaghan. The reafon for wifhing to affaiTmate Hanlon was, that he, on behalf of the crown, was to profecute fome defenders who were then confined in the gaol of Naas.

Smith communicated eveiy thing that pafTed to his ferjeant-major and to Hanlon, who agreed to accompany him to Carmichael’s houfe, on being a(rured that fome magiftrates and conflables would be ready near at hand, and would arreft the alTaffins; and accordingly aldermen Alexander and Tweedy, and fome peace-officers did attend, and arretted the affaflins, in number thirteen, who were afterwards convided and puniflied.

In the courfe of the trial it appeared, that Smith, foon after he became a defender, difcovered, that all the order of defenders had the moft inveterate hatred and fanguinary defigns againft proteftants of every defcription; in confequence of which he, from motives of felf-prefervation, concealed his bible and prayer-book, and denied that he was of that religion; and at laft, he and his wife agreed that he had better go into the artillery, for the fake of protection, and that he might have an opportunity

I

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

»43

nity of exercirmg his devotion. He therefore enlifted in that corps on the fifteenth of April, 1795.

In a converfation \vith a body of defenders, at the houfe of one Connor in Dublin, they faid, “ That they daily expefted a rebellion, and a maffacre; that no proteilant was to be left alive; that the oath was to ferve France and Ireland, and under James Cole, fir Edward Bellew, Napper Tandy, and Hamilton Rowan; that they were to have no king; to recover their eftates; fweep clean the proteftants; to leave none alive; and to kill the lord lieutenant.”

In the month of April, 1 795, they entered into a refolution to (hoot the lord lieutenant as he pafled through the park; to feize the magazine there; and to kill all the nobility in Dublin.*

I give the reader in Appendix, No. IX. a lift of fome of the outrages committed in the year 1795.

In confequence of the dreadful outrages committed by the defenders in fome northern counties, which I have already defcribed, the earl of Carhampton, by order of government, vifited thofe of Weftmeath, Leitrim, Longford, Rofcommon, Mayo and SHgo, in order to reftore focial order in them; as thofe mifcreants had completely impeded the execution of the laws, by a fyftem of terror, and had exercifed defpotick fway in them.

In nioft places his lordfhip found that a leader of banditti, under the feigned name of captain Stout, had intimidated the people of the neighbourhood fo much, that fuch perfons as had fuftained any injury were afraid to profecute, and the magiftrates were deterred from enforcing juftice*

Some informers had been murdered, and others, fearing the fame fate, forfeited their recognifances fooner than give evidence againft them. Gne faid, that Larry, a farmer in his neighbourhood, another, that Thady would have his houfe burned, and himfelf murdered; for they had the hardened audacity to avow themfelves in fome places, where they had completely filenced the voice of juftice.

A party of this banditti, in the county of Rofcommon, after having plundered the houfe of a widow of various articles, and of her rent,

which

* Trial reported by counfellor Ridgcway in 1796.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

which fhe had ready to pay her landlord, fet fire to it, and threw her into the flames; in which fhe would have perifhed, but that her fon, touched by filial piety, refcued her, and fought for her life at the rifque of his own.

They were prevailed on to profecute; but at the aflizes they were fo^ infulted and threatened, that, from motives of fear, they prevaricated in their evidence, and pretended not to know the prifoners, though they were their neighbours.

They were therefore indidted for perjury, and caft for tranfportation but in confideration of the age and infirmity of the woman, her fentence was mitigated at the inftance of lord Carhampton.

A farmer near Cafllereagh, in the county of Rofcommon, being alarmed at a report which prevailed, that he entertained hoftile defigns againft captain Stout, and had fpoken difrefpeftfully of him, repaired to a magiftrate, fwore an affidavit that he never had, and never would, malign, injure, or profecute captain Stout; and ported it up in the moft publick part of the town; and he alfo afked pardon of captain Stout, if he had ever uttered any expreffions tending to difparage him. Lord Carhampton found this affidavit pofted up in the town of Caftlereagh.

A refpeftable proteftant clergyman of the county of Rofcommon informed me, that a body of pikemen ruflied into his houfe in the night, and offisred to fwear him to be loyal; and on affiiring them that he would be loyal to the king, they afked him. What king? and on his faying king George, they cried out, No, no, a Roman king, meaning a popifh fovereign; and they added, that they mufl have a king of their own.

An aftive and intelligent magiftrate in the county of Sligo, who had the courage to do his duty in defiance of the menaces of thefe mifcreants,. informed me, that the priefl of his parifh advifed him not to perfevere in his exertions, but to remain a paffive fpedlator of thefe outrages, for that otherwife he would be murdered. He alfo difcovered, that the priefls, at their refpedive chapels, collefted money on Sundays and holidays, for the purpofe, as they faid, of defraying the expence of obtaining a right to fit in parliament for perfons of their order; but he afterwards difcovered that it was to purchafe arms and ammunition.

A gentleman in the county of Rofcommon informed me, that the defenders ufed frequently to fend anonymous letters to perfons, threatening

them

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

them with deflrudion, unlefs they permitted them to cut trees and poles in their plantations, for the purpole of making pikes.

In the year 1795, fo many proteftant families fled to the town of Rofcommon for protedtion, that they could fcarce get accommodation there.

This year, the fum applied for to the grand jury by different perfons who fufFered in the county of Meath, from the enormities committed by the defenders, fuch as houghing cattle, and plundering and burning of houfes, amounted to 1700I.

Lord Carhampton, finding that the laws were filent and inoperative in the counties which he vifited, and that they did not afford protedlion to the loyal and peaceable fubjedls, who in mofl places were obliged to fly from their habitations, refolved to reflore them to their ufual energy, by the following falutary fyflem of feverity;

In each county he affembled the moft refpeftable gentlemen and landholders in it, and having, in concert with them, examined the charges againfl the leaders of this banditti, who were in prifon, but defied juftice, he, with the concurrence of thefe gentlemen, fent the moft nefarious of them on board a tender, ftationed at Sligo, to ferve in his majefty’s navy.

By this bold meafure, fo’ nded in obvious principles of political neceffity, he completely reftored peace in the difturbed counties.

The loyal inhabitants, and the grand juries in them, thanked lord Carhampton for his wife and falutary exertions; but the difaffefted in every part of the kingdom, exafperated that he had checked the progrefs of their revolutionary fchemes, raifed a great clamour in confequence of it; and as they meditated many profecutions and civil aftions againft him, a law was palTed in the month of February, 1796, to indemnify fuch perfons as had exceeded the limits of the law in reftoring peace and good order; which, as a matter of courfe, was violently oppofed by the minority in the houfe of commons.

On the twenty-fifth of June, 1795, the reverend Mr. Birch, a prefbyterian minifter, preached a fermon to a numerous body of diffenters at Saintfield, in which he recommended the uniting perfons of every religious perfuafion in one family, or brotherhood, in the bonds of philanthropy. He denominated kings butchers and fcourges of the human race, who revel on the fpoils of thoufands, whom they have made father

U lefs,..

145 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

lefs, widows, and orphans, until the judgment of the Almighty fliall come down on thofe minifters, and caufe them who ufe the fword to peridi by the fword.

In the month of January, 1795, fome foldiers of the Wexford regiment were poifoned at Cavan, while on guard at the gaol.

The defenders became fo furious in the metropolis, and its environs, in the fpring and fummer of 1795, committing robbery and alTalunation, that the inhabitants of Charlemont-flreet, Charlemont-place and Charlemont-row, Cullen’s^wood and CuUen’s-wood avenue, Mount-pleafant, Ranelagh, and Dunnville, combined for their mutual defence. The inhabitants of Baldoyle, and the adjacent country, followed their example.

A numerous aflbciation was alfo entered into in the dillrift of the metropolis, on the eighth of October, for mutual defence, and the fuppreffion and punifhment of thofe mifcreants; and it was figned by the lord mayor, many of the nobility and gentry, and a great number of refpeclable citizens.

As the earl of Carhampton was ever diflinguilhed for his zeal and fpirit in enforcing the execution of the laws, about three hundred loyal fubjefts, many of them gentlemen of landed property, affembled at his feat at Luttrel’s-town, entered into refolutions, and fubfcribed a fum of money for the purpofe of defending the lives and properties of all loyal fubjefts againfl thefe defperate bands of ruffians.  After repeated meetings their numbers encreafed very much.  They declared their wiftieS that perfons of every religious perfuafion fliould enrol themfelves in the fociety; but no Roman cathoHck but one ever offered himfelf a candidate; and though he was ftrongly fufpefted of difaffeftion, they admitted him by ballot.  This man was afterwards known to be very much difaffedted, and it was believed that he joined the affociation for finifter purpofes.

As a college was erefted at Maynooth, In the dounty of Kildare, for the education of Romifli priefts in the year 1795, and, as it was amply endowed by government, I lhall make a few obfervations on it. In the year 1794, and in the adminiftration of lord Weftmorland, dodlor Troy made a reprefentation to government, that, in confequence of the difturbances in France, four hundred Irilh ftudents, who were candidates for the priefthood, had been deprived of the means of education; and that there

would

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

147

would be a difficulty of obtaining priefts to perform the neceflary duties of religion, without the eftablifhment of a feminary.

Mr. Burke, whofe intemperate zeal for the advancement of popery I before mentionedj ufed his utmoft exertions for the accomplifhment of that objeft, and when lord Fitzwilliam was coming to Ireland, he recommended to his lordfhip the reverend doftor Hufley, an Irifh prieft, who had been bred at Seville in Spain, as a perfon well qualified to fuperintend that inftitution.

After the departure of earl Fitzwilliam, and during the adminiftration of lord Camden in the year 1795* this inftitution was eftabhftied by an acl of parliament, by which certain truftees were empowered to receive donations for eftablifliing and endowing an academy for the education of perfons profeffing the Roman catholick religion, and to acquire lands free from forfeiture by mortmain. Little fhort of 40,0001. was granted for its eftablifhment at firft; and in every fubfequent fefTion, a regular charge of 8000 1. has been made to parliament for its annual fupport; but it is worthy of obfervation, that no donation has been made to it by the Roman catholick body, or by any individual of that order, except by lord Dunboyne, who died in the year 1800, and left an eftate of 1 coo 1. a year toward the endowment of that college; and yet the Roman cathoHcks raifed immenfe fums of money in the years 1794 and 1795, for purpofes not the moft friendly to that proteflant flate, which laid the foundation of, and richly endowed their femJnary.

Lord Dunboyne had been popifh bifhop of Cork, and on getting the title and an eftate, he became a convert to the eftabliflied church; and with fmgular diilimulation he gave the ftrongeft indications of fmcere converfion for fome years; but in his laft moments he relapfed into popery; and, in confideration of having obtained abfolution for the great crime of being a heretick, he left an eftate worth 1000 1. or 1200 I. a year, to promote the inftitution before mentioned. A ftriking proof of the ftrong and indelible imprefTion which the popifli fuperftition makes on the human mind, where it has been early imbued with it!

Two hundred ftudents were to be maintained and educated in this college. Sixteen or feventeen were expelled on account of being concerned in the rebellion : Some of them were flain in fighting againft the king’s irooips, and others fled to efcape the puuilhment which their guilt merited.

U 2 ^ I have

148

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

I have been aflured that between thirty and forty of them fought againft the king’s army.

It was obfervable that father Hufley frequently attended the camp at Lehaunflown, in the fummer of 1795, faying mafs and preaching to the foldiers; though there were many popifh priefts in its vicinity, who ufed to officiate to them. This bufy interference of father HufTey among the foldiers, and fome artful conduct which he difplayed there, gave a very ferious alarm to fome of the Irifh nobility and gentry who commanded regiments, or were field officers there.

Though a confpiracy for fubverting the conftitution had exifted fo early as the year 1792, the oppofition in parliament, and all the difalfeded perfons in the kingdom, raifed a great outcry againft lord Camden, by falfely aflerting, that the outrages and infurredions, fo difgraceful to the kingdom, were occafioned by the rigorous and fevere meafures adopted by his excellency; yet every wife and good man condemned him for not having a£ted with more vigour and energy; but from the benevolence of his heart, and the mildnefs of his difpofition, he was averfe to feverity, and hoped to gain the affeftions of the people by conciliation. *

The attorney general introduced a bill into the houfe of commons in January, 1796, which palfed into a law in March following; to its falutary coercion, we may juftly impute the falvation of the kingdom.

It ena£ts, that the information of any profecutors on behalf of the crown who may be alfaffinated, fhall be admitted as evidence againft delinquents; any perfon having arms is required by it to regifter them^ his name, and place of abode.

A magiftrate may fearch for arms the houfe of any perfon who fhall not do fo.

If a magiftrate, or peace officer, be murdered while on duty, or in confequence of his exertions to ferve the pubHck, the grand jury may kvy a fum of money on the county for his reprefentative.

If any county, or any part thereof, be difturbed, the magiftrates may notify it to the privy council, who are thereupon required to proclaim the difturbed part : On which the magiftrates are required to hold petty

feffions

* Robbery and afiaffination became fo frequent and univerfal from the year 1795 to the explofion of the rebellion, that it would exceed the compafs of my defign to enumerate the many inftances of them which occurred.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 149

feflions as often as neceflary, but never at a longer interval than fourteen days; and to punifh offenders in a fummary way.

All perfons are required to keep within their houfes between fun-fet and fun-rife; and are liable to be tranfported if found out of their houfes in the night.

In fuch parts of Ireland, as this falutary law was enforced, it completely put an end to the nodurnal ravages of the united traitors.

Every perfon, acquainted with the ferocious and fanguinary diipofxtion of the lower clafs of people in Ireland, will agree with me, that this wife law fhould never be repealed. It is inoperative, and cannot be enforced, till the emergency of the times calls for it; and of this the magiftrates of the county, and the privy council, are proper judges.

The removal of the Irifh parUament to England, in confequencc of the union, makes it peculiarly necelfary, that this law lliould remain unrepealed; for, from the fpirit of infurgency and rapacity of the common people in Ireland, an entire province may be defolated, before proper laws could be enaded in the imperial parliament to check it.

The events which occurred in the late rebellion, demonftrate the truth of what I alTert; for though martial law was proclaimed, and there was an army of one hundred thoufand men, including the yeomanry, in the kingdom, the principal part of the province of Leinfler was defolated by the deftrudive fpirit of fanaticifm in the fpace of a week; and the county of Wexford continued in the polTeflion of the popifn multitude, headed by their lay and facerdotal leaders, for the fpace of three weeks; in which they deftroyed almoft every monument of human art and induftry, and maffacred fuch of its loyal and moft ufeful inhabitants as could not make their efcape. Thofe abftracl principles of criminal law which have been laid down and generally aifented to by the ableft writers upon this fubjed, are by no means applicable to Ireland.

The feverity of the penal code Ihould depend on the compound ratio of the facility with which the lav/s may be infringed, the temptation to violate them, the degree of moral reflraint impofed by religion on the palfions of the multitude, and the poffibility of eluding the execution of the laws.

The common Irifh are doftrinally taught that they are bound by their religion to refift the laws and ordinances of a proteftant ftate;

and

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

and that an oath of allegiance is null and void; for which reafon they uniformly oppofe the adminiftration of juftice. A monfler, ftained with the blood of his father, muft be led to the gallows by a military guard; but in England, the mafs of the people unite in enforcing the execution of the laws, becaufe they know that the prefervation of their lives and property depend on it.

The late rebellion, as well as all the former ones evince, that the lower clafs of the Irifli do not confider it a crime to injure the perfon or property of a proteflant fellow fubjecl.

The judicious and humane marquis of Beccaria, in his ingenious effay on crimes and punifhments, obferves, “ that the eloquence of the paffions is greatly aflifled by the ignorance and uncertainty of punifliinents.” This obfervation applies ftrongly to Ireland, where the feeble and imperfeft execution of the laws, arifmg from the following caufes, never fails to infpire the multitude with the hopes of impunity : The miftaken lenity of government, * often occafioned by the indecent and improper interference of individuals in favour of delinquents; the difregard of the common people to oaths; t?-nd the certainty of enjoying eternal happinefs hereafter, through the intervention of their priefts. The following circumftances which have often occurred in the province of Munfter, will convince the reader of the truth of what I affert upon this fubjecl :

A few days before the aflizes, a profecutor for murder or robbery has faid to a magiftrate, “ Sir, I am unable to defray the expence of my journey to the affizes town, and of remaining there till I am difcharged; and in going thither I am afraid of being murdered by the relations of the delinquent.” But fuppofe thefe difficulties furmounted : he is infulted and threatened with certain death at the affizes, if he profecutes; and, as the laft refource, they contrive to inveigle him into a dram fliop, and intoxicate him. To my certain knowledge, burglars and felons have been frequently acquitted in confequence of the ebriety of a witnefs. In moll cafes the culprit has an attorney, and a bar of lawyers employed for him; but there is no fund appropriated, and no perfon to appear, fcr the profecution. The

* This rtmark cannot allude to any period fince the breaking out of the rebellions ) becaufe extermination muft have taken place, if lenity had not been very gcneraUy extetidct’.

t III all the combinations of the white boys, right boys, and defcnderf, they have fpurncd at .->n cathof alkgiai;ce; but cor ftdered their oath of confederacy as binding.

I

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

The marquis of Beccaria ends his book thus : “ I conclude with this refleftion, that the feverity of punifhments ought to be in proportion to the (late of the nation. Among a people hardly yet emerged from barbarity, they fhould be more fevere, as flrong impreffions are required.” However, the certain and prompt operation of mild laws will anfwer better to preferve focial order, than the feeble and uncertain execution of fevere ones.

The following rule of preventive juftice, formerly prefcribed by our flatute law, was founded in great wifdom : That if the property of a proteftant be injured in the night, the amount of the damage which he fuftained fhould be levied on the popifh inhabitants of the parifti, the barony, or the county.

I am convinced that the reader, on taking a retrofped of the former rebellions in Ireland, and after perufmg thefe pages, will agree with me, that the revival of this law is abfolutely necelTary to maintain the proteftant religion and eftablifliment in it; and unlefs they are encouraged and preferved better than they have been for fome years paft, fhe muft in procefs of time be feparated from England. I am warranted in this affertion by the opinion of fome of the wifcft men in Ireland.

Nothing can more ftrongly prove the barbarous ftate of the Irifh, than that forcible entry and detainer of lands and houfes have been conftantly praftifed in Ireland, contrary to the folemn adjudication of the law, pronounced by the fuperior courts, and directed to the fheriff, who has been frequently oppofed and repulfed.

Leaders of banditti, refembling the condottieri in Italy, in the middle ages, and noted for their prowefs in refifting the laws of the land, were frequently kept in pay by perfons who wifhed to do fo.

The earl of Clare ftruck at the root of this mifchief, by a very wife law,* pafTed in the year 1787; and yet it has been frequently practifed fmce that period.

PREDISPOSING

* Mentioned in page 45,

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

PREDISPOSING CAUSES TO REBELLION IN THE NORTH, PARTICULARLY IN THE COUNTIES OF DOWN AND ANTRIM, AND MEANS WHICH WERE MADE USE OF TO FORWARD IT.

Constant communication with the American ftates, whofe fyftem of civil polity they very much admired, and the fuccefs of the firft Dungannon meeting in the year 1782, taught the prefbyterians of the North, already difpofed to republicanifm, that an aflembly of delegates from the volunteers, an armed body who overawed the exifting government, might at any time didate to parliament; and this infpired them with an extraordinary degree of boldnefs, which produced the celebration of the anniverfary of the French revolution, the retreat of the duke of Brunfwick, and the fecond meeting at Dungannon in the year 1 792.

Some loyal and moderate men, having feen many inflances of large bodies of men, felf-aflbciated for political purpofes, meet, debate, and difband, without any bad confequence, were induced to approve and join with them; and afterwards they were lukewarm in oppofmg them, even when they were rather turbulent and alarming.

The jealoufy of the Hnen drapers, who made immenfe fortunes, towards the nobility and gentry, feifed of old hereditary eftates, on account of their fuperior weight and refpedability : The fmall dlvifion of farms in the North, where the bufmefs of farmer and manufadurer being united, makes the colledion of tithes more vexatious and grievous than in the South, where they are diftind, and the farms are extenfive : The virulence of oppofition, in vilifying and degrading adminiftration, and in afl’erting that the legiflative power was more corrupt than the executive, made the people believe, that a reform of parliament was neceffary, and gave the republicans a fpecious pretext for adopting it, as an engine to overturn the conftitution; and the filly timidity of the members of adminiftration, in complimenting their accufers, gave an incredible

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

153

dible weight to their aflertions in the publick mind.* Religious prejudices were afleep in the North, except in the county of Armagh; and the fpark of fanaticifm which exifted there was foon blown into a flame by the Catholick committee, that intriguing body, which fat long brooding . in grim repofe, and unnoticed in Dublin; but came forward when the French revolution took place, and endeavoured to avail itfelf of the fhock and fermentation of opinion, which, that event produced, to advance the intereft of its own order.

Some linen-drapers, from motives of envy which I have already ftated, encouraged their workmen in imbibing the new revolutionary doctrines; 5Hid others, , though loyal, , were obliged, from the nature of their bufinefs, through motives of fear, to take the united oath; becaufe their rebellious bleachers might eafily, andfecretly, have ruined them.

As the fuccefs of the great linen merchants in fome meafure depended on the {kill of their bleachers, they were often obliged to conform to their wiflies and prejudices; . to retain them in their fervice; and there. was fuch an emulation between them, that they often ufed fmifter artifices to decoy each others workmen, which rendered the mafters fubfervient to them.

Many gentlemen of large property in the North, who courted the po*pular intereft, were, by eledioneering prejudices, and the fervile obeifance which they paid to the people, prevented from trying tp check the growth of treafon and fedition.

This was very confpicuous in the eledlon^ for the county of Antrim in the year 1792, when the fuccefsful efforts of the people, aflembled in almoft every parifh, in dilating to the candidates, and their fubferviency and willingnefs to take tefts, infpired the populace with a paflion for political power.

The workmen in fome^ bleach-gj*eens joined “ in fubfcribing for the Northern Star; inothers, their mafters, who were difloyal, treated them •with it; and in fome inftances, the employers, though well affeded, were impelled by -fear to give it to them gratis.

X. The

• In ihis I muft except lord Caftlcreagh, whofe bold and manly eloquence, tempered with urbanity and good breeding, never failed to overturn the arguments of his ad*erfarie», andtrt stake their fcurrilous andenvcHomed attacks-recoil on tbemfelves.

1 54 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

The propagandifts of the revolutionary do<^lrines in the North often began by corrupting the loweft fervants, both male and femaie; aiid, creeping Up through all the gradations of a family, the mailer found himfelf fuddenly infulated, and was obliged, through terror, to fraternize, ^and take .the united Irilhman’s oath.

The difaifedled were fo much enraged at earl Fitzwilliam’s removal, that war and force were decided on : Songs, and various pubHcations of an inflammatory tendency, were circulated : In fome inftances, jurors and witneffes were bribed, in others intimidated, from doing their duty : Committees of affalTmation were formed :* Civil magiftrates, conftables, and others were intimidated from executing the law, and in fliort, no perfon was permitted to remain neuter.

In the years 1794 and 1795, immenfe fums of money were levied on the Roman cathohcks in every part of the kingdom.

The conduftors in Dublin and Belfafl endeavoured to infufe into the people an opinion, that the revolution would be incomplete, and would be fucceeded by ruinous contefts and ftruggles, unlefs all the loyaliils were extirpated; and that they could expedt certain and perpetuated tranquillity from nothing but a general malTacre of them, and a confifcation of their property.

It appears by the report of the fecret committee of the houfe of lords in 1797, that it was decided by the confpirators, “ That’ all perfons who, from their principles or fituation, may be deemed inimical to the cohfpiracy, fhould be malfacred; and the firfl: profcribed lift “was calculated by one of their leaders at thirty thoufand perfons.”!

Some leading members of the union, both in the North and the South, have alTured me, that nothing tended fo much to gain credit for their caufe, and to promote the rapid dilTemination of their do£lrines, as the following paragraph in Mr. Erlkine’s plaufibkj but delufive pamphlet, which they procured to be printed and circulated univerfally : “ That the fpirit of reform is at prefent high in Ireland. The recent zeal of that brave and virtuous people has completely detected the falfe and pernicious calumnies

on

* In a county committee atBelfaft, it is laid down, “ that if there is any united Iriflimen on the jury that will convidl any of the prifoners that are confined for being united Irifhmen, they ought tolofe their exiftence.”  Report of the fecret committee, Appendix, No. II. p. 2 j.

t Sec Appendix, No. III. p. 49.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 155

oft both countries. It has deinonflrated, that a defire to reform abufes in government, is not at all connefled with difloyalty to its eflablifhment; and that the reftoration of a free conftitution, by the wifdom and fpirit of a nation, has no alliance with, but on the contrary is abhorrent to, a fubmilfion to foreign force.” This’ extravagant encomium on the rebels, by varniOiing over the enormity of their crimes, and by giving a colour of moral and poHlical reftitude to their caufe, encreafed the number of their fei^laries in a very extraordinary degree.

That very wife law, the convention bill, having prevented the clubs from afiembling publickly, the leaders of the. confpiracy had recourfe ta another, and fall as effedual, a mode of diffeminating their dodtrines of liberty and equality^ by inftituting reading focieties, which the loweil clafTes of the people attended after the labour of their daily occupations was over. This inftitution was almoft exclufively confined ta the counties of Down and Antrim, where the mafs of the people are prefbyterians, can ‘ read and write, and are fond of fpeculating on religion and politicks.

Thefe meetings, formed after the model of the jacobin clubs in France, were ufually held in barns and fchoolhoufes, and were liberally furnifhed , with inflammatory publications, corapofed by the literati of the united Iriflimen, or extraded from larger treatifes of a fimilar tendency in both kingdoms, and publilhed in the form of pamphlets for more general circulation.

The pretext of reading for mutual information and improvement was confidered as a plaufible motive for the lower clafs of people to aflemble. Subjeds of a delicate nature and dangerous tendency were frequently difcufled in them, fuch as, “ Under what circumftances are the people juftifiable in refilling and uniting againfl the exifting government? From what fource is all jufl government derived, and what is its proper objeft? Is the majefty of the king, or the people, moft to be refpedled?” On thefe, and fimilar topicks, the ruftick orators declaimed, with much vociferation andzeal, to the great edification of admiring audiences. The moft fluent fpeakers went ufually from one fociety to another, to difplay their talents, and make profelytes to the new philofophy. Every opportunity was embraced to reprefent the chriftian religion as a fyftem of fuperftition, calculated to enflave mankind, and obftrud the progrefs and improvement of reafon.  The dodrines of a future ftate, of rewards and punifh

X 2 ments.

isS MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

.ments, were openly ridiculed and difcredited; and publick worfliip defplfed and difcouraged, which materially promoted the defigns of the confpirators, by extinguifhing all moral principle.

Labourers, tradefmen, and even ragged apprentice boys, enlightened

:by attending the reading focieties, were taught to -decide dogmatically, concerning the fundamental principles of government and religion; to deleft the fuppofed corruptions of the one, and the prieftcraft of the other.; to think themfelves amply qualified to dethrone kings, and regulate ftates

.and empires.

Beifafl was the centre of motion to the whole Northern union; Dublin to the middle and Southern; orders, diredions and publications iffuedfrom ■ the former with great regularity; and returns were made, at ftated periods, to proper perfons appointed there to receive them, of the ftate, progrefs, and difpofitions of the feveral fubordinate focieties throughout the country.

A large impreflion of Paine’s age of reafon was ftruck off in Belfaft, and diflributed gratis among the united focieties. Bundles of them were thrown into meetinghoufe yards on Sundays, before the congregations ,affembled; and fmall parcels were left on the fides of publick roads, to contaminate the minds of thofe who found them.

The leaders of the union at Belfaft fucceeded fo well in removing the obftacles which religion and confcience prefented to their defigns, that many affaflinations were committed in that town, and its vicinity, in the year 1796, which eftabliflied fuch a complete fyftem of terror, that jurors were afraid to convid delinquents, though their guilt was fubftantiated by the moft unequivocal evidence.

A friar, of the name of Philips, went from Dublin to Belfaft, and was introduced to the difaffefted focieties there. Soon after, having fallen under a fufpicion of being an informer, he was configned to the committee of aftaffination, who drowned him near the paper-mill; and to give a -colour of fuicidc to that atrocious deed, they put a clock weight in his pocket.

It is worthy of notice, that one of the committee, concerned in the murder, was impanelled on the inqueft jury which fat on the body when

difcovered,

* The popilh priefts carefully guarded their flocks from the contagion of them, for rcaTons which I hare given in page loy.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 157

difcovercd, and the verdid was, of courfe, fuicide. A foldier from Bhiris camp was likewife drowned in a river near Holywood, by the fame committee; and a man was (hot in Peter’s-hill, Belfaft, at the early hour of feven o’clock in the evening. Many other perfons were murdered in the fame manner, on a bare fufpicion of being informers.

It feems to have been a maxim with the united confpirators of Down and Antrim, adopted from the illuminati of Germany, and the philofophifts of France, that the end juftified the means; and that no motives, human or divine, (hould check them in the accomplifhment of their main <Iefign. Hence the moft unblufhing calumnies were propagated againft thofe who oppofed them; and committees of affaflination were conflantly fitting to condemn fuch perfons as were fufpedked of doing fo, or of giving information againft them.

Nothing forwarded the progrefs of the union fo much as that vehicle of fedition, immorality and irreligion, the Northern Star, eftabUfhed by Robert Simms, the fecretary of the firft fociety of united Iriflimen, which fat at Belfaft in 179 1. He was a wealthy merchant of that town, and has been tranfported to Fort George in Scotland, with a number of his confederates.

The conduftors of that infamous print, which goaded the people t« madnefs, had the flagitioufnefs and audacity to recommend in it, in the year 1794, the perufal of Paine’s age of reafon.

It is worthy of obfervation, that Simms, in the name of his fociety, wrote letters in the years 1792 and 1793, to fome of the moft confiderable members of the Roman catholick committee and Roman cathoHck fociety in Dublin, inviting them to be enrolled in his corps; and they, proud of the honour, embraced it with alacrity; and fome of them publifhed the letters of invitation, and their anfwers.

Some of the infidel leaders of the North were fo fuccefsful in roufmg the people to a ftate of frenzy, by copious infufions of their intoxicating dodrines, that partial infurredions, earlier than they wilhed or expefted^ were on the point of baffling their defign^, and involviiig them in ruin; Tike a chymift, whofe experiment is defeated, and whofe perfon runs a rift of being injured l)y a premature and unexpeded explofion of his Tctort, in confequence of having furcharged it with gas.   On fome occa

fions,

158 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Hons, the conductors were under a neceffity of endeavouring to check the intemperate ardour of their adherents.

An attempt was made near RathfriUmd in September, 1 796, to begin hoflihties, but it was overruled. About a thoufand united Iriflimeii affembled in that retired and raountainoiis part of the county of Down, to difcufs the expediency of a general rifing; and the queftion was agitated a confiderable time. At length it was propofed to decide it by votes, and a divifion took place, when upwards of three hundred declared themfelves averfe to open hoftiUty at that time. Though the majority were for it, the fchifm was fo confiderable, that it was thought prudent to poflpone it to a more favourable opportunity.

A Mr. John Magennis, who had married a fifter of the famous Bartholomew Teeling, took the principal lead in urging an immediate refiftance. The decifion of that important queftion was haftened by an account, that a party of the antient Britons were approaching to difperfc the affembly; and they adually purfued Magennis ten miles, but were not fortuna.te enough to apprehend him.

It may be proper to obferve, that the majority, on that occafion, confifted chiefly of Roman catholicks; and the minority of prefbyterians, and a few proteftants of the eftablifhed church, who were not then fufficiently enlightened to countenance a general malTacre.

1 think it right to obferve, that the exertions of the united Iriflimen, and Catholick committee of Dublin, to encourage union and fraternity among the prefbyterians and papifts of the North, were confined to thofe parts ‘of Down and Antrim, where the former fliewed a decided hoftility againft the defenders, which was done merely to lull them into a ftate of indolent and fatal fecurity; as they knew that their fpirit, their knowledge of the ufe of arms, and their antipathy to the papifts, would form a material obftacle to the progrefs of the union; but the determination which the Roman catholicks ftiewed, on the explofion of the rebellion, to extirpate proteftants of every denomination, proved that they were not fmcere in their invitations to the preft>yterians to fraternize with them.

ORIGIN

J

REBELLIONS IN* IRELAND.

»59

ORIGIN OF THE YEOMANRY.

In the autumn of the year 1796, government having propofed to all loyal fubjefts to embody themfelves as yeomen corps, fimilar to thofe in England, and fubjed to the control of government, the propofal was embraced with alacrity in many parts of the kingdom.

On the feventh of Odober, the lord mayor, the Iheriffs, and the churchwardens of the different parilhes in Dublin, affem.bled at the manfion houfe, and refolved that a regiment of infantry, and a troop of horfe, fhould be raifed in each of the four wards of the city.

This wife and falutary meafure, which proved the falvation of the kingdom, was oppofed by all the leading Romanifts of Dublin, and by all the adlive members of the Catholick committee; for when the churchwardens and magiftrates attended at the different veftry rooms, for the purpofe of carrying this excellent fyflem into execution, one or other of thefe leaders, attended by a mob of the popifli rabble, attempted to overpower them by vociferation and numbers.

When their malignant efforts to prevent this falutary inftitution failed, they waited on Mr, Pelham, the lord lieutenant’s fecretary, and afked leave to raife a corps of their own fe£t exclufively; but received for anfwer, that they might join their proteftant fellow fubjeds, if they wifhed to ferve their king and country.

They then entered into refolutions againft it, and publiflied them in the jacobin prints, which teemed with inveftives againft government for having inflituted it. *

On the fourteenth of October, the corporation of Dublin, duly affembled, entered into ftrong refolutions, and expreffed their abhorrence of the vile calumnies, and refolutions, publilhed by certain pretended parifli meetings againft the yeomen corps, and againft government, and the feditious means ufed to prevent the loyal fubjeds from forming themfelves. into fuch.

Notwithftanding * For tht fame reafon the orange, clubs were maligned and calumniated.

i6o MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Notwithftanding the decided oppofition which the Romanifls gave t& this very excellent inftitution, which faved the kingdom from impending, deftruftion, the firft eftimate laid before parliament for twenty thoufandt men was filled up immediately. In the courfe of fix months it rofe to ^hirty-feven thoufand; and, during the rebellion, the yeomanry force exceeded fifty thoufand, and they were all to be depended on; * for as very great dIfafFedion appeared among the popifh yeomen, the different corps were quickly purged of fuch of them as were known to be difloyaL

In order to encourage the difaffeded to perfifl in their treafonable practices, it was boafted at this time, in the Northern Star, that the populace^, in and about Belfaft, had faved the harveft of all fuch perfons as had been committed to the gaols of Dublin or Carrickfergus, on charges of high treafon; and that feven thoufand perfons often aflembled for that purpofe.

In the month of Odober, the reverend Philip Johnfon was fired at and wounded, in the night, at Lilburn.

November the firft, a party of traitors broke open the king’s (loresat Belfaft, and ftole thereout a large quantity of gunpowder.

The rebellious inhabitants of Belfaft, who were preftjyterians, oppofed: the eftablifliment of the yeomanry, with as much vehemence as the Romanifts in Dublin ^ and a few gentlemen in that town, who had courage to enter into it, were reviled and hiffed, as they paffed through the ftreets.

On the twenty-ninth of O’ftober, a ruffian fired a piftbl in the town of Newtownards at the reverend Mr. Clelknd.

About this tinle, the Hazard floop of war took, and fearched, a veffel off the harbour of Belfaft, and. found in her a large quantity of arms and ammunition.

On the fixth of November a proclamation iffued, ftating, that, on the firft, a number of armed men tumultuoufly entered Stewartftown, in the county of Tyrone, and cut and maimed feveral perfons who had refufed. to join in their treafonable affociations, and had enrolled themfelves iii. the yeomanry.  The fyftem of terror became fo great, and fo general at . this time, in the North; that . numbers of loyal perfons filbmitted to be (worn, and affumed at leaft the femblance of being fincerely attached to

the

• Report of .the ferret eommitttt of i798j page 5.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

i6i

the union, to fave their lives and properties from the vengeance of the rebels; and outrages became fo frequent in the county of Down, that fome diflrids in it were proclaimed on the fourteenth of November, 1 796, the firft time that the infurredtion law was put in execution.

The leaders of the confpiracy, having completed their revolutionary fyflem in the province of Ulfter fo early as the tenth of May, 1795, and having made a confiderable progrefs in introducing it into the province of Leinfter in the autumn and winter of 1796, proceeded at that period to convert it into a military ihape and form, for the undifguifed proje£t of rebellion, which was diftindtly and unequivocally acknowledged by Arthur O’Connor, William James Mc. Nevin, Thomas Addis Emmett, and Oliver Bond, leading and adive members of the confpiracy, in their evidence upon oath before the fecret committee of the houfe of lords in the year 1798.

Y

THE

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

THE MILITARY ORGANIZATION.

The military organization engrafted on the civil was conftituted in the following manner : The fecretary of each fubordinate fociety compofed of twelve, was appointed their petty or non-commiffioned officer; The delegate of five focieties to a lower baronial committee was commonly appointed captain of a company, confifUng of the .five focieties who had delegated him, and who made the number of fixty privates; and then the delegate of ten lower baronials to the upper or diftridb committee was commonly appointed colonel of a battalion, which was thus compofed of fix hundred : The colonels of battalions in each county fent in the names of three perfons to the executive diredory of the union, one of whom was appointed by them adjutant general of the county, whofe duty it was to receive and communicate mihtary orders from the executive to the colonels of battalions, and in general to aft as officer of the revolutionary ftaff. They were required to inform themfelves of, and report, the fcate of the rebel regiments within their refpeftive diftridls, of the number of mills, the roads, rivers, bridges, and fords, the military pofitions, the capacity of the towns and villages to receive troops, to communicate to the executive every movement of the enemy (meaning the king’s troops) to announce the firll appearance of their allies (meaning the French) and immediately to colleft their force. A military committee was alfo appointed by the executive directory, to prepare a regular plan for affifting a French army ffiould it land, or to form a plan of an infurredion, ffiould it be ordered, even without their affiftance. A regular and well digefted plan of infurredion was adually formed, and reduced to writing in April, 1797, which was given up only for the time, on the alfurances of the executive diredory of the union, that they would foon receive fpeedy and eftedual affiftance from France, The diredory gave orders that every perfon, who had the means, fliould furnifli himfelf with fire arms and ammunition, and that fuch perfcns as could not afford it, ftiould fupply themfelves with pikes;

which

I

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 163

which orders were obeyed very generally through the provinces of Ulfter, Leinfter, and Munfter. In the province of Connaught they proceeded no farther in this fyftem of treafon, than in adminiftering oaths to the people, having been obftrufted by the vigorous exertions of government, till the rebeUion broke out in open ads of hofcility.*

In the month of December, 1796, a French fleet with fifteenthoufand troops for the invafion of Ireland arrived in Bantry-bay; but having been difperfed by a ftorm, and having loft about one-fourth of their (hips, their intention was defeated. It is generally believed, that this plan was firft fuggefted to the French government by Mr. Tone, then refiding in France, but at the inftance of the Irifn directory, who accepted the propofal of the French directory. This negotiation, which took place between the month of June, 1795, and the month of January, 1796, was tranfa£ted by Edward John Lewins, the accredited agent and refident ambalfador of the Irifli rebellious union to the French republick, and who was fent to Paris as fuch in the fummer of 1795-t

The plan of the invafion which the French attempted at Bantry was fettled at an interview which took place in Switzerland, in the fummer of 1796, between lord Edward Fitzgerald, Mr. Arthur O’Connor, and general Hoche.

From the difaffeftion of the lower clafs of people during the infurredion of the white boys and right boys in Munfter, it was a matter of general aftonifliment, that they remained tranquil and apparently loyal, while the French hovered on the coaft; but the acknowledgment of one of the Irifti directory before the fecret committee of the houfe of lords fully accounts for it.

He declared upon oath, that, in the month of Oftober of November, 1796, the French republick announced, by a fpecial meflTenger to the Irifti union, that the hoftile armament was in a ftate of preparation; but in a few days after the departure of the meflenger from Paris with this intelligence, the Irifti directory received a letter from France, which was confidered by them as authentick, ftating, that the projeded defcent

Y 2 was

* Report of the fecret commiltee of the Lords in 179?.    t Jtiid. page 9

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFEREN T

Avas poflponed till fpring, when England and Ireland would be invaded ‘c’t the fame time.

This threw the Irifh directory off their guard; in confequence of which no meafures were taken to prepare the people of Munfter for the reception of the French. It is, however, to be feared, that the popilh multitude would have rifen in many parts of Munfter, if the French had made the projected defcent; for a ftrong fpirit of difaffeclion appeared in different parts of the counties of Cork and Kerry, early in the years 1793 and 1794, particularly in the counties adjacent to Kinfale, Dunmanway, Bandon and Dingle, in which the people committed fuch {hocking enormities, even in the day, that, on the eleventh of March, 1794, the lord lieutenant ifiued a proclamation againft them, and offered rewards for the difcovery and profecution of them. In the county of Limerick alfo, alarming infurrections and dreadful outrages w^ere committed in the year 1793; and great numbers of the lower clafs of people ufed often to aflemble there, to form combinations and adminifter illegal oaths.

It fhould be recollecled, that the white boys continued to commit outrages till the year 1790, in the county of Cork; and as we know that the firft objed of their inflitution was to join the French, we cannot fuppofe that they would have remained loyal had they effected a defcent. The popilli multitude in the counties of Mayo and Sligo, took oaths of allegiance, and promifed to be faithful and peaceable, a fhort time before the French landed; but they joined them the inftant they did fo.

On the fecond of January, 1796, the houfe of Mr. Harman, member for the county of Longford, at Bawn, in faid county, was forcibly entered in the night by a party of ruffians, who barbaroufly murdered him.

In confequence of the military organization which took place in the autumn and winter of 1796, the province of Ulfter became dreadfully difturbed by the eagernefs of the difaffeded to procure arms.

This will appear by a proclamation which iflued the fixth of November, and which ftates, “ That divers ill-afteded perfons had entered into illegal and treafonable alTociations, in the counties of Down, Antrim^ Tyrone, Londonderry and Armagh; and for effefting their treafonable defigns, had aflaffinated divers loyal fubjefts, and have endeavoured, and threaten, to affaflinate all others who ftiould endeavour to deted their treafon, or fliould enrol themfelves under officers commiffioned by his

majefty,

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

majefty, for the defence of the kingdom, and have alfo procured arms and ammunition : That fome evil-minded perfons broke open the king’s ftores at Belfaft, and took thereout ten barrels of gunpowder; and that many large bodies of men have embodied and arrayed themfelves under a pretence of fowing corn and digging potatoes.”

In the month of November, 1796, the counties of Down and Armagh were proclaimed : In the month of February, 1797, parts of the counties of Donegal, Derry and Tyrone.

The difaffeded inhabitants of Belfaft, who oppofed the eftabliftiment of the yeomanry with as much zeal as the Romanifts did in Dublin,, refolved in the month of January, 1797, not to take up arms till the French landed on their coajly and then only to repel foreign and domeftick enemies.

Thirty-feven gentlemen of that town and its vicinity, to their eternal honour, protefted againft that ftriking inftance of difaffeclion.

On the fifth of February, 1797, Robert and William Simms, proprietors of the Northern Star, by whofe inflammatory pubUcations they never ceafed to roufe the people to a ftate of rebellious frenzy, were arrefted and committed to Newgate in Dublin; and the former has been fmce tranfported to Fort George in Scotland.

In the beginning of the year 1797, immenfe quantities of arms were feized in the province of Ulfter by general Lake, and the general officers under his command; and in this he received material afliftance from fir George Hill, who ftiewed uncommon zeal, and ufed the moft unabated exertions, often at the rifk of his life, in fupprefling treafon and fedition.

It appears that the following number of arms was feized by the different general officers in that year, in the provinces of Leinfter and Ulfter only :

Guns.  Bayonets.  Piftols.  Swords.  Blunderbufles.  Mulket barrels^ 48109    1756    4463    4183 248 119

Sword blades.    Ordnance. Pikes.

106 22 70,630. Total 129,583.

It appeared from the letters of the generals, that many arms were feized or furrendered, which are not included in this return; as ia many places they remained in the pofleffion of the yeomen.*

On ,

♦ Report of the fecret committee. Appendix, No. XXXIX. p. 298.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

On the thirteenth of March, 1797, general Lake iflTued a proclamation by the advice of government, ftating the atrocities committed, and recommending to the people to come in, furrender their arms, and return to their allegiance; he alTured fuch perfons of proteftion.* He promifed the mofl inv iolable fecrefy to informers, and the amount of any arms which might be feized in confequence of their fecret information.

On the twenty-feventh of February, 1797, Mr. John Cummin of Caftlebeg, in the county of Antrim, was barbaroufly murdered, a^nd hi-3 houfe was robbed of arms, on account of his loyalty; though general Lake’s proclamation, and his fpirited exertions, were allowed to have materially contributed towards checking the progrefs of the confpiracy, and to have ftruck terror into the rebels.

On the feventeenth of March, the loyal inhabitants of the county of Donegal affembled at Raphoe, entered into ftrong refolutions for their mutual defence, and for defeating the machinations of the united Irifhmen, and offered large rewards for their apprehenfion and profecution.

On Monday the thirteenth of March, lord Camden fent a melTage to both houfes of parliament, ftating, “ That an organized fyftem of robbery and murder exifted in the province of Ulfter, which bid defiance to the exertions of the civil power; and that, by the firm and temperate condud of the general of the diftrid, a confiderable quantity of arms had been taken; and that he hoped, by a continuance of vigorous meafures, the conftitutional authority of the civil power would be reftored.”

In the debate which took place on this meffage in the houfe of commons, the oppofition in general, but Mr. Grattan in particular, condemned with much acrimony the falutary fyftem of coercion which government had adopted, and imputed the difturbances to the provocation which his majefty’s loyal and peaceable fubjefts had received from wanton and unneceflary a<51:s of feverity; and yet it has been univerfally allowed, that the feeblenefs of the infurredion in the North, on the general rifing, was owing to thofe feafonable and vigorous exertions, and to the fpirit difplayed on that occafion by the yeomanry and the loyal inhabitants of Ulfter; which is fully ftated in the report of the feeret committee f of the houfe of commons. r^-^^

* This fliewed tlie benign and conciliating difpofition of government, notwithfranding the vile calumnies uttered againft them, by the difaftedcd both in and out of parliament.

t Page 8, of the year 1798.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

The partizans of the united Iriflimen propagated, with unabated induftry, the mofl: impudent falflioods and calumnies, reprefenting the meafures which the government and the parliament were compelled to refort to, for the fuppreffion of midnight robbery and affaffination, as a grofs and unneceflary violation of the conflitution, and as the real fource of thefe complicated evils.

The main objeft of the fyflem of terror which they endeavoured to eflablifh by their midnight attacks, was, to drive country gentlemen from their houfes, or to enforce their connivance or fupport; a courfe which was purfued with fatal fuccefs in France.f Dreadful outrages ftill continued to be committed in all the Northern counties.

In the month of April, 1797, a number of armed men entered the village of Glafslough, in the county of Monaghan, plundered many houfes of arms, and committed other enormities there.

About the fame time, one Mc. Donald, at Gilhall, near Dromore, was affaffinated, becaufe he faid he could make difcoveries of the united Irifhmen.

In the month of March, the reverend Mr. Hamilton, late a fellow of the college, and who had retired on a living in the county of Donegal, was murdered at Sharon, the houfe of the reverend dodor Waller, in that county, with horrid circumftances of barbarity, by a party of armed ruffians, who fired wantonly into the windows, by which they fhot Mrs. Waller; and afterwards having compelled the fervants of doftor Waller to force Mr. Hamilton out of the houfe, they mangled his body with wounds.

+ ^Report of ,tib« committee of the hoafe of lords of 1 798.

FOREIGN

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

FOREIGN NEGOTIATION OF THE CONSPIRATORS WITH THE FRENCH REPUBLICK FOR ASSISTANCE.

From the time of the failure of the French expedition to Bantry in December, 1796, the difafFeded, to keep up the fpirits of their party, circulated reports, that the enemy were foon to attempt another defcent; and the executive directory of the Irifh union thinking that they were rather dilatory in their preparations, fent Mr. Lewins, their confidential agent, to urge the neceflity of being expeditious. In the fummer of that year, fearing that a premature infurreftion in the North, before the fuccours from France arrived, would defeat their profpedls, they fent a fecond agent, doftor Mc. Nevin, in June, 1797, to prefs the French to haften the armament; but meeting with fome difficulty in going to Paris, he gave the minifter of the republick, refident at Hamburgh, a memoir, to be forwarded to the French diredory.* This memoir fhewed the defperate defigns of the Irifh confpirators, and their great anxiety left the vigorous meafures purfued by government in the North would difconcert their projeds. This agent was authorized to afTure the French republick of being repaid all the expences attending any future armament fhe fhould fend to Ireland, as well as of the laft which mifcarried; and that the refources for that purpofe were to be raifed by the confifcation of the lands of the church, and of the propeny of all thofe who fhould oppofe them. He was alfo empowered to raife, either in France or Spain, 500,000 1. or at leaft 300,000 1. A larger fupply of arms was folicited by the agent than the firft, on account, as he ftated, of the encreafmg number of their adherents, and the difarming of the North, where above ten thoufand ftand of arms, and as many pikes, had been furrendered to the king’s troops.

It appears alfo, that an attempt was made at the fame time, to procure the afliftance of fuch Irifh officers as were then in foreign fervice,t as

might

* Report of the fecret committee of the houfe of commons of 1798, p. 15. t This was done in the civil war of 164 1 • See Borlafc and Temple.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

miglit be prevailed upon, by receiving high rank, to engage in the fervice of the union; but, from the over-caution of the agent, nothing was eftefted ih that way»

A fecond memoir was prefented by this confidential agent on his arrival at Paris, in which he endeavoured to fhew the French direftory the neceflity of forwarding the invafion at that critical junfture, when the minds of the Irifh were fo favourably difpofed to join the French, and to co-operate with them in feparating the two kingdoms, and in eftablifliing a republick in Ireland.

Though the Irifh direclory were defirous of obtaining afliflance from France, they were unwilling to admit fuch a body of troops as would enable her to conquer and keep it in her own hands; but the French fhewed a decided indication to fend fo great an army there as would enable them to fubdue and retain it as a eonqueft.*

The demands of the firft agent were, for any number not more than ten thoufand, nor lefs than five thoufand, with forty thoufand ftand of arms, and a proportionate fupply of artillery, ammunition, engineers, and experienced officers.!

Previous to this laft miffion from Ireland, a confidential perfon was fent over by the French direclory to collect information refpeding theftate of Ireland; but having failed to obtain the necelTary paflports in. London to enable him to go there, he wrote over to requeft that one of the party might meet him in London; and accordingly a perfon repaired to him immediately with every neceflary intelligence; and the fecret committee of the liDufe of commons have given it as their opinion, from various fources of information, that this perfon was the lat€ lord Edward Fitzgerald. I

The directory gave the agent, fent to Paris, the ftrongeft aflurances of afliflance; and accordingly preparations of a very extenfive nature were made, both at Brefl and in the Texel, for the invafion of Ireland; and in the autumn, the executive of the Irifh union received advice that the troops were adually embarked in the Texel, and only waited for a fair wind.

Z In

* Report of the fecret committee of the houfc of commons of 1798, p. 16, 17, 18. t Ibid. ^.Ihid. p. 18.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

111 confequence of this communication, great preparations were maclti by the Irifli rebels, in the beginning of Ottober, 1 797, when it was announced to the different focieties, that the fleet was on the point of failing.* The French troops had been aftually on board, commanded by general Daendells, but were fuddenly difembarked.

The Dutch fleet, contrary to the opinion of their own admiral, as is generally beUeved, was obliged to put to fea, at the inflance of the French government; which led to the ever-memofable vi61:ory of the eleventh of Odober, 1797, obtained by lord Duncan.

Early in the year 1798, the Irifli executive direftory received advices {tow. France, that fuccours would be fent to Ireland in the month of April; but notwithilanding the flirong temptation prefented by the rebellion, which broke out on the twenty-third of May following, the French government never fulfilled their promife,

I fhall now return to the internal affairs of Ireland^ and ftew the reader the means which the confpirators purfued for forwarding the rebellion, having given him a brief account of their foreign negotiations.

On the eighth of April, 1 797, a meeting was held in the Exchange of Dublin, fuppofed to confifl: of the freemen and freeholders of the city, convened by the flieriffs, purfuant to publick notice, for the purpofe of petitioning his majefty to remove his minifliers for ever; but the majority of that gregarious herd confifl:ed of traitors, who wiflied to create difturbance and combufl;ion. ‘

The quefl:ion of adjournment was moved; but as a numerous rabble, who were not freemen or freeholders, fuddenly ruflied into the hall, the flieriffs refufed to put the quefl:ion.

The mob and their leaders neverthelefs agreed to the petition, and it was prefented by Meffrs. Grattan and Curran to the viceroy; who faid, that he would forward it, agreeable to their wiflies, but accompanied with a ftatement of the circunifliances which took place at the meeting.

The freemen and freeholders, on leaving the Exchange, protefl:ed againft any proceedings which fliould be held there afterwards.

This meeting was brought about by the minority in the Irifli houfe of commons, and the difaffedled citizens of Dublin, at the infliance of the

oppofition

* Report of the fecret committee of the houfe of commons of 1798, p. 18.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

oppofition in the Britifti parliament, for the purpofe of promoting their own ambitious defigns, at the expence of the peace and fecurity of the kingdom.

On the twenty-fecond of April, Sinclare Kelburne, the noted demagogue, of Belfaft, a prefbyterian minifter, was committed to Newgate in Dublin, with feventeen other perfons, on charges of a very ferious nature.

On the firft of May, between fix and feven thoufand perfons attending, a funeral, made a procefllon through a great part of the city. Having alTembled in the earl of Meath’s liberty, they went down Aungier-flreet and George’s-lane, through Dame-ftreet, and, paffing by the caflle, they proceeded to James’s church, where the corpfe was interred.

This device was made ufe of to infpire the lower clafs of rebels witli confidence and courage, by fhewing them what numbers of their brethren could be collefted in a fliort fpace of time.

In confequence of it, the lord mayor ilTued a proclamation, prohibiting unlawful alfemblies, under a pretext of attending funerals.

As the Belfaft News-letter, a paper printed there, was moderate and loyal, and in fome degree qualified and comiterafled the feditious doctrines diffeminated by the Northern Star, the difaiiected frequently Hopped the meffengers who went about the country to circulate it, tied them hand and foot, and robbed them of fuch papers as they had.

In the beginning of the year 1797, tlie county of Kildare was dreadfully convulfed by the united Iriilimen, who committed robbery and allafiination on protcllants almoiT: every night.

In the month of March, a motion was made by a member of oppofition for repealing the infurredion law, though the advantages derived from it in checking the progrefs of the confpiracy were univerfally acknowledged.

In the month of April, lord Caledon’s houfe, in the county of Tyrone, was plundered of arms.

The county of Down was fo much agitated, that the magiflrates of it affembled at Hillfborough, on the twenty-eighth of March, entered into ftrong refolutions againft the nefarious proceedings of the united IriHimen, and made a large fubfcription for fupprelllng them.

Ever fmce the introduflion of defenderifm into the county of Cork, in the year 1793, its contagion continued gradually and filently to diffufe it’felf, and to poifon the minds of the lower clafs. „

L Or ^

172

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

On the thirteenth of April, 1797, lord Bantry conveyed to the gaol ot Cork, four of thefe culprits, one of whom was the fteward of Roger O’Connor, in whofe pocket his lordfhip found the defenders oath; the tenor of which was to be true to one another; not to pay rent, tithes, or ti\xcs; and to affift the French who were foon expeded.

At tlie aiTizes of Omagh, in the county of Tyrone, held in the month of April, John Kinkaid, an aftive united Irifhman, was convifted of making a conftant pradice of going to Romifli chapels on Sundays, and of fvvearing the congregations, to fland by each other; to join the French when they fliould land; to cut down tithes and taxes; and to kill the Orangemen and yeomen. At the alTizes of this year, both in Leinfter and Munfter, great numbers were convided of treafonable and feditious praftices.

On the thirtieth of April, 1797, the reverend Mr. Knipe, a proteftant clergyman, was murdered by a party of ruffians, who forcibly entered his houfe, near Clonard, in the county of Meath.

It had been the invariable policy of the leaders of the confpiracy to announce an effort as at hand, to keep up the fpirits of the people, though it was not ferioufly intended : However, in fpring 1 797, a plan was ferioufly difculTed by the leaders then aflembled in Dublin, for commencing a general rifmg, without waiting for foreign affiftance; but as this fcheme did not meet with the approbation of the Dublin part of the committee, it was laid afide; and, in confequence of it, a coolnefs took place between the Ulller and Leinfter delegates, which materially retarded the progrefs of the confpiracy.*

May the thirteenth, the report of the fecret committee having been prefented to the houfe of commons, a violent debate enfued, in which a gentleman of the bar, conneded with the oppofition, declared, that it was merely an apology for the violent coercive meafures adopted by government.

The fedudion of the army became very common at this time. No lefs than feventy of the Monaghan militia were corrupted at Belfaft. At laft, the practice became fo common, fo general, and fo fatal to the military, that the following, among other regiments, offered rewards for difcovering and profecuting any perfons concerned in it : The 9th dragoons, the ift fencible cavalry, the Angusfhire fencibles, the Kilkenny, Antrim, Longford, Tyrone, Wexford, and Waterford militia. r^^^

* Report of the feci ct committee of the houfe of commons, p. 19.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 17;

The difaffeded refted the fuccefs of their caufe very much on the attachment of the king’s troops to it. At a provincial meetmg held ai Ballynahinch the twenty-third of November, 1797, orders were ifl’ued to every county delegate, to procure an exad account of the nunibfrr of military, whether regular regiments, militia, or yeomen, whom they might confider as their friends.

At a provincial meeting held at Armagh, the fourteenth of November, the number of the king’s troops with their refpeftive quarters, and ou how many in each they might depend, was prefented. From the following returns, it appears that their hopes from the difaffedion of the king’s troops were very high : In the county of Antrim, four thoufand, of which feven hundred were friends to the people : In Tyrone, two thoufand feven hundred, and one thoufand were attached to them : In Down, one thoufand one hundred, of which one thoufand were friends : In Armagh, four thoufand two hundred, among whom they reckoned only two hundred friends : In Donegal, two thoufand, and feven hundred of them were friends.

The different delegates were afked by the fecretary, if they thought their counties could difarm the military within themfelves? and they all faid they could, except in Armagh.*

At a provincial meeting held at Randalftown, the fourteenth of December, 1797, it appeared, .that they expected an invafion by the French. Orders were ilTued to every county delegate to procure an exad account of the number of military, whether regular regiments, military, or yeomen, and the quarters where they lay, and to bring it to the next provincial meeting; as alfo how many of them they could reckon their friends. The county delegates were to procure this information from the baronial members, at the next county meeting.f

At a meeting of colonels held at Rathfriland, the twenty-eighth of M*rch, 1798, they were afked individually, whether they were able to difarm the miHtary within the bounds of their own regiment? and they all agreed that they were.;

At a provincial meeting held at Belfafl the firft of April, 1798, it was faid that the national committee were determined to have a riiing, though the French expedition fhould be fruftrated.  The Leinfter dele

gate

* Report of the fecrct committee of the houfe of commons, Appendix XIV. p. 1^3 t Ibid. p. 108.     t Ibid. p. 120.

174 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

gate had received a letter from Bartholomew Teeling, who was one of their delegates in France, and he recommended a rifmg at all events; as the citizens of Dublin, with the afliftance of the army, could at any time feize the caftle of Dublin.*

At a provincial meeting held at Armagh, the county delegates were alked, whether they could difarm the military in their refpeftive counties? and they faid, they could in Derry, Donegal, and Louth; but not in Down, Antrim, and Armagh, and the upper half of the county of Tyrone.! The reafon of this probably was, that in the three former the mafs of the people are papifts; but in the latter, the protcftants and Orangemen were numerous.

A very intelligent gentleman of the North aflured me, that fuch of the linen merchants of the North as were members of the union, and wiflied for a revolution, imagined that it would be effeded quietly, and without violence, as the army was attached to their caufe. Their property being perfonal, lying moftly in their bleach greens, they were averfe to any meafures that might end in rapine and plunder.

In the county of Tyrone there were five thoufand yeomen, of which above four thoufand were orangemen; and in that large body there were not more than two hundred Roman catholicks, and four-fifths of the body v/ere prefbyterians.

There were regular returns made b^ the baronial members to the county delegates, by them to the provmcial, and by the provincial to the executive, of the number of men organized and armed in their refpeftive diftrifts, and of the money coUedted, and in the hands of the treafurers of each.

Thus lord Edward Fitzgerald gave a paper in his own hand v/riting to Mr. Reynolds, which was a return to a national committee held the t\\ enty-fixth of February, 1798. It ftated the number of armed men in Ulfter, Leinfter, and M under, to be two hundred and feventy-nine thoufand eight hundred and ninety-fix; the fum of money in the hands of the treafurers to be 1485I. 4s. 9d.|

It is not furprifing that the confpirators fhould be confident of fuccefs, when they were perfuaded that a great portion of the military were

warmly

* Report of the feciet committee, of the houfe of commong, Appenilix XIV. page m. •} Ibid. p. m. % Ibid. p. 141^

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 175

warmly attached to their caufe; and that they could difarm thofe who continued loyal.

The above return, delivered to Mr. Reynolds by lord Edvi^ard, was confined merely to the men who were armed; for in the popidi counties, all the farmers, peafants, and mechanicks to a man, were fworn, organized, and warmly attached to the union.

It appeared that the county of Kerry regim^t required one hundred conftitutions in the year 1796.* This fliewed that they muft have been very much difalFeded.

They did not begin to organize Munfter till the fpring of 1797;! and as popifh fanaticifm gave wings to treafon, it was reported to be in a good ftate of organization the fourteenth of September following. |

Neilfon fays, in his evidence before the committee of the lords, that the affihated fyftem of organization began in 1792; and that Ulfter was completely organized the tenth of May, 1 795.5 It appears that there were four executives in November, i797,§ one for each province.

To fiiew how far popifli fanaticifm was concerned in the rebellion, ■what an impulfe it gave to the mind, and how much it extinguifhed all moral principle, I will relate a few circumftances of a confpiracy formed by James Dunn and Patrick Carty, with others, to affaffinate the earl of Carhampton, on the twenty-fifth of May, 1797; becaufe he had always evinced the mod unabated zeal and adtivity, both as a magiftrate and an officer, to maintain focial order in his neighbourhood, and in checking the progrefs of rebeUion.

The former was a blackfmith and farrier, who lived on his lordfhip’s demefne, and in his fervice for many years, and had conftantly experienced the moiT; ftriking inflances of kindnefs from him.

Notwithftanding thefe obhgations, James Dunn repaired to the houfe of Maurice Dunn, a relation in Dublin, who kept a cabaret, on Sunday the feventh of May, and offered to a committee of fixteen united Irifhmen who were then fitting there, to do out his friend and benefad:or, the earl of Carhampton. This was a common cant expreflion among the united Irifhmen, for murdering a perfon.

When

* Report of the fecret committee, Appendix II. p. x6. t Ibid. Appendix XXXI. p. 27*. :tlbid. p. 280.    § Ibid. p. ic6.

I

176

MEMOIRS or THE DIFFERENT

When he made the propolal, one perfon faid it was great news; another, glorious news; another, the befl news he had heard a long time.

Left a concourfe of fo many people fhould excite fufpicion, they appointed feven perfons as a committee of aflaffination to concert meafures with Dunn.

As money would be neceffary to procure weapons and horfes, application was made to one Burke, the fecretary of finance, who was clerk to Myles Duigenan, a grocer in Grafton-ftreet; but he poftponed granting their requeft, till Mr. O’Callaghan, at the head of the finance, fhould recover, being confined with ficknefs. It was at laft agreed, that Dunn and Carthy, a labourer on his lordftiip’s demefne, and feven more perfons, fliould affaflinate him on the fucceeding Sunday, the fourteenth of May.

Three of them on horfebaek, having loofe coats with blunderbufles under them, and fix mounted as yeomen cavalry with piftols, were to fire into his lordfliip’s carriage, as it pafTed through a narrow road near Lutterelflown; and at the fame time to murder his fervants, and any perfons who might be with him. Ferris, who was at the head of the committee of fixteen, and the only proteftant member of it, ftruck with horror at the atrocity of the plot, difcovered it, and Dunn and Carthy were hanged.

While Dunn was in prifon, lord Carhampton went to fee him, and faid, Confidering the kindnefs I ftiewed you, I did not imagine you vv^ould have been concerned in an attempt on my life. To his lord/hip’s utter aftonifliment, he replied, without hefitation, that he thought it a good ad. On afking him, whether he himfelf had propofed to murder him? he anfwered, that he never had; but that he was fworn to execute it; and if he were out again, he would perpetrate it if he could. He faid, though you might think it a good aft to murder me, why fhould you flioot a poor innocent poftillion? Why! faid he; to do the thing completely, He afterwards gave much the fame anfwers to the fame queftions, to lord Carhampton in the prefence of the earl of Ennifkillen.

On May the thirteenth, there was an engagement between the North Britains and defenders near Forkhill in the county of Armagh, where thirteen of the former were killed, and eighteen defperately wounded.

On

RE3EfLliONS JN IR^l/^m. ,77

On the feventeenth of May, a proclamation iflued againft the commiflion of atrocities and dillurbances in general, and offering pardon to all perfons who had been feduced, or entered into illegal affociations; provided they, before the twenty-fourth of June, appeared before a magiftrate, furrendered themfelves, took oaths of allegiance, acknowledged their errors, and entered into a recognifance to keep the peace, and be of good behaviour.

On the twenty-fecond of June, the time for taking advantage of this proclamation was extended to the twenty-fourth of July.

This wife meafure was attended with the moft falutary effects; for it induced thofe who had become united Iriflunen, from motives of terror, to renounce the connedion; it confirmed in their allegiance thofe who were wavering; and it infpired the rebels with fear, left thofe who repented, and took the benefit of the proclamation, would betray them.

Notwithftanding this meafure of mercy and warning to the difaffedled, in the latter end of the fame month a general infurredtion in Ulfter was decided on, and the plan of attack for each county was arranged.* At the fame time the inconfiftency of the difaffeded could be equalled by nothing but their effrontery and malignity, in accufing government of wanton and unneceffary feverity, by which the people were ftimulated to commit afts of outrage and licentioufnefs.

The pradice of feducing the military ftill continued fo much, that in the fpace of one month, the following foldiers were (hot for treafonable plots : Four of the Monaghan, at Blaris camp; two of the Wexford regiment, at Cork; two of the Kildare, in the Phoenix park, near Dublin; and two of the Louth, near Limerick.

It was difcovered, that houfes of entertainment were kept open in Dublin, Cork and Athlone, at a confiderable expence, for the feduftion of the foldiers. They were regaled there gratis, with the moft delicious fare; and even proflitutes were kept there to work on their affedions.

In the month of May, feveral committees were furprifed in the adt of forming treafonable plots in Dublin; and it was difcovered that the jDlackfmiths there were bufily employed in making pikes.

A a In

Report of the fecret committee of the houfe of commons, Appendix XIV. p. 123.

178 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

In the month of June, the pay of the military was encreafed, which at this critical time was a very politick meafure, as the united Irifhmen were endeavouring to feduce them with unceafmg fedulity.

One Murtagh Mc. Canwell, fent from the North to the South for that purpofe, was known to be fo expert, and had done fo much mifchief in that way, that a general court-martial, fitting at Limerick, offered one hundred and twenty-five guineas for difcovering and apprehending him. The defenders were fo terrifick at this time, in the counties of Meath, Weftmeath, Kildare and Longford, that many of the proteftants were obliged to fly to the metropolis for protection.

As the members of oppofition in the houfe of commons could not fucceed in their plans of parliamentary reform and cathoHck emancipation, and in defeating tlie falutary meafures of co-ercion which the government had adopted for the prefervation of the kingdom, they feceded from parliament in the month of May.

It was difcovered, that there was to have been an infurredlion of the defenders on the night of the twenty-fourth of May, in the counties of Meath, Cavan, Longford and Monaghan, for the purpofe of murdering the army, the yeomanry, and all the loyal fubjefts in them. It appeared that one of their emiffaries circulated four or five hundred letters, to apprize them of the precife time of rifmg.

On the feventh of June, Mr. Barber a prefbyterian minifter, of Rathfriland, noted for turbulent and feditious principles, was committed to the gaol of Belfaft.

On the fourteenth of 0<9:ober, William Orr, a noted propagator of the doftrines of the united Irifhmen, was hanged at Carrickfergus; and as he was one of the mofl adive agents of the Irifh union, great efforts were made to fave his life; but when they failed, the judge who tried him was reviled, the jury and the witneffes were calumniated, and the government wzs univerfally viHfied by the difaffeded, for having, as they faid, facrificed the life of this honeft and innocent man to the vengeance and acrimony of party.

His death was deplored from one end of the ifland to the other, as much as that of father Nicholas Sheehy, a noted rebel, who was hanged at Clonmell in the year 1762; and all the difaffedled, in memory of him, wore fome kind of emblem in rings, lockets, or bracelets.

WHAT

REBELUONS IN IRELAND^ 179

WHAT PROGRESS THE LEADERS OF THE CONSPIRACY MADE TO THE END OF THE YEAR 1797, IN UNITING THE PRESBYTERIANS AND PAPISTS.

It is obfervable, that the defenders exifted as an organized and armed body, at lead three years before the united Irifhmen; for their plan, or profpeclus, found on captain Sharky, in the county of Armagh, was dated the twenty-fourth of April, 1789; and as there were fimilar focieties in the county of Louth, affiliated with them, we may prefume that it required fome time to bring them to a perfect ftate of organization; and reference is made in that profpedus to oaths which they had taken formerly.

It appeared alfo, that they exifted at the fame time in the counties of Antrim, Down and Monaghan; as general Euftace was fent there to fupprefs them.

The united Irilhmen held their firft feflion at Belfafl, in the month of October, 1791; in Dublin, in the month of December.

The former, who were exclufively papifts, never appeared in any county except where popery predominated.  They never exifted in any part of the county of Down or Antrim, except in the barony of Iveagh in the former,, and in Carey and Glenarm in the latter, in which Roman catholicks are numerous.  The only fpring of aftion with them was a hatred to proteftants.  The main objed of the united Irifhmen was, to unite the prefbyterians, and, if poflible, the members of the eflablifheil church with the Roman catholicks, for the purpofe of overturning the eonflitution.  Their oaths were quite diflerent. -The Catholick committee fhewed much zeal in promoting this jundion; but the exterminating fpirit which their fedaries fhewed during the rebellion, in the counties of Dublin, Kildare, Carlow, Wick low, Wexford, Mayo and Sligo, proved that they were not fmcere, and that they meant to eflablifh exclufively their own religion on the abohtion of every other.  We may fairly conclude then, that they meant merely to lull the fears and fufpieions of the prefbyterians, and not to unite with them.

A a 2 Samuel

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Samuel Neilfon, the mofl aclive member of the union, declared, that the affiliated fyllem began in fpring 1792, and that it was not completed in Ulfler till (he tenth of May, 1795.* The flow progrefs of the organization in that province arofe from the very great difficulty of uniting the prefbyterians and papifts, between whom there exifted fo great an antipathy, that it is more than probable it never could have been accomplifhed, if the leading confpirators had not prevailed on the clergy of both to forward the intereft of the union; and yet, we have very good reafon for faying, that the amalgamation of the two feels was fo imperfect, that the united Irifhmen and defenders in the Northern counties continued as feparate bodies, even fo late as the end of the year ^797. For, at a meeting of the former, held at Belfaft, it is flated, “ that the provincial committee promifed to give to the county committee, the number of defenders in the kingdom;”t and the zeal of the latter mufl have been very great, when it was faid, “ that a defender up the country promifed to give four thoufand guineas for the ufe of the united Irifhmen; and all he afks is, three or four of the united Irifhmen as fecurity for that fum.”]:

In the fame provincial report, it is faid, “ the orangemen in the county of Tyrone are taking the arms from the defenders.” This fhews a laudable zeal in the orangemen in difarming this banditti, and the inlerefl which the united Irifhmen took in their concerns.

We find alfo, in a provincial report, at the fame period, that it was confidered as a matter of mornent, “ to make friends of catholicks and orangemen, as it is doing a great deal of good in Armagh. “§ This was the grand objedt of the united Irifhmen and Catholick committee in the North. This meeting was held at Belfaft the twenty-feventh of December, 1797.

In the fame report it appears, that at a meeting of captains on the thirty-firfl of July, 1797, at Downpatrick, great fears were expreffed, that the catholicks and difTenters would become two feparate parties. “||

In May, 1797, orders were iffued by the executive diredory, that all the captains in the different baronies fhould affemble to chufe field officers,

and

* Examination before the fecrct committee of the houfe of lords, Appendix, No. V. t Ibid. Appendix, No. II. p. 27. \ Ibid. § Ibid, p. 29.

H Ibid.  Appendix, No. XIV. p. 103.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

i8i

and that office was performed by Jofeph Leflie, in the barony of Loughinfliolen, in the county of Derry; but having fummoned proteflants only, the Roman catholicks remonllrated warmly, and he was obliged to change the day for affembling, and to fummon indifcriminately perfons of both perfuafions. Though the two orders co-operated, they never were cordially united. The maffacres in the province of Leinfter evinced the fecret defigns of the Romanifts, and, by opening the eyes of the Northern prefbyterians, completely difunited them.

The inhabitants of Glenarm, in the county of Antrim, who were papifts, were organized according to the defender fyftem. During the rebellion, they were advancing in a body to join a party of united Iriflimen on Belair-hill, who were headed by one Achefon, a prefoyterian minifter; but when the Glenarm rebels difcovered them, they difbanded, and faid, they never would fubmit to be commanded by a proteftant.* The fame circumftance occurred in the rebel camp at Carrickbyrne, Vinegar-hill, and Gorey, in the county of Wexford, where the priefts and the other popifli leaders denounced proteftants, and defired that they fhould not be admitted into their ranks; but we cannot have a flronger proof of the infmcerity of the Romanifts, and their determination to extirpate every order but their own, than the wanton and cold-blooded murders committed by them in the counties of Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford; and the earneft intention which they (hewed to do fo in Mayo andSligo, and which they would have effeded, but for the humane interference of the French.

By the following refolution, feized by Mr. Fox in a committee of united Irilhmen at Belfaft, and dated the eleventh of April, 1797, it appears, that they did not confider the defenders as united with them: *’ Refolved, that the provincial (meaning committee) form a plan for the fupport of poor families, that they get us the number of defenders in the kingdom, who are not united Irifhmen, and if they will aft with united Irifhmen. “f

Charles Mc. Fillin, a papift, declared upon oath, before fir George Hill, baronet, that he attended as a delegate at a provincial meeting at

Garvagh,

* To this the falvation of that part of the county of Antrim was imputed, t Secret report of the houfe of commons» Appendii, No. H. p. 31.

V

J 82 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Garvagh, in the county of Derry, in November, 1796; and that he was chofen a delegate, at four or five provincial meetings; and the reafon he alfigns for it is, to infpire the Roman catholicks with confidence, as the fyftem was to unite all religious perfuafions, to overturn the conftitution^ Mc. Fillin was the only papift at thefe provincial meetings, and there was confiderable jealoufy between the two orders.*

In almoft every inftance where the prefbyterians confiderably exceeded the papifts in point of number, the latter were apparently loyal, or at lead did not enter into the union; and they frequently, when thus circumftanced, were the only perfons who gave information againft the confpirators, but more from motives of fear, hatred, or envy, than a pure and genuine fpirit of loyalty. Mc. Fillin’s evidence is to be accounted for on no other principle.

In the fame manner, where the Roman catholicks very much predominated in point of numbers, the prefbyterians were faithful. For this reafon, fmall colonies of the latter in Meath, Cavan, Longford, Mayo and Sligo, were not only loyal, but very aftive againft the defenders.

In fuch parts of the counties of Down and Armagh, where there were many of both orders blended together, the antipathy which always exifted between them, produced ftrife and bloodlhed, in the fliape of defenderifm and peep-of-day boys : But it is obfervabl’e, that while the county of Armagh was dreadfully difturbed by them, the town of Lurgan and its vicinity were perfedly tranquil, becaufe it abounds with proteftants of the church of Ireland, the only fedt who have been fteadily and uniformly attached to the king and conftitution.

Both the defenders and united Irifhmen in their turn attempted to organize the county of Fermanagh, and they made fome progrefs, and formed fome plots there; but perceiving the futility of their fchemes, they defiftcd, becaufe they knew that the proteftants of the eftabHfhed church are fo numerous, fo loyal, and courageous, that they would have been cut to pieces, had they attempted to rife in rebellion, which was the ultimate objed of their machinations. |

In

• Secret report of the houfe of commons, Appendix, No. VI. p. 77. X They krtw what achievements were ptrformed in the year 1641, by the bravery and loyally of the Ennilkilleneri,

I

»

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 183

In fome parldies in the diocefe of Dromore, where the majority of the inhabitants are of the eflablifhed church, and in others where they form a large portion of them, the people are moral, fober, and induftrious; becaufe thofe who are inclined to be difaffedted, knew that the proteftants would rilk their lives and fortunes in fupport of the conllitution, and in the prefervation of peace and good order.

When the French were at Colooney, and fhewed an intention of marching towards the metropolis, the Roman catholicks in the vicinity of Belturbet, in the county of Cavan, fliewed a difpofition to rife, in order to join them; but as the proteftants of the eftablifhed church in that county are numerous, loyal, and well armed, and as they were moftly united in Orange lodges, they would have cut the infurgcnts to pieces, had they rifen there; they retired then to the Ballinamore mountains, about feven miles diftant, and affembled there. Though the county of Cavan was in general very much difturbed by the defenders, they, for the above reafon, never dared to appear in the neighbourhood of Belturbet.

I mentioned before, the zeal of the prefbyterian minifters and the popifh priefts, to unite both their orders in the confpiracy.

This appeared in a very ftriking manner in the year 1797, particularly in the difturbed parts of Armagh and Down, whofe inhabitants were fo hoftile to each other, as peep-of-day boys and defenders, and to reconcile whom the united Iriftimen and Catholick committee ftiewed fo much earneftnefs.

In the fummer of 1797, an itinerant friar continued to preach in thefe counties, at Portaferry, in the barony of Lecale, and thence to Newtownards, to the populace of both perfuafions, both in popifti chapels, and in the fields; and to recommend to them union and fraternity, on grounds of chriftian benevolence.

His audience was always very numerous; but Mr. Savage of Portaferry, having been informed that he preached fcditious doftrines, threatened to commit him to prifon, unlefs he quitted the country immediately.

I mentioned before that do£lor Dickfon, a preftjyterian minifter, at Portaferry, gave evening ledtures to his flock, in the year 1797, as he faid, to eillighten them; but they were in fadt political difcourfes,

fmiilar

,84 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

fimilar to thofe delivered by I’helwal, and were calculated for no other purpofe, but to difleminate republican principles. It turned out afterwards, that he was an adjutant-general in the rebel army, for which he has been tranfported.

Many Northern gentlemen of fagacity have aflured me, that they confidered the prefbyterians as fmcere in fraternizing with the Roman catholicks, for the purpofe of forming a republick; and for this reafon, that if the government were fubverted by their united flrength, they could not hope to fubjugate, and make them fubfervient to any fmifter defigns which they might have entertained from the great fuperiority of their numbers.

When Dickey, a rebel leader, and a diflenter, was on the point of being hanged at Belfaft, he declared, that the eyes of the prefbyterians had been opened too late; and that they were convinced by the malTacres perpetrated by the Romanifls in the province of Leinfter, that they muft have had to contend with them, if they had fucceeded in overturning the conftitution.

A gentleman of great fagacity and judgment, who took a very aQive part in checking the progrefs of the confpiracy in the North, gave me this as his decided opinion : “ That the Catholick committee hoped to fucceed in their ambitious fchemes, by alarming the government through the defenders; but finding that the prefbyterians would oppofe them with fuccefs, they endeavoured to gain them over to alTift them in fubverting the conftitution, though in faft they only meant to lull them, till their objed: was accomplillied, and then to have extirpated proteftants of every denomination.”

The clerk of the crown informed me, that he afked the reverend dodor Porter, a prefbyterian minifter, at Newtownards, a fhort time before he was put upon his trial, how a perfon of his education and connections came to be embarked in fo dreadful a rebellion? and he candidly acknowledged, that republican liberty was his objed; and that when he faw that the French were aftuated by nothing but a defire of conqueft and plunder, and not by the generous defign of promoting univerfal liberty, which they evinced by their treatment of the American deputies, he refolved to renounce his connection with the confpirators; but he found it too late, as his life would have fallen a facrifice to any attempt to do fo.

He

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 185

He at the fame time attempted to defend his condud, on the ground that every perfon had a right to form his own opinion on the eHgibihty of what kind of government he would wifh to Uve under. This dodrine has been inculcated by Price and Prieftley. This man was hanged in the rear of his conventicle at Gray Abbey.

I ftated before, that the flow progrefs of the organization of the North arofe from the great difficulty of uniting the prefbyterians and papifls. The following: anecdote will illuftrate it :

A Romanift, who had been an adive leader of the defenders, being in converfation, in the year 1794, with a prefbyterian, who was much addicted to French republican principles, in a mountainous parifli of the county of Tyrone, informed him, that the Romanifts had received orders from their committee, to confider the prefbyterians in future as brethren, and that they were both to fraternize. On which the latter, who had a gun in his hand, afked him to afTift him in driving fome cattle from the mountains : To which the Romanift replied, “ What! truft myfelf alone -with a prefbyterian with a gun!” So rooted was the antipathy of the Romanifts to the diffenters!

Samuel Neilfon ftated in his evidence before the fecret committee of the houfe of lords, that the military organization began in Ulfter in the autumn of 1796, and that the objeft of it was to carry meafures by force; and they muft have colleded arms with great celerity, for it appears, that before the clofe of that year, the confpirators had, in Belfaft alone, five hundred and twenty-fix guns, three hundred and ninety-nine bayonets, eighty-eight piftols, five hundred and fixty-feven pikes, twelve thoufand one hundred and thirty ball-cartridges, fifteen thoufand nine hundred and fifty-three balls, five hundred and fixty-fix pounds of powder, fix cannon and one mortar; and in the county of Antrim, twenty-three thoufand and fifty-nine men, two thoufand fix hundred and fifty-nine gims, nine hundred and eighty-two bayonets, two hundred and four piftols, two thoufand three hundred and forty-eight pikes, eighty-five fwords, eighteen thoufand two hundred and fifty-three ball-cartridges, two thoufand three hundred and fifty-eight balls, fix hundred and twenty-eight pounds and an half of powder, eight cannon and one raortar.*

B b The

Report of the fecret committee, Appendix, No. II. p. s j, 44.

i^mi MJ^lMOIRS OF THE WFFERKNT

The. reader may conceive, to what extent the people were armed, when, in. the county of Kildarc alone, fourteen thoufand nine hundred and feyeniy-Lhree pikes were furreiadered in the year 1797, in confequcnce of the pandbn ©fibred by government to the repentant, and of the falutary rigour and coercion exercifed againft thofe who were obftinate in guilt; and it was net doubted but that a much greater proportion was retained.

Ill other counties it was not doubted,, but that the preparatioai for arms was as extenfive as the organization itfelf, from the number feized in different parts of the kingdom, which amounted to no lefs than one hundred and trwenty-nine thoufand.*

‘J’he adoption of the military organization produced fuch an encreafe of robbery and alTaflination in the Northern counties, as to induce a neceffity of enforcing the infurreftion law in them; and accordingly Down and Armagh were proclaimed in November, 1796, Derry and Donegal in February, 1797

Regular returns were made by the baronial to the county, and by the county to the provincial committee, and by them to the executive, of the quantity of arms and ammunition in their poffclTion; and of the fums of money in their treafurers’ hands.

For this, and the manner of making the returns, I fliall refer the reader to the,.report of the fecrct committee, beginning at Appendix, No. II. p. 2 r. ,

They had a regular chain or gradation of officers, from a general down to a ferjeant; and about the latter end of the year 1797, or beginning of 1798, they inftituted the office of adjutant-general, whofe duty may be feen in the report of the fecret committee, Appendix, No. XVII. p. 142.

They ufed unremitted endeavours, and fpared no expence in defending the confpirators who were to be tried; for which purpofe, a fub-committee attended regularly at every affizes to fuperintend the appropriation of the money coUedled for that purpofe.

John Hughes was fent by Mr. James Mc. Giichin, an attorney, toDubhn, in order to get a licenfe for counfellor Curran to be concerned for the prifoners, then in the feveral gaols, on the North-Eaft circuit, in the Lent affizes of 1797, charged as united Iriffimen; and he paid him 50 1. as a retaining fee, and 200 1. for different licenfes to plead, [j

The

* Report of the fecret committee, Appendix, No. XXXIX. II Ibid. Appendix, No. XV. p. 116.

/

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. -167

The following report was made to a county of Down committee, of law expences on the trials of confpirators, June 8th, 1797 :

Counfellors, Curran,

100 guineas.

Sampfon,

50 do.

Ball,

40 do.

Dobbs,

40 do.

Attornies,

Caddel,

100 do.

Glenny,

20 pounds.

Wallace,

ICQ guineas.

Frazer,

50 pounds.

Gaoler,

10 guineas.

Two afliftants.

20 pounds each.

Sub-flierifF,

20 guineas.

Witneffes,

200 pounds.*

At a provincial meeting held at Randalftown, December the fourteenth, 1797, it appeared, that the executive committee “had advanced 137I. 8s. for conveying thirteen prifoners from Belfaft to Dublin, ^n the benefit of the habeas corpus aft.” They had alfo advanced 1851. -43. for the prifoners’ trials in Armagh and Carrickfergus; and as they could not get money to defray the expence, they had thoughts of forming a lottery, the benefit of which was to be applied to faid purpofes; | but on the feventeenth of January, 1798, they rejefted that plan, as it encouraged immorality in the people, and refolved to raife money by fubfcription. ||

I mentioned before that they endeavoured to baffle juftice by ftrlking terror into all loyal fubjects, and procuring fuch of them as had taken an adive and confpicuous part in executing the laws, to be murdered. To render this fyftem more certain, they publifhed, in the fummer of 1797, a paper, entitled, The Union Star, which appeared at irregular periods; and of which the objeft was, to point out for affaffination fuch perfons as had been eminently ufeful in developing the fecrets, or in checking the machinations of the confpirators. Each number began with the following paragraphs : ^

“ As The Union Star is an official paper, the managers promife the pub

lick, that no charaders lhall be hazarded, but fuch as are denounced

B b 2 « by

* Report of the fesret committee, Appendix, No, XIV. p. loa. t Ibid. p. ic*^. II Ibid. p. 109.

i88

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

“ by authority, as being the partners and creatures of Pitt, and his fan*’ guinary journeyman Luttrell, (meaning the earl of Carhampton.) The “ Star offers to publick juftice the following deteftable traitors, as fpies and *’ perjured informers. Perhaps fome arm more lucky than the reft, may “ reach his heart, and free the world from bondage.”*

This paper was fecretly, and in the night, difperfed in the city of Dublin, and in different parts of the country, but without any printer’s name annexed to it; and it pointed the dagger of the affaffin to the breaft of many a loyal fubjeft*

They alfo fet on foot, in the winter of 1797, a newfpaper, called The Prefs, for the purpofe of vilifying the government, of reprobating its leading members, and of inciting perfons to murder them; of condemning, as founded in tyranny, every faliitary meafure adopted for checking the progrefs of rebeUion, and of traducing every loyal man who had courage enough to afTift in doing fo.

So fure were the leaders of the united Irifhmen in Dublin that they had attained the^ grand objed, that of uniting perfons of different religious orders, that the following paragraph appeared in The Prefs of the tvventy-fixth of December, 1797 :

** The catholicks and preft)yterians. are united in indiffoluble ties, like dying martyrs, in a common caufe, priding themfelves in mutual good offices, and for ever abjuring the barbarous fanaticifm that made them hate each other. From the proteftants of the eltablifliment, every man of worth, of talent, or of honour, has ranged himfelf by their fide; and nothing now remains, againft Irifh union, but twenty-five thoufand, aa near as may be, of bigots, hirelings, and dependents; juft enough to furnifh the lord lieutenant with addreffes.”

One of the main defigns of thefe infamous prints was, to paint England in the blackeft colours; to vilify her conftitution, as founded in defpotifm; and to reprefent her people as knavifh, artful and tyrannical : An extraordinary return to that glorious nation, for having., given to the favages of Ireland their conftitution, |1 as far as a kingc’.om, in her fuboulinate ftate,: could participate of it ^ for having attempted to reclaim htr people from

downright

• Report of the fecret committee. Appendix, No. XXVTI, p. 117.

I The union has given it to them in the fulltft extent : Without it, they were flavcs, depending on the breath of a minifter for the freedom they enjoyed.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

189

downright favagery, and for having introduced among them every art that can adorn or improve civil life! Thefe inveftives againfl England were uttered to encourage a feparation from her.

Much to the difgrace of government, this infamous paper, called The Prefe, was fuffered to diffeminate treafon and fedition, from the beginning of Oftober, 1797, till the fixth of March, 1798; when, in confequence of information received that Mr. Arthur O’Connor, the fworn proprietor and owner of it, had been feized at Margate, in the aftual attempt of taking his paffage for France, with Quigley the prieft of Dundalk, on whom treafonable papers were found, alderman Alexander, on Tuefday the fixth of March, feized the papers and printing materials of The Prefs.

Another feditious print inftituted at Cork by the united Iriftimen, and called The Harp of Erin, did infinite mifchief in Munfter.

To injure public credit, they publiflied printed notices, not to ufe excifeable commodities; not to take bank notes; and not to purchafe quitrents, as government had propofed to fell them. In thefe they faid, “ In our opinion the ilTuer of thefe notes is a bankrupt, who in all likelihood mud fhortly Ihut up and run away. When the government goes down, thefe fine notes of theirs, with ftamps of hundreds and thoufands upon them, will not fetch a penny a pound in a fnulf-{hop.”

I think it right to inform the reader, that there is a more equal intermixture of proteflants of the eftablifhed church, of prefbyterians and papifts, in the counties of Donegal, Derry, Tyrone and Armagh, than in any other part of the kingdom; for this reafon the difaft’ected fhewed more boldnefs of enterprize and vigour of exertion in them, than in moft other parts of the kingdom, during the progrefs of the confpiracy; for the pre(byterians engaged in it, were men of fome education andimproved intelleft, and directed the operations } and the perfons who executed them were of the lower clafs of Roman catholicks,. who were defperate and fanguinary;* but the rebellion, had it broken out in them, could not have been very deftrudive or of long continuance, the yeomen and orangemen were numerous,” and were vigilant and adive in detecting and baffling the fchemes of the traitors; befides the maffacres in the province of Leinfter made fuch. of the prefbyterians, as were difafteded, unite with the

^y^^^’’ Apraaice

♦ The reader will not be furprifed at this from the maflV.cres which took plac^ in the prevince of Leinfter.

190     ‘    MKMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

A pra(5^Ice, which I before mentioned, of aflembling the people to dig the potatoes, or reap the corn of their leaders, took place often in thofe counties. It anfwered two purpofes, that of trying the fincerity of the people, and of convincing them of their ftrength, by the facility with which a number of them could be colletted in a fhort time. No lefs than fix thoufand perfons affembled to dig an acre and a half of potatoes, the property of one Mc. Clury, near Newtownlimavady in the county of Derry.

This body was regularly divided into companies, which were fubdivided into ten, with officers appropriated to each divifion.

This Mc. Clury was tried for having, with a numerous gang of affaffms, murdered one Mc. Clulky, and burnt his houfe, in the county of Derry, becaufe he would not join in a combination againfl the reftor of the parifh.

The jury, from motives of fear or corruption, acquitted him, though his guilt was evident; on which the lord chief baron recommended to the next of kin to bring an appeal of murder. It often occurred that the witnefTes and jurors were afraid to do their duty.

The executive directory formed the higheft expe6tations of fuccefs in the beginning of the year 1797, from the number and zeal of their partizans, who were well armed and organized.

Robert Moore, of the city of Derry, ironmonger, who had been deputed from the county of Derry to the provincial meeting of Ulfter as their delegate, attended the next county meeting in November, 1796, at Garvagh, in order to impart to them the orders of the provincial. He informed them, that the French were expected immediately; that they muft array themfelves in companies of one hundred men each, with a captain, two lieutenants and five ferjeants; that they mufl exercife conftantly, and procure arms by every means in their power; and he particularly recommended pikes.

They immediately began their nodlurnal depredations in the counties of Tyrone, Derry, Donegal and Armagh, fo that no night pafled without fome dreadful enormities committed by them. To compel people to j-oin them by terror, they demolifhed or burnt houfes and haggards, deftroycd cattle, dragged people from their beds, cropped off their ears, ducked, maimed, or murdered them.

In

REBELLIONS EN IRELAND.

la December, 1796, they deftroyed the property and cui. o(F ihe ear? of one Lanaghan, in the barony of Loughinfholin, and county of Derry; aJ: the fpring affizes of 1 797, he profecuted three of them, but the jury acquitted them, it is fuppofed, from motives of terror.

In the month of December, 1796, a man unguardedly informed his family, that he faw. a number of them exercifmg in the night; which being reported to them, the moll moderate of them infifted on his leaving the country; but in attempting to do fo, he was murdered at Magilligan, in the comity of Derry.

In January, 1797, fir George Hill, with a party of the military, furprifed a body of rebels in the night, after they had plundered many houfes of arms near Derry, killed fome of them, and took others prifoners. Of the latter, a young man of the name of Bordman became approver. At the aflizes, fir George introduced him into a room, where the crown lawyers were, that he might relate to them the fubftance of his evidence. Seeing his examinations in the hands of fir George Hill, he ruftied forward, fnatched them from him, tore them in pieces, and afterwards denied every thing he had fworn. He knew that he and all his family, who were numerous and refpedlable, would have been affaffinated if he had profecuted.

Whenever the military affembled in the night, at Derry, to patrole the country in detachments, fignals were made by lights, through whatever diftriO: they pafTed. In the winter of 1796, and the beginning of 1797, before thofe counties v/ere proclaimed, thoufands were obliged to compromife with the rebels, to deliver up their arms, and to take the oath of fecrefy, to fave their lives; and gentlemicn of good landed property were among thofe who did fo. At lad the v/ell-difpofed called out for protection, which the introduftion of the infurreftion law, and the inftitution of Orange focieties contributed materially to afford them. Anonymous letters were frequently written to loyal perfons, threatening them with deftruftion, unlefs they became members of the union..

In the beginning of the year 1797, whole corps of yeomen were difarmed.i At the fpring affizes of that year, very few delinquents could be convicled, as the witneffes and jurors, fome from terror, others from attachment to the caufe, acquitted them. At Oniagh, Lifford, and Derrv,*

the

* The county towns of Tyrone, Donegal aiiu Derr/.

1,92 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

the acquittals were celebrated by bonfires in the night, for thirty miles round the country.

The day before the affizes at Derry, on the thirteenth of April, 1 797, the county delegates held a meeting, and paid in large fubfcriptions, which had been previoufly coUefted for the ufe and defence of the prifoners in gaol, and appointed a fub-committee to manage and appropriate it.

In the winter of 1797, they became fo numerous and daring, that they ufed to patrole the country by night, in immenfe numbers, plunder houfes of arms, and cut down great quantities of afli trees to make pike handles.

In a diftrift called Fanet, in the county of Donegal, two thoufand of them affembled, and laid a plan to murder the reverend Mr. Hamilton, of which he received information upon oath from one of the party. He could not get a melTenger to convey a letter to Derry for a reinforcement of troops, and he had but a few foldiers in his houfe. He and a Mr. Smyth who commands a revenue cutter, difguifed themlelves in rags, as beggars, pafled the picquet guard of the rebels, which they kept conftantly, with the utmoft regularity, arrived fafe at Derry, and obtained an additional guard of one hundred men, which faved himfelf and his houfe for that time; but he was murdered in a fortnight after, within eight miles of Derry, by forty farmers who have fmce gone to America.

In fuch counties where the perfons pofleffed of property were proteftants of the church of Ireland, and of courfe were loyal, and the lower clafs of people were papifts, the confpiracy was not fo terrifick; becaufe the latter, who were engaged in it, wanted leaders of improved intellefts.

Large fums of money w-ere fent from Belfaft to Derry, to corrupt the military, and their fchemes were attended with very great fuccefs, particularly in the Tipperary regiment.

A plot of a very extenfive and dangerous natul^ for taking that town was difcovered, and that fome of the privates and non-commiflioned officers of that regiment were deeply engaged in it. Three or four publicans were to have intoxicated fuch of the foldiers as were not fworn. A chofen band were to have murdered the earl of Cavan, colonel Bagwell, and fir George Hill, and to have feized the magazine.

The

I

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 193

The Gonfpiracy was to have been carried into execution on a market day, when ten thoufand of the country people were to have entered the town under the pretext of bufmcfs. Different perfons, both foldiers and peafants, concurred exaftly in their relation of this plot.

The great linen bleachers were almoft: univerfally obliged to countenance the converfion of their overfeers and workmen to the united caufe, that they might continue their bufinefs; but fome did fo from pure attachment to it. Such of them as were ftedfaft in their loyalty^ were under a neceflity of difcontinuing their bleaching for the feafon.

As the reverend John Hill,, brother of fir George Hill, had diftinguifhed himfelf by great activity and courage in checking the progrefs of rebeUion in the county of Tyrone, all the loyalifls in his neighbourhood lodged their arms in his houfe, which was guarded by four of the Queen’s county militia, and in which he had maintained his pofl for many months*

One night in the month of June, 1797, when he happened to be abfent at Derry, five hundred rebels attacked his houfe, overpowered the guard, and carried off a large quantity of arms and ammunition, a confiderable portion of which had belonged to the military and yeomen; but Mr. Hill, at his return, partly by menaces, arid partly by fevere and vigorous meafures, againfl the rebellious inhabitants of the diflrift, compelled them to reftore the whole of what they had plundered.

In the barony of Ennifhowen, in the county of Donegal, (noted for defenders in the year 1793) the rebels cut down, and carried ofl’, forty full grown afh trees for pike handles, and foon after difarmed half a yeomanry corps and many fmall parties of foldiers, as they went to their out-quarters in the country; but the burning of three houfes in that rebellious diftrid flruck fuch terror into its inhabitants, that they returned all the arms they had taken, and furrendered many pikes.

The proclamation which iifued the feventeenth of May produced the befl effefts in thefe counties; as it induced thoufands to repair to magiftrates to renounce their error, and to feek for proteftion.

In the month of January, 1797, the Ulfler provincial meeting was held at Stewartflown in the county of Tyrone, and they were very much offended becaufe a member of the executive did not attend. The famous father Quigley, afterwards hanged at Maidflone, being a member

C c of

494 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

of the provincial, faid he knew where they fat at that time, and he conduced them to Dundalk, where they were then fitting. The provincial infilled on feeing them, which they refufed, but fent one of their members to confer with them. One of the diredory commonly attended each provincial meeting, to receive money, to iffue out orders to the inferior focieties, and to obtain reports from them; but the whole of them were never known to any of the inferior foeieties. Quiglcy muft have been very deep in their confidence, when he was entrufttd with the time and place of their aflembling.

Bartholomew Teeling was at that time a member of the diredory.

In the counties of Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry and Armagh, there were fourteen thoufand yeomen, and moll of them orangemen; and they were lb loyal, and fo well difciplined, that general Kuox who commanded at Dungannon reported in the fummer of 1798, that he would reft the fafety of thefe counties on their fidelity and bravery; and, much to the honour of the prefbyterians, three-fourths of them were of that order.

In Tyrone, there were about five thoufand yeomen, the majority of whom were prefbyterians; and there were about four thoufand two hundred orangemen among them. In fo large a body there were not more than from two hundred to three hundred papifts.

Though the prefbyterians lay under a general imputation of being difloyal, it appears that a great portion of them were fteadily attached to the conftitution, and were ready to draw their fwords in its defence againft foreign and domeftick foes. After many minute enquiries, I could not difcover an inftance of a prefbyterian yeoman having violated his oath of allegiance; but it will appear that many fhameful inftances of the kind occurred among the Romifh yeomen in Leinfter, Connaught and Munfler. Though many diffenting minifters of the counties of Down and Antrim were difafFe£ted, great numbers of them are diflinguifhed for exalted piety and unimpeached loyalty.

I have been affured by many gentlemen of fagacity and found judgment, who are well acquainted with the North, that moft of the prefbyterians feparated from the papifts in the year 1797, fome from principle, fome becaufe they doubted the fmcerity of perfons of that order; and others, forefeeing that the plot muft fail and end in their deftrudlion,

took

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 195

fook advantage of the proclamation of the feventeenth of May, and renounced their aflbciates. Numbers withdrew, becaufe they doubted of fuccefs without foreign affillance.

The prefbyterians of the counties of Down and Antrim, where they are very numerous, and where they were warmly attached to the union from pure republican principles, thought they could fucceed without the papifts.

Many perfons, defirous of palliating the treafonable defigns of the union, have faid, that the reafon of their eftablifliing a refidcnt agent at Paris was, the rejection of a plan of reform which was propofed in the houfe of commons in 1797, which would have fatisfied the people; but the palpable falfhood of this aflertion, is evident from the journals of the houfe of commons; for the leaders of the confpiracy have all agreed, that their agent was difpatched to Paris in April, 1797, with directions to negotiate a treaty with the directory of France; and the motion for parliamentary reform, to the rejection of which they afcribe the million of Lewins, was not made till the fifteenth of May.* They have alfo attempted to palliate the treafonable defigns of the confpirators, and the enormities committed by them, by afcribing them to the feverity of the infurredtion law; but it did not pafs into a law till the twenty-fourth of March, 1796, and was not enforced till the fourteenth of November following; and it was enaCted, in confequence of a fyftem of midnight murder, robbery and outrage, begun in the year 1792, and brought to maturity in the year 1796, under the influence of the Irifh union, the leaders of which began a correfpondence with the French directory, between the month of June, 1795, and the month of January, 17965! which was long before either of the above events took place.

It fhould be recolleCted alfo, that fome of the leading members of the union were deeply concerned in the confpiracy with the reverend . Mr. Jackfon, who came here from Paris in the year 1794, to lay a plan for invading the kingdom.

The leading principle of the confpirators in the provinces of Munfter, Leinfter and Connaught, was to join the French and extirpate proteftants,.

C c 2 which

* Report of the fecret committee of the houfe of lords of 1798, p, 13 and 14. t Ibidem.

196

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

which the events that occurred in the courfe of the rebellion will prove in the two laft; and for a proof of this in the former, where the adive and feafonable exertions of the magiftrates and the military prevented it from exploding, I lhall refer the reader to Appendix, No. XI. where he will find the ftate of the counties of Clare, Tipperary, the county and city of Waterford, and the county and city of Cork.*

In the year 1798, the mofl unqualified treafon and fedition continued to be difleminated in all the jacobin prints, and had a very great effe£t in inciting the people to commit crimes of very great enormity. In the metropoHs, and in the counties of Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow, and in many parts of Munfter, affaffination and the robbery of arms were conflantly perpetrated, and the difaffecled continued to form traitorous combinations.

The fpeech of the viceroy fet forth the woeful and alarming ftate of the kingdom; and both houfes of parliament, in their addrelTes, alTured his excellency of their attachment to the king and conftitution, and their determination to rifk their lives and fortunes in fupport of them, and in maintaining the connexion between the two kingdoms.

In the month of January, the King’s county was fo much difturbed, that the gentlemen and freeholders, alTembled by the ftieriff on the fifth of February, entered into ftrong refolutions, and fubfcribed large fums of money for fuppreffing infurredions and maintaining focial order.

On the ninth of February, colonel St. George and a Mr. Jafper Uniacke were murdered by a popifh banditti at Arraglyn, in the county of Cork, in the houfe of the latter.

This month, Mr. Doolin, a proteftant, was barbaroufly murdered in his own houfe, in the King’s county, while fitting in the evening with his family; and it was discovered that fome of his own domefticks were concerned in the horrid deed.

As the mafs of the people in Dublin was at this time infefted withtreafon, and as popifli fanaticifm feemed to be chiefly inftruraental in forwarding the progrefs of it, the proteftants formed Orange lodges, and united for their preservation in the month of January, 1798; and as the difaffefted propagated malicious reports, that they had fecretly entered

into

* Doiftor Mc. N€vin, a member of the diredory and a Romanift, accounts for that in his evidence before the houfe of lords, by faying, that the Catholick pi iefts were well if cited to the caufe. Report of the fecret committee of the houfe of lords of 1798, Appendix, No. Ill,

9

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 197

into combinations hoftile to the Romanifts, both the orangemen of DubHn and thofe of the province of Ulfter, to vindicate themfelves from fuch afperfions, publiflied a declaration of their principles in the publick prints.*

In the month of January, a foldier of the Tyrone militia, while (landing as a centinel at Tralee, in the county of Kerry, Avas allaffinated by a man difguiied in woman’s clothes.

On Thurfday the twenty-fourth of January, a young man of the revenue corps of yeomanry was fired at near Blackrock, from behind a hedge, and was very badly wounded.

In the beginning of February, two ruffians of the names of Come and Carbery, were committed to MulHngar gaol for having confpired to murder George Clibborne, efquire, captain of the Moate cavalry; and four more to Philipftown gaol, for having combined to affafTmate Richard Holmes, efquire, of Profped; two gentlemen diflinguifhed for their fpirited exertions in enforcing the execution of the laws. Thefe afTalTms were fent from Dublin by the united Irifhmen, to commit thefe horrid crimes.

An attempt was made on the life of Mr. Darragh, of Eagle-hill, in the county of Kildare, an aftive magiflrate, who was fo obnoxious to the rebels on account of his zealous loyalty, and many plots were formed againfl his life; but in order to provoke the vengeance of the difaffeded, a report was circulated that he had taken an oath not to defifl in his exertions, till he had waded up to his ankles in the blood of Roman catholicks. This report was propagated while he was abfent in England. At his return he made publlckly an affidavit, that he had never harboured fuch a fentiment. But this would not do; for he was condemned to die by a committee of aflaffination that fat in the neighbourhood.

When walking in his lawn, in the month of March, a man in the guife of a fuppliant, prefented him a paper, under a pretext of feeking for juflice; and when he was engaged in perufmg it, he drew a piilol, and having fired it at him, the ball entered his groin; and while in a difablcd ftate, and writhing with pain, he drew another piftol, and fired it into his back, with the muzzle fo clofe, that both the ball and the wadding entered his body, and has never been extradted. Ever fmce this misfortune he has dragged on a miferable exiflence, having faifered a great

diflortion

• Sec it in Appendix, No. V.

198

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

diflortion of his limbs, and being fubjed to dreadful fpafms, attended with excruciating pain.

At a provincial committee, held at Shanes-caftle, the firft of February, 1798, it was announced, “ That three delegates had arrived from France; that the French expedition was going forward, and was foon expeded; that three delegates had been fent from the united Britons to the national committee; and that from that moment they were to confider England, Scotland and Ireland, all as one people, ading for one common caufe; that there were legiflators now chofen from the three kingdoms to aft as an executive for the whole; that they were now fure of obtaining liberty, though the French fhould never come; that the delegates fhould caufe the men to hold themfelves in readinefs, as the hour of adlion could not be far diftant; and that they fliould coUeft the names of all their enemies, and their places of reiidence.”* This was done moft effe£tually; and the loyal perfons were pointed out for aflaflination in The Prefs and The Union Star.

On Saturday the feventeenth of February, the following advertifement was found by a gentleman ftuck againft the wall of St. Mary’s chureh, in Dublin :

“ Liberty!■    ■ Erin go braugh!”§ ■ *’ You protellant hereticks 1 Take notice, that mafs will commence ih this church by the firft of May next; your blood fhall flow, and your fouls fliall be fent to the devil your grandfather.”

In the month of February, the earl of Moira came to Ireland, with a pYofelTed defign of appeafmg the difturbances which difgraced his native country, by recommending to government to difcontinue the fyftem of rigorous coercion which they had for fome time adopted, and to which he attributed thofe evils; and by advifmg them to relax the penal laws recently enafted, and to ufe mild and concrliatory meafures, as the only means of reftoring peace and focial order; and on the nineteenth of February, after having expatiated on, and enforced thefe fubjeds in the houfe of lords, and recommended catholick emancipation and parliamentary reform, which he reprefented as neceffary to allay the difcontents of the people, he moved, “ That an humble addrefs be prefented to his

excellency

* Report of thefecret committee. Appendix, No. XIV. p. i ii. t This is Irilh, and fignifies, Ireland for ever!

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 199

excellency the lord lieutenant, to ftate, that, as parliament had confided to his excellency extraordinary powers, in order to fupport the laws, and defeat traitorous combinations in this country, we feel it our duty, as thefe powers have not produced the defired effed, to recommend the adoption of fuch conciliatory meafures as may allay apprehenfion and difcontent.” He was oppofed by the earl of Clare, who, in a moft eloquent fpeech* refuted his lordfhip’s affertions, and traced the origin of the riots and infurreftions of Ireland to their real fource. His lordfhip’s motion was negatived on a divifion of thirty-five to ten.

Experience has fmce evinced how much his lordfliip was miftakcn; and the following incident proves how vain, how futile, and abmrd it is, for any perfon of high birth and large fortune to expedl to gain the affections of the populace by ftooping to flatter their prejudices. His lordfliip had courted popularity in the county of Down, where he had refided and his eflate lay; and nobody can doubt but that he really merited it, from his humane and beneficent difpofition : And yet, at a county meeting of united Irifhmen held at Saintfield on the fourth of February, 1798, the following paragraph appeared in the courfe of their proceedings on that day :

“ Nothing particular was done, except that earl Moira’s character was difcuffed at full length, to know, whether hje was a man that could be depended on, or not, by the people? It was agreed, that he was as great a tyrant as the lord lieutenant, and a deeper defigning one!”t

On the fifth of March, fir Laurence Parfons, in a long fpeech in the houfe of commons, recommended an enquiry to be made into the caufes of diflurbance, and into the demands of the people, that they may conciliate them by conceding thofe demands, if they were reafonable, or by convincing them of the contrary, if they were inadmiflible. He recommended parliamentary reform and catholick emancipation as the mofl likely means to allay the diflractions which then exifled; and he imputed them to the fevere and unneceflary fyflem of coercive rigour which the government of Ireland had exercifed for many years pafl. He ended his fpeech with the following motion : “ That this houfe do forthwith refolvc itfelf into a committee of the whole houfe, to confider whence the dif

contents

• It Is fo full of information, that I would recommend it to the perufal of every friend of Ireland, and of the empire, t Report of the fecret committee, Appendix, No. XIV. p. 1 14.

aoo

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

contents in this country arife, and what are the mod efleclual means of allaying the fame.” Lord Caftlereagh, in a long, an able, and an animated fpeech, contradided his affertions, and refuted his arguments, by taking a retrofpeft of the ftate of Ireland for many years preceding; and by deducing, from incontrovertible fads, that the only objeft of the traitorous combinations, unremittingly attended by nofturnal robbery and affafTinanation, was the fubverfion of the conftitution, and the feparation of the two kingdoms. On a divifion there appeared but nineteen members in fupport of the motion, and one hundred and fifty-fix againfl: it.

We cannot fufficiently applaud the wifdom and firmnefs of parliament, in refufmg their alTent to fuch wild and fatal conceflions, propounded by the earl of Moira and fir Laurence Parfons; and if any proof of this were necelTary, it would be fupplied by a refolution entered into by the^ rebel provincial committees of Ulfler and Leinfter on the fame day, the nineteenth of February, 1798, and both in the fame words, one at Armagh, the other at Dublift : “That we will give no attention whatever to any attempt made by either houfe of parliament, to divert the publick mind from the grand obje£t we have in view; as nothing ftiort of complete emancipation of our country will fatisfy us.”

This dreadful confpiracy, which aimed at the deflruftion of Ireland, its feparation from England, and confequently the fubverfion of the Britifh empire, was discovered and defeated in the follo\\ing manner by the wifdom and mercy of Providence :

Mr. Thomas Reynolds, of the county of Kildare, where he had numerous and refpeftable connexions, was bred to the bufinefs of a filk manufadurer, which he followed very extenfively for many years in the city of Dublin; but having acquired a landed property at Kilkca caftle, in his native county, he retired and refided there, fome years previous to the rebellion, and had confiderable influence among the Ro_ manills.

Lord Edward Fitzgerald and OHver Bond, two leaders in the confpiracy, having, for thefe reafons, confidercd him a proper perfon to afllft in forwarding their treafonable defigns, pradifed every art of feduftion to attach him to their caufe; and having at laft fucceeded, be was fworn an united Irifhman at the houfe of Oliver Bond in Dublin, in the beginning of the year 1797, was induced to accept the coinmifTion of colonel,

the

4

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

201

the offices of treafurer and reprefentative of the county of Kildars, and at laft that of delegate for the province of L^infter.

Soon after he was raifed to this elevated fituation in the union, having difcovered that the confpiratorS, inftead of intending to reform the abufes of the ftate, and to abolilh all religious diftinftions, which was their profefled object at firfl, meditated the fubverfion of the conftitution, the malTacre of the leading members of government, and of fuch pcrfons as fhould oppofe their defigns, he refolved to defeat them, by embracing the firft opportunity of communicating them to fome perfon in whom he could confide.

He had very great friendfhip and refped for Mr. Cope, an eminent merchant of the city of Dublin, who, having lamented to him in the courfe of converfation, the crimes and atrocities which were conflantly committed, and which were undoubted fymptoms of an approaching rebellion, Mr. Reynolds, upon whom his converfation made a very deep impreffion, faid, that he knew a perfon connefted with the united Iriflimen, who, he believed, would defeat their nefarious projedts, by communicating them to gqyernment, in order to make an atonement for the crime he had committed in joining them. Mr. Cope affured him, that fuch a perfon would obtain the higheft honours and pecuniary rewards that the adminiftration could confer; and that he would be admired and applauded by the moil virtuous and valuable portion of fociety. But Mr. Reynolds faid, that nothing could tempt him to come forward and avow himfelf. However, after the moft earnefl and prefTmg folicitations repeatedly made on the part of Mr. Cope, for whom he had filial reverence, he faid, that his friend would appear in perfon, and difclofe the particulars of the plot, on the following conditions : That he fhould not profecute any united Iriflimen; that the channel through which the information came fhould be kept a fecret, at leafl for a time; that as his life would be in danger upon its being known, and he mufl leave the country and go to England till matters were fettled, which would derange his affairs, and put him to confiderable expence, he expeded to receive fome compenfation. Mr. Cope then told him, that he might draw on him for any fum not exceeding five hundred guineas. On that, he told Mr. Cope, that the Leinfler delegates were to meet at Oliver Bond’s, on the twelfth of March, to concert meafures for an infurredyon, which

D d was

202

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

was fliorlly to take place; but did not at that time acknowledge that the information came diredly from him; but infmuated that it was imparted by a third perfon.

In confequence of this, juftice Swan, attended by twelve ferjeants in coloured clothes, arrefted the Leinfter delegates, thirteen in number, while fitting in council in the houfe of Oliver Bond in Bridge-flrect, on the twelfth of March, 1798; and feized at the fame time the papers ill Appendix, No. XII.* which led to the difcovery of the plot, and the intended infurreclion; and on the fame day, Thomas A. Emmett, a barrifter, William James Mc. Nevin, Meflrs. Bond, Sweetman, Henry Jackfon and Hugh Jackfon : And warrants were granted againft lord Edward Fitzgerald, Richard Mc. Cormick and counfellor Sampfon, who were all leaders in the confpiracy; but the three lafl: made their efcape.

It is certain that the leaders of the confpiracy did not intend to bring forward an infurredion till the French came to their alTiftance; and they meant in the mean time to continue to encreafe their numbers, and to add to their ftock of arms; but in the fpring of 1798, the delufion of the people was fo rapidly and fo extenfively yielding to the wife meafures of government, who, while they treated with feverity the obftinately guilty, in every inftance held forth mercy to the repentant; that the chief confpirators both in Dublin and in the provinces began to perceive that their caufe was lofing ground, and that they had no alternative but to hazard a general rifing, or to relinquifh their hopes.

The arreft of the Leinfter committee, and of many other leaders on the twelfth of March, tended fo much to the difclofure of their fatal defigns, and to break the links of their organization, that the confpirators found themfelves under an abfolute neceflity of making a defperate effort. A plan was therefore digefted by the military committee for a general rifing, in which it was propofed to feize Dublin,t the camp at Laughlinftown, and Chapehzod, the ftation of the artillery, on the fame night; and the counties of Dublin, Wicklow, and Kildare, were to co-operate in this attack.| The infurredion being commenced in the metropolis and its vicinity, the fignal for announcing it to the

North

* Report of the fecrct committee, Appendix, No. XIX. t Ibid. Appendix, No. XIV. t Ibid.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

North and South, which would alfo rife, was to be the detention of the mail coaches.*

During the months of February, March and April, robbery and affaflination continued to be perpetrated in different parts of the kingdom, and (hocking outrages were committed in the metropolis, particularly in Francis, Thomas, and James’s-ftreet; where the centinels on guard were frequently fired at.f

On the twenty-eighth of February, Arthur O’Connor and father Quigley, and three more traitors, were arrefted at Margate, when they were on the point of embarking for France, whither they were going to accelerate an invafion of Ireland, which the French republick at that time meditated, at the inftance of the Irifh executive direftory.

On the feventh of March, fir Henry Mannix, who had made himfelf obnoxious to the rebels by his aftivity as a magiftrate, was fired at and wounded near the city of Cork; where the confpiracy was more extenfive and terrifick than in Dublin.

Major Allen was ferved in the fame manner in the county of Kildare.

On the thirteenth of March, Mr. Buckley, a proteftant, and noted for his loyalty, was murdered near Rathcoole, in the county of Kildare, and butchered with ferocious barbarity; and it has been difcovered, that fome of the popifh yeomen of that place were concerned in the perpetration of this horrid ad. One of their bayonets was found (licking in his body. About the fame time Mr. Burchell of Kilteele in the fame county was affafiinated. This month a centinel was murdered on his poll at Armagh.

It would exceed the extent of my defign, and fill the reader with horror and difguft, if I were to enumerate the aflafiinations which tooki place at this time.

Every night great quantities of pikes were difcovered in the metropolis by the magiftrates; and fo eager were the leaders of the confpiracy to encourage the fabrication of them, that blackfmiths were detected in the ad of making them even in the day.

So prone to infurreftion were the lower clafs of people in Dublin, that in the month of April, a numerous mob of rebels rofe in the

D d 2 liberty,

* Report of the fecrct committee, Appendix, No. XIV.

t The reader may form fome idea of the ftate of Dublin, from an affidavit in Appendix, No. XIII.

304

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

liberty, and attempted to pull down the houfes of fome loyal perfons there, but were prevented by the yeomen.

An adtive and intelligent magiftrate of the city of Dublin informed me, that when he was granting licenfes to fome publicans in March, 1797, they boafted, with a ftern and infolent air, that that was the lafl time they would apply for them; and that they made the fame declaration in March, 1798. So fure was the mafs of the people, that a complete fubverfion of the government would take place!

On the thirtieth of March, the lord lieutenant ilfued a proclamation, giving the mod pofitive and direft orders to the oflicers commanding his Majefty’s forces, to employ them with the utmoft vigour and decifion for fupprefling the traitorous confpiracy, for the deftiudion of the conftitution, and the eftablilhed government, which broke out into z^s of open violence and rebellion.

On the fixth of May, Mr. Reynolds was arrefted at Caftledermot by a party of the military, and conveyed a prifoner to Dublin.

On the eighth of the fame month, the united Iriflimen, by fome means or other, having difcovered that he had revealed, and in a great meafure defeated their machinations, formed many plots againft his life. He therefore found it neceffary to put himfelf under the protection of government, who provided him with apartments in the callle.

As the members of the union, during his refidence there, circulated the mofl infamous calumnies againft his charader, he refolved, in its vindication, and to bring thofe mifcreants to condign punilbment, to difclofe the whole of their plots, and to profecute them.

Sometime in the month of April, 1798, Matthew Dowhng, MelTrs. Bird, Stoyte, O’Neil, Bacon the tailor, and others, held a cor^ference at Harold’s Crofs, about carrying off the children of lord Camden, or lord Clare, as hoftages; but they preferred thofe of the latter. One of the parties made a full confelllon of this to alderman Jame$.

About the fame time, major Sirr received a pofitive information, which I drew, of a confpiracy to Ihoot the lord chancellor, as he went to the courts.*

On the twenty-fecond of April, aldej-n^^n Jenlgn arrefted thirteen united Irilhmen fitting in deliberation in a wherry in the port of Dublin; for they found it uiifafe to hold, their committee in the city, from the

great

• It was planned by one of the traitors fent to Scotland.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 205

great vigilance and adlivity of the magiftrates, who purfued and difcovered them in their lurking holes, and moft fecret recefles.

As it was difcovered through various channels of information, that lord Edward Fitzgerald was the principal leader of the confpiracy; and as it appeared by papers found in his writing delk, that his defigns were of a moft dangerous and malignant nature, a proclamation iflued on the eleventh of May, olFering a reward of loool. for apprehending him.

As great numbers of people, charged with feditious and treafonable practices, had fled from different parts of the kingdom to Dublin, for the purpofe of fecreting themfelves, and eluding juftice, the lord mayor, on the fame day, ilTued a proclamation, requiring all houfekeepers in the city or liberties thereof, to return a lift of fuch ftrangers as fhould be lodged or entertained by them.

On Wednefday the ninth of May, ftieriff Hone feized fome pike heads in the houfe of Mr. Sweetman, who had been fo long the fecretary of the Catholick committee.

On the night of May the eleventh, juftice Swan, major Sirr, and captain Ryan difcovered and feized five pieces of cannon, two fixpounders, and three four-pounders, in a brewer’s yard in North Kingftreet; and on Thurfday preceding, major Sirr feized in Bridgefoot-ftreet, five hundred pike handles, from nine to fourteen feet long.

It was obferved that the confpirators kept the pike heads and the handles feparate, at leaft in the metropolis, as they could mount them with the utmoft celerity; and the lofs of one did not involve that of the other.

On the twelfth of May, feven delegates were fent by the united Irifhmen from the metropolis to Chapelizod, to feduce the corps of artillery, and attempted to fwear them to fpike the guns; but much to their honour, they difclofed the infernal fcheme of thefe traitors, who were arrefted and committed. On the fame day a large quantity of arms was feized in a houfe on the Cuftom-houfe quay by juftice Swan, an aftive and intrepid magiftrate, by whofe zealous exertions the moft eiTential fervice was rendered at this alarming and critical juncture.

On the night of that day, a man of the name of Lynch was found murdered in Watling-ftreet.

On

2o6 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

On the night of the thirteenth of May, Mr. Sirr, the town major, and captain Ryan, two magiftrates diftinguifhed for their unabated zeal and undaunted courage, feized four pieces of cannon in a houfe in lownfend-flreet, and next day a fwivel concealed at Ring’s-end.

On the eighteenth of May, juftice Drury feized a blackfmith in 1 homas-flreet at noon day, in the ad of forging pikes; and he led him through the ftreets to the Caftle, with his head and fhoulders garnifhed with a number of them, and thence with two of his affiftants to pnlon.

As lord Edward Fitzgerald had abfconded ever fmce the twelfth of March; as government had the ftrongeft reafons for thinking that he was unremittingly attentive in forwarding the confpiracy in which he was lo deeply engaged; and as he had always difplayed great courage, and confiderable abilities as an officer, they were under apprehenfions that he v/as doing very great mifchief wherever he happened to be.

On the eighteenth of May, major Sirr having received pofitive information that he would pafs through Watling-ftreet that night; that he would be preceded by a chofen band of traitors, as an advanced guard : and that he would be accompanied by another, repaired thither, attended by captain Ryan, Mr. Emerfon of the attorney’s corps, and a few

and had a fkirmifh with them on the quay at the end of Watling-ftreet, n which fome fl.ots were exchanged; and they took prifoner, one of them who called himfelf at one time Jamefon, at another time B^nd.

The arreft of lord Edward Fitzgerald, which was effefted next day, the mneteenth of May, in the following manner, tended very much to defeat the malignant defigns of the confpirators, as he was the chief projector of the intended infurredtion, and they entertained the higheft opinion of his courage and military abilities :

Government, having received pofitive information that he had arrived m Dublin and was lodged at the houfe of one Murphy, a featherman in Ihomas-ftreet, fent major Sirr to arreft him. He, attended by captain bwan of the Revenue corps, and captain Ryan of the Sepulchre’s, and eight foldiers difguifed, about five o’clock in the evening repaired in coaches to Murphy’s houfe. While they were pofting the foldiers in fuch a manner as to prevent the poflibility of an efcape, captain Swan, perceiv

ing

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

207

mg a woman run haftily up flairs, for the purpofe, as he fuppofcd, of alarming lord Edward, followed her with the utmoft fpeed; and, on entering an apartment, found lord Edward lying on a bed, in his drefling jacket. He approached the bed, and informed his lordfliip that he had a warrant againfl: him, and that refiftance would be vain; and he afTured him, at the fame time, that he would treat him with the utmoft refpedl.

On that, lord Edward fprang from the bed, and fnapped a piftol, which miffed fire, at captain Swan. He then clofed with him, drew a dagger, gave him a wound in the hand, and different wounds in the body; one of them under the ribs was deep and dangerous, and bled moft copioufly.

At that moment captain Ryan entered, and miffed fire at lord Edward with a pocket piftol; on which he made a lunge at him with a fword cane, which bent on his ribs; but affedted him fo much, that he threvv’ himfelf on the bed, and captain Ryan having thrown himfelf on him, a violent fcuffle enfued, during which lord Edward drew a dagger, and plunged it into his fide. They then fell on the ground, where captain Ryan received many defperate wounds; one of which in the lower part of his belly was fo large, that his bowels fell out on the floor. Major Sirr, having entered the room, faw captain Swan bleeding very much, and lord Edward advancing towards the door, while captain Ryan on the floor, and in the woeful ftate which I defcribed, was holding him by one leg, and captain Swan by the other, he therefore fired at lord Edward with a piftol, and wounded him in the ftioulder, on which he cried out for mercy, and furrendered himfelf. His lordftiip was then conveyed to the caftle, but was on the point of being refcued before he left Thomasftreet; for Edward Ratigan, a major of the rebels, affembled a great number of them, and gave them a confiderable quantity of carbines and pikes out of St. Catherine’s watchhoufe, of which he was a director, and called on them to refcue lord Edward; and which they would have effefted, but that major Sirr received the affiftance of the Rainsford-ftreet guard, and the picquet guard of the caftle, confifting moftly of cavalry, for which he had feafonably fent a meffenger.

Samuel Neilfon confeffed afterwards, that he was in another quarter with five hundred pikemen, and that he would have attempted a refcue, had not the guards arrived in due time.

Edward

2o8

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Edward Ratigan, and Patrick Gallagher a rebel colonel, feizeJ Mr. Cufack, a loyal fiibjeft of the Revenue corps, that evening, kept him a prifoner fome time, and threatened his life if he gave information of what he had feen of their condudt.

In confequence of this, major Sirr, who was fometime convinced of the difaffeclion of Ratigan, fearched his houfe on the Monday following, and having found there many (land of arms, a large quantity of ammunition, and fome thoufand printed oaths of the united Irifhmen, demoliflied his houfe, and burnt a large quantity of timber which he found in his yard.

Captain Ryan received no lefs than fourteen wounds, of which he died a few days after, univerfally and defervedly lamented; as he was a man of great probity and firmnefs of mind, and a zealous loyalift.

The arrefl: of lord Edward vifibly occafioned a ftrong fenfation among the mafs of the people in Dublin, as their hopes of getting pofTclTion of the metropolis on the approaching infurredion which they meditated, refted much on his valour and fkill as an officer. Numbers of them were feen going from one part of the town to the other, with a quick pace and a ferious countenance. Others were perceived in fmall parties, converfmg with that ferioufnefs of countenance and energy of gefticulation, which ftrongly indicated the agitation of their minds. A rifing to effect a refcue was expeded that night; the yeomen therefore, and the garrifon, which it was to be lamented was very thin, remained on their arms all night, and were fo judicioufly difpofed as to prevent the poflibility of an infurredion.

By the papers found in lord Edward’s writing-box, and on his perfon, the extent of the plot, and the malignant defigns of the perfons engaged in it, were difcoverable.*

Major Sirr found In his lodgings at Murphy’s a green uniform, turned up with black, and a curious cap of the fame colour, which he was to have worn when he headed the infurredion; and at the fame time the official feal of the Iriffi union.

The plan for taking a city, found among lord Edward’s papers, alludes to Dublin, ftiews the bold defigns of the rebels, and how terrifick the

infurredion

• See them in Appendix, No. XIV.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 209

infLirrcfllon would have been, but that it was defeated by the vigilance of government.

Meflrs. Henry and Jahn Sheares, brothers, both barrifters, and natives of Cork, and Patrick Byrne, a bookfeller of Grafton-ftreet, were arrefted and committed on charges of high treafon, on Monday the twenty-firfl of May. In the houfe of the former a magiftrate found a proclamation,* which fliewed the fanguinary defigns of the rebels. It was to have been publiflied and circulated the morning after the intended infurredion and malTacre had taken place.

On the morning of the twenty-firft of May, lord Cafllereagh, by the defire of the lord lieutenant, wrote to the lord mayor^ to acquaint him, “ That his excellency had difcovered that the difatl’e6lcd in the city and “ neighbourhood of Dublin, had formed a plan of pofleffing themfelves, “ in the courfe of the prefent week, of the metropoHs, and of feizing the “ executive government, and thofe in authority within the city.’*

The government and the loyal fubjefts ftill continued in an awful ftate of fufpenfe, as the frequent difcovery of the fabrication of pikes, even at noon-day, and of treafonable committees forming plans of infurrection, unqueflionably evinced that the volcano was on the point of burfting.

On the twenty-fecond of May, 1798, lord Cafllereagh prefented a meffage to the houfe of commons, from his excellency the lord lieutenant, “ That his excellency had received information that the difaftefted had been daring enough to form a plan, for the purpofe of poffeffing themfelves, in the courfe of the prefent week, of the metropolis, of feizing the feat of government, and thofe in authority within the city; that, in confequence of that information, he had directed every military precaution to be taken, which feemed expedient; that he had made full communication to the magiftrates, for the direction of their efforts; and that he had not a doubt, by the meafures which would be purfued, the defigns of the rebellious would be effedtually and entirely crufhed.”

To this meflfage, the houfe of commons voted an addrefs, “ To affure his excellency that the intelligence which it communicated, filled them

E e with

* Appendix, Nu. XIII.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

with horror and indignation, whilft it raifed in them a fpirit of determined refolution and energy; that they relied on the vigilance and vigour of his excellency’s government which they trufted would continue unabated, until the confpiracy, which fo fatally exillcd, would be utterly diffolved.”

The fpeaker and all the members immediately waited on his excellency with the addrefs; and to {hew their zeal, and to encreafe the folemnity of the proceeding, they walked through the ftreets on foot, two and two, preceded by the fpeaker, the ferjeant at arms, and all the ofE» cers of the houfe.

The government and the loyal fubje£ts ftill continued in a woeful ftate of fufpenfe and tribulation, not knowing on what night the infurredion would take place; and it is probable that they would have been furprifed and murdered in their beds, but that it was fortuitoufly difcovered a few hours before the rebels were to have rifen.

THE

I

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND, 2 1 1

THE BREAKING-OUT OF THE REBELLION.

Th E earl of Ely commanded a corps of yeomen cavalry at Rathfarnham, a village about three miles diftant from Dublin, of v/h.\ch. a ferjeant and twelve men mounted guard every night, and patroled through the adjacent country.

Lord Camden, having received information that the rebels meant to attack and cut off that fmall party, on the night of the twenty-third of May, 1798, recommended to the commanding officer that the whole troop fliould mount guard, which, eventually, was very fortunate; for fbon after they were aflembled, a man, about nine o’clock, went to lieutenant Latouche, who commanded on that night, and offered to conduct him to a place where two hundred rebels were alTembled; but on arriving there, there was no appearance of them. It proved afterwards, that the defign of this traitor was to have led the patrole, confifting of a ferjeant and twelve men, into an ambufh, by which they would have been cut off; but a numerous body of rebels, who meditated their deftruction, intimidated by tlie unexpeded arrival of the whole troop, concealed themfelves in the adjacent hedges.

At their return to Rathfarnham, they were informed by a perfon, fuppofed to be conneded with the rebels, that the village would be attacked, and that they would be difarmed by a numerous body of them, who were alTembling on the mountains. Lieutenant Latouche having urged the neceffity of communicating this intelligence to the viceroy, Samuel Bennet, a private in the corps, and fon of Samuel Bennet, a coachmaker in Aungier-ftreet, with laudable ardour, offered his fervice on the occaiion, and carried a letter to the viceroy; who returned for anfwer, that no troops could be fent to them, as an infurreftion in the metropolis was apprehended and his excellency defired thac an exprefs fliould be fent to him, if the rebels fliould appear to move towards the city.

The corps, having heard two fliots fired, proceeded to Harold’s-crofs, and were informed there, that the rebels, about five hundred in number,

E e 2 and

212

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

and varloufly armed, had pafTed through Rathfarnham in their abfencf, and had proceeded towards CrumHn, headed by David Keely, a deferter from their troop.

Mr. Bennet returned to Rathfarnham in the abfence of his rroop, and having heard a great touting at a place called the Ponds, he repaired there, and faw a great concourfe of rebels armed with mulkets, pikes and piftols, and was on the point of being furrounded by them. They had two carts laden with pikes and ammunition, which they were to have diftributed among fuch rebels as fhould join them in their progrels. He therefore, with great fortitude, and with that zealous loyalty which would have procured wealth and fame for a perfon in a lefs humble fituation, undertook the perilous fervice of communicating to the viceroy what he had feen; and it was really perilous, for the rebels in great numbers were rifen, and were in the road atid in the adjacent fields as he went to Dublin. In the city, particularly in the fuburbs, he faw a great number of rebels with pikes, in gate-ways, alleys and ftable-lanes, waiting the beat of their drums, and the approach of rebel columns from the country, which they expefted; and as he pafTed, they frequently cried out, animating each other, “ Come, on boys! who’s afraid?”

A lady, refident at Rathfarnham, informed me, that they pafTed clofe by her houfe, with two carts filled with pikes, which made a dreadful Vumbling noife, and which, joined to their yells, filled her with horror. As they proceeded they cried out frequently, “ Liberty, and no king!’*

Befides the above Keely, they had as leaders two men of the names of Ledwich and Wade, Roman catholicks, and deferters from lord Ely’s corps, Edward Keogh and James Byrne, all of the fame perfuafion, and In very good circumftances. They proceeded to the Fox and Geefe common near Clondalkin, where a numerous body of rebels were to have afTembled, and to have proceeded thence to Dublin, for the purpofe of co-operating with its difaffecled inhabitants, in a general infurredion.

The corps of yeomanry, at their return to Rathfarnham, having difcovered that the rebels had rifen, immediately fent intelligence of it to the viceroy, who communicated it to the lord mayor, and to the principal civil and military officers in the metropolis, and ordered them to take the moil decifive and Angorous meafures to defeat the malignant defigns of the infurgents.

The

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 2,3

The yeomen, in number about three thoufand five hundred, and the few military who were in garrifon, repaired to their refpeflive alarmpofls, with uncommon celerity; and as it \vas known, that a ftrong fpirit of difaffeftion had exiftcd among the troops quartered at Lehaunftown camp, feven miles from Dublin; and as it was fufpeded that they would come to the alTiflance of the infurgents in the metropolis, the lord mayor, alderman Thomas Fleming,* polted the city of Cork regiment, noted for its loyalty, with their two battalion guns, at the North fide of Stepheii’s-green, and remained all night at their head.

It very fortunately happened, that the two canals formed a complete fortification on the North and South fides of the city, being fifty feet broad, and twelve deep. The Royal canal, extending from the river Lilfey to the Broad-ftone on the North, and the Grand canal completely environed the South, from the river on the Eaft fide, to the Royal hofpital. The bridges on it, which the troops occupied, were at fuch diftances, that they could have flanked the intermediate fpace, and prevented an enemy from pafTing over the canal; and in a day or two after the rebellion broke out, pallifades and gates were eredted on the bridges; however it was afterwards difcovered that many rebels had paffed over the bridges before the troops took poll on them. The bridges on the river which bifefted the city, were alfo occupied, and difconcerted the rebels by cutting off all communication between them on either fide.

It has been fince difcovered and proved, that the rebel drums were to have beaten to arms, an hour after ours; and it is well known, that if they had preceded us by ever fo fmall a fpace of time, the fate of the city and its loyal inhabitants would have been decided; for the mafs of; he people, armed with pikes and other vi^eapons, were lurking in lanes, alleys and bye-places, ready to ftart forth on the firft beat of their drums, and would have occupied all the flreets, and affaffinated the yeomen before they could have reached their refpeftive ftations; and the fafety of the metropoHs depended chiefly on them, as there were but few regular troops in it.

There

* I think it is a tribute due to this gentleman to fay, that he difplayed fitigular fagacity, Rood fenfe and firmncfs at this alarming period; and his attention and humanity to the laffering proteftants, who fled to Dublin from the daggew of the affaffins, after the lofs »f their property, fliould never be forgotten.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

There were many alarming indications of the defperate defigns of the rebels, even before the alarm was given by the viceroy. The doors of the loyal fubjeds, particularly the yeomen, were marked with chalk, to point the rebel vengeance againft them; and knowing that darknefs would be favourable to the accomplifliment of their traitorous purpofes, they prevailed on the lamp-lighters not to do their duty.

The lord mayor, being very much alarmed at perceiving that the lamps were not lighted, fent to the board that fuperintends that bufinefs, to know the reafon of it; and they returned in anfwer, that the lamp-lighters were deeply concerned in the plot : the yeomen therefore compelled thefe traitors, at the point of the bayonet, to light the lamps.

I’he gate-ways and lanes in Church-ftreet, and Mary*s-lane, were crowded with pike-men. Numbers were feen in the way leading to the burial ground of St. Michan’s, and pikes were found concealed there next morning.

As the rebels expefted that the Rathfarnham corps of cavalry would come to the relief of the city, they planted a number of men with mufkets behind a wall in New-ftreet, to fire on them as they entered.

It was proved that two fmiths, employed in the ordnance, had been reduced and bribed to fpike all the cannon there.

In the watch-houfes of St. Luke, St. Catharine, and Vicar-ftreet, the carabines were left charged, that the rebels might feize them.

It is a pofitive faft, that near three thoufand men entered the city on the North fide of it, through one turnpike, on the evening and the night ot the twenty-third of May, for the purpofe of joining the infurgents.

Samuel Neilfon meditated an attack upon Newgate, for the purpofe of refcuing lord Edward Fitzgerald, and other flate prifoners who were confined there; and he was to have been aflifted by a numerous band of rebels, to whom he had afligned their different ftations the preceding night,*

Southwell Mc. Clune, a rebel colonel, who had furrendered himfelf

to government, and obtained his pardon, declared upon oath, that

Neilfon had affembled at a houfe in Church-lane, a noted rendezvous

for rebels, fifteen colonels; and having produced a map of Dublin,

afligned to each the poll which he and his regiment were to occupy

that night. .

° A numerous

* John Sheares oppofcd his dcfign. Sec his letter found in Neilfon’s pocket, Appendix XIII.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 215

A numerous party of his followers were about Clontarf, and in the demefne of fir William Newcomen; another party in the fields conrigUGus to Eccles-ftreet.

When Neilfon went to reconnoitre Newgate, about ten o’clock at night, he formed a line of pofls at certain intervals, in order to hiive them called fpeedily to his afTiflance.

It appeared afterwards by information upon oath, that the officers ot the rebel corps, ported near Eccles-ftreet, were one Kearney of Abbeyftreet, a member of the Merchants corps, who held the rank of colonel in it; one Byrne of the hotel in Earl-ftreet, was lieutenant colonel,, and one Whelan was major, all Roman catholicks.

Captain Medlicote of the Rotunda corps of yeomanry feeing a large body of people aflembled in Eccles-ftreet, defired them to difperfe, on which one of them fnapped a piftol at him.

A party of the Merchants corps of cavalry, who were ordered to patrol at Clontarf, hearing the drums beat to arms in Dublin, returned rapidly to it, thinking that the infurre£lion had begun. They fortunately went by the Strand road; for had they gone by the upper one, near fir William Newcomen’s, they would have been cut off by a numerous party of rebels, who were on each fide of the road.

Neilfon, in his attack upon Newgate, was to have been feconded by a large body of rebels, headed by one Seagrave, who was to have taken polTeflion of Mr. Halpin’s diftillery, at the corner of Pettycoatlane, the windows of which flanked it, and were to have kept up a conftant fire on the front of the prilon; while another party fcaled its walls in a different quarter.

Mr. Gregg, the gaoler of Newgate, perceiving a perfon reconnoitreing it between nine and ten o’clock, approached him; but jon doing fo, he turned away, and endeavoured to conceal his face. Gregg, on clofing him, recognifed Neilfon; and having feized him, a fcuille enfuvd, in the courfe of which he proftrated him on the ground, and threw himfelf oh him. After ftruggling fome time, Neilfon drew a piftol from his bofom, and endeavoured to fire it; but Mr. Gregg was fo fortunate as to let the powder out of the pan.

While this conflid lafted, he expedted to be perforated by the doggers of the afTaflins, which probably would have been the care, but

tliat

2l6

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

that two yeomen came up, drew their fwords, and defired Mr. Gregg to do his duty. At laft, with their afllflance, he overpowered and committed him. On this fortunate event, fome thoufand rebels, who were to have co-operated with him, and were on the tip-toe of infurredion, having loft their leader, difappeared.

The large body of rebels armed with pikes and mufkets, which had affembled in Eccles-ftreet and its environs, were fo terrifick to the inhabitants of that quarter, that a number of well-dreffed women fled in the greateft confternation about ten o’clock to Mr. John Claudius Berefford’s riding fchool, and claimed the protedion of his corps.

Major Sirr ftopped a man on Cork-hill, about ten o’clock at night, with fix pike heads, which he was going to get mounted. Sir John Macartney, in proceeding to Smithfield, the alarm-poft of the Attornies corps, which he commanded, and of the Lawyers and Barrack corpsy having obtained intelligence that numbers of fufpicious perfons were affembled in Creek-ftreet, near Pill-lane, went thither with fix or feven of his corps, and perceiving a man palTing by, he feized him by the breaft, and hearing fomething rattk under his coat, about a dozen pike heads of excellent workmanfliip, tied up in a piece of cloth, fell to the ground; and captain Furlong of the fame corps who was of his party, caught as many more falling on his other fide. He faid his name was Murphy, and that he had received thofe pike heads from one Ryan a ftone-cutter. Keeping Murphy a prifoner, they proceeded to Greelcftreet, where they heard fome rebels v/ere affembled; but they being alarmed, went through a back paffage to Church-ftreet, and croiling the tops of fome houfes, they were fired at by another party of the Attornies corps, who foon after apprehended a man concealing himfelf in St. Michan’s church-yard, with feveral pikes lying by him.

On examining this man at the guard-houfe, he faid that his name was Ryan, and that he was a ftone-curter; but declared that he was perfedly ignorant of Murphy : that he knew nothing of pikes, or pike heads; and that he fled into the church yard merely to avoid the firing : and Murphy, on being confronted with Ryan, pretended that be was unacquainted with him; but on receiving a few laflies with a cat-andnine tails, their recollcftion being reftored, they acknowledged that Murphy was ferjeant in a cotnpany of united Iriflimcn, of which Ryan

was

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 217

was captain; and that they were waiting for the orders of Neilfon to rife in arms that night, in concert with fome thoufands of that body, to liberate the prifoners in Newgate and Kilmainham, and to furprife the caftle and the city.

In confequence of the intelligence received from Murphy and Ryan, they repaired to a yard in Dirty-lane near Thomas-ftreet, and found a great quantity of ready-made pikes, fome pike-heads and pike-handles, a paper of new nails, and a hammer clofe to it, for the purpofe of mounting thofe weapons; and feveral newly-finifhed pikes.

In the fame yard, they found a travelling forge, which, from its conftrudion, appeared to have belonged to his Majefty’s board of ordnance; but the motto written on it at that time, in chalk, was, God damn the king.

On the information of Ryan and Murphy, they apprehended many united Irifhmen, and feized arms of various defcriptions; one parcel of pikes in particular, in an obfcure garden behind Eccles-ftreet, buried about two feet and a half under ground, and cabbages planted over them. They were fifteen feet long and perfedlly well finiflied.

Great numbers of men having pike-heads concealed were thus difcovered in going from one part of the city to the other.

The caftle was to have been attacked in front and in rear, by two defperate bands of ruffians, armed with piftols and cutla^^es. A feledl band was to have afcended with long ladders into the bed-chambers of the principal members of government, and to have murdered them, or carried them off as hoftages.

The city was to have been fet on fire in different places; and the bafon, which fupplied it with water, and the pipes through which it v/as conveyed were to have been deftroyed.

As it was intended that the infurredion fhould be general all over the kingdom, and as foon as poilible after it took place in Dublin, it was agreed that the rebels in remote parts Ihould rife, if the mail-co;-. ,he3 which fet out daily from the metropolis did not arrive at their rei’bedlive deftinations as ufual.

The Belfafh coach therefore was deftroyed and burnt near Sauuy, the Cork mail coach at Naas, and that going towards Athlone at Lucan.. The perfons who performed that fervice at Santry, defircd the inhabitants of

F f . the

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

the neighbouring cottages to rife and join them; ha.ving^flured them that the caflle and city of Dublin were 3t that time in pofleflion of their friends.

Near the Curragh of Kildare, the rebels murdered the guard, and the coachman of the mail-coach going to Limerick.

Numerous bodies of rebels were advancing towards Dublin, from JCilcock, MaynOoth, Leijclip and Chapelizod;* another party from towards the Black Bull; but bdng informed by their fpies and videts that the garrifon was under arms, they retreated. Holt, a rebel leader, was to have defcended from the Wicklow mountains, as foon as he had received intelligence that the rebels had rifen in Dublin.

For fome nights, previous to the twenty^third of May, fires were feen on the Wicklow mountains, whofe luminous appearance by night, and whofe fmoke by day, ferved as fignals to the difaft’ected in the metropolis, and in all the adjacent country. The fame praftice took place on all the mountains which extend from the Scalp in the county of Wicklow, to Mount Leinfter in the county of Wexford.

From a houfe in an elevated fituation in Dublin, I could difcern them at a great diftance with a telefcope; and it is aflonifliing with what celerity they encreafed or diminifhed the number of them, by which they anfwered in fome degree the purpofe of a telegraph.

From the circumflances which appeared on the trials of Weldon, Brady, Hart, the confpirators againft Hanlon, and thofe of Dunn and Carty, which I have already quoted, the reader muft be convinced that the mafs of the Roman catholicks in Dublin harboured the moft fanguinary de. iigns againft their proteftant fellow-fubjedts, whom they meant ultimately to have extirpated, though they had inveigled a few of them.

The wanton barbarities indifcriminately committed by them on all perfons of the eftablifhed religion, in the counties of Wexford, Wicklow, Carlow and Kildare, muft remove every doubt in our minds on that fubjeft.

We may well conceive then how far the licentious and deftruftive rage •of the popilh multitude in the metropolis would have extended, but that the feafonable difcovery of the intended infurredion, by the wifdom and

mercy

* It appeared by the papers found on the perfon of lord Edward Fitzgerald, that he pUnucji this Velbre hand.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 219

rftercy of Providence, enabled the yeomen to come forward with their united force, and to prevent it from taking place.

The fun never rofe on fuch a fcene of carnage and conflikgration as the metropolis would have ex:hibited on the morning of the twenty-fourth of May; for it appears from various foufces of information, prefented to the publick by the fecret committee of the houfe of commons, that the inhabitants of the counties of Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare, were to have rufhed into the city as foon as the infurgents had fucceeded in getting poffeffion of it, or as foon as the conflict had begun; and it was expected, that the North and South would have rifen in confequence of the detention of the mail-coaches, which was the fignal for that purpofe.

The proclamation found in the houfe of the Meffrs. Sheares,* and which they intended to have circulated on the morning of the twenty-fourth of May, will fhew the reader the malignant defigns of the leaders of the confpiracy; and we cannot entertain a doubt, but that the inferior rebels would have exceeded and prevented their wifhes and expectations.

All the loyalifts would have been affaffmated; their wives would have been violated by the ruthlefs pikemen, that murdered their huftands; the accumulations of induftry would have been pillaged; every monument of the elegant arts would have been defaced or deftroyed; and whatever might have efcaped the rapacious and deftructive rage of the rebel plunderer, would probably have fallen a prey to the flames.

The dangers which impended over the metropolis, were very much encreafed by the following circumftance :

It was difcovered that near nine-tenths of the Roman catholicks in the yeomanry corps were united Irifhmen, and had taken an oath to be true to the rebels, in direft contradidlion to their fworn allegiance;t and that many of them, after having taken the united oath, had, by deliberate and predetermined perjury, joined the yeomanry corps for the purpofe of getting arms in their hands, learning the ufe of them, and turning them againft: the loyahfts, perhaps, in the very morr.ent of danger.

The confequences might have been horrible, had they not been prevented by a timely difcovery; for if any of the projefted nightly infurrections had taken place, the loyal yeoman, roufed from his bed, might have treacheroufly fallen by the bayonets of thofe whom he haftened to join as friends and fellow-foldier’. F f 2 It

* Appendix Xfil. See alfo lord Edwa/d FitzgcraM’s plan of attacking a city, Anpei) Jir. XIV. t See pages 39 and 40.  This fanilioned by the Roniifli church,

220

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

It is remarkable, that in the city of Dublin, above two thoufand catholicks folicited admittance into the feveral yeomanry corps during the fix weeks immediately preceding the infurredtion; and that mofl of them were propofed by cathohck yeomen, who afterwards either proved to be rebels, or were difarmed on ftrong fufpicion.

In one company of the Rotunda divifion infantry, there were, at the .breaking-out of the rebellion, twenty-two privates yeomen catholicks; and of thefe fourteen were proved to be fworn united Iriflimen, fome of them deeply concerned in the plans of infurrection arid maflacre; fix others were difarmed on fufpicion of the ftrongefl kind; fo that two only remained faithful out of twenty-two. AH thefe men had frequently and anxioufly endeavoured to introduce feveral of their friends into the corps, infomuch as to produce ftrong dilfenfions in the company.

The popifli yeomen of the St. Sepulchre’s corps confpired to affafTmate their proteftant officers and fellow-foldiers, who were the minority of that corps, and they were therefore difarmed.

In the Coolock corps, there was fo much diffatisfadion from the fame caufe, that they were difarmed; and its loyal _ members enrolled themfelves in another body of yeomanry.*

In the county of Wicklow it was difcovered by an accident, which I fhall more fully explain hereafter, that the Roman catholick yeomen did not confider an oath of allegiance prefcribed by law to a proteftant ftate, as obligatory, and that they would refufe to take a tefl oath framed by their officers. The captain of a corps in that county prefented fuch a teft to the members of it, and nineteen out of twenty of the Roman catholicks refufed to take it, and were therefore difmiffed.

The fame experiment having been made with many corps in Dublin, they refufed to fwear it, though they had taken the ufual oath of allegiance; and therefore were difbanded, or voluntarily laid down their arms.

The dangers which hung over the city of Dublin were very much encreafed by the following circumllance : It was difcovered that the popifli fervants, botli male and female, with very few exceptions, had taken the united oath, and were to have affifted in the infurredlion and malTacre on the night of the twenty-third of May, by which domeftick fecurity was completely deflroyed; for, while the loyaHft trufled to the protedion of his houfe, his domefticks in the dead hour of the night would have

admitted

* About one half of the Rathdown corps were in this predicament.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

22 I

admitted the affaflins, who would have butchered hhn in his bed. A friend of mine, who had his fervant arrefted, aflured me, that he acknowledged that he knew of twenty thoufand fervants, fworn and attached to the united caufe, who were to have joined in the infurreftion.

A proteftant houfekeeper of my acquaintance, who had a popifli kitchenmaid, prone to ebriety, informed me, that fhe, when intoxicated, faid to her, about a fortnight before the rebellion broke out, “ Miftrefs, you had better go to mafs; for the pikemen will foon come into the city, and pike all of you proteflants.”

The lord mayor was to have been murdered by his own fervant, and a body of ruffians whom he was to have admitted into the mayoraltyhoufe in the dead hour of the night; and as a reward for his treachery, he was to have fucceeded his mafter. To prevent the lord mayor from defending himfelf, he drew the charge of the piftols which he kept by his bed-fide.

Information of his treachery having been given to the honourable captain Cavendifli and captain Beresford, they arrefted him about midnight : The lord mayor arofe, alfured them that he had not a doubt of his fidelity; that there muft be fome miftake as to the charge againft him, and he requefted that they would treat him with tendernefs; but the information which they received turned out to be well founded, and even the delinquent acknowledged the truth of it.

Though the firft effort of the rebels to rife in the metropolis was defeated by the vigilance of government, and by the fpirit and loyalty of the yeomen, as it was well known that they entertained the mofl fanguinc hopes of fucceeding in another attempt, general Lake, commander in chief, publifhed the following notice on the morning of the twenty-fourth of May :

NOTICE.

“ Lieutenant General Lake, commanding his Majefly’s forces in this kingdom, having received from his excellency the lord lieutenant full powers to put down the rebellion, and to punifh rebels in the mofl lummary manner, according to martial law, does hereby give notice to all his Majefly’s fubjedls, that he is determined to exert the powers entrufled to him in the mofl vigorous manner, for the immediate fupprefiion of «he fame; and that all perfons ading in the prelent rebellion, or in any

wife

22 2

MEMOIRS OF THE DIEFEREN T

wife aidingor affifting therein, will be treated by him asrebels, and puni/lied accordingly.

‘* And lieutenant general Lake hereby requires all the inhabitants of the city of Dublin, (the great officers of ftate, members of the houfes of parliament, privy counfellors, magiflrates, and military perfons in uniform excepted) to remain within’ their refpective dwellings from nine o’clock at night till five in the morning, under pain of punifhment.

By order of lieutenant general LAKE,

Commanding his Majefly’s forces in this kingdom.

G. HEWEIT, adjutant-general.”

Dublin, adjutant-general’s office, 24th May, 1798.

The better to fecure the peace of the city, the lord mayor publifhed’ the following proclamation :

By the right honourable the lord mayor of the city of Dublin.

A PROCLAMATION. THOMAS FLEMING.

*’ Whereas the circumftances of the prefent crifis demand every poffible precaution : Thefe are therefore to defire all perfons who have regiftered arms forthwith to give in, in writing, an exaft ILfl; or inventory of fuch arms at the town clerk’s office, who will file and enter the fame in z book to be kept for that purpofe; and all perfons who have not regiftered their arms are hereby required forthwith to deliver up to me, or fome other of the magiftrates of this city, all arms and ammunition of every kind in their pofieffion : And if, after this proclamation, any perfon having regif. tered their arms (hall be found not to have given in a true lift or inventory of fuch arms; or if any perfon who has not regiftered, fhall be found to have in their power or polTeffion any arms or ammunition whatever, fuch perfon or perfons will, on fuch arms being difcovered, be forthwith fent on board his Majefty’s navy, as by law directed.

And I do hereby defire that all houfekeepers do place upon the outfide of their doors a lift of all perfons in their refpeftive houfes, diftiiig^iftiing fuch as are ftrangers from thofe who adually make part of their family; but as there may happen to be perfons who, from pecuniary embarraflments, are obliged to conceal themfelves, I do not require fuch names to be placed on the outfide of the door, provided their names are

fent

REBFXUONS IN IRELAND.

lent to me. And I hereby call upon all his Majefly’s fubjects within the county of the city of Dublin immediately to comply with this regulation, as calculated for the publick fecurity; as thofe perfons who fliall wilfully negled a regulation fo eafy and falutary, as well as perfons giving falfe ftatements of the inmates of their houfes, muft, in the prefent crifi;!, abide the confequences of fuch negled.

Given at the Manfion-houfe, the 24th day of May, 1798. Signed by order,

JOHN LAMBERT, fecretary.”

In confequence of the intelligence received by lord Camden, that the rebels had rifen at Rathfarnham, his excellency font lieutenant O’Reily, with a troop of the 5th dragoons, in purfuit of them, and he was joined by the earl of Roden and lieutenant-colonel Pulefton of the Ancient Britons, as volunteers; and having been informed at Rathfarnham, that they had gone towards Rathcool, they proceeded in quefl: of them; and in their way they met a corps of yeomen, who were retreating after having attacked the rebels, and been repulfed by them.

Lieutenant O’Reily having halted the troop for the purpofe of confulting what was moft advifable to be done, it was agreed that lord Roden with one half of the troop fhould take the road to the right, and that lieutenant O’Reily fliould proceed to the left, in order to furround the rebels.

Lord Roden’s party came up with them at the firft turnpike gate on the Rathcool-road, and after a fliort flcirmifli drove them to the place where lieutenant O’Reily was polled; and he having fallen in with them, killed two, and wounded a good many of them, after which the main body made their efcape; for the country was fo much enclofed, as to prevent the pofllbility of a purfuit.

The bodies of James Byrne and James Keely, tviro of their leaders, whom they killed, were brought into the caftle-yard, and exhibited to publick view; and Edward Keogh, another of their leaders, was brought in there defperately wounded.

Ledwich and Wade, the two deferters from lord Ely’s corps, were hanged on the C^een’s-bridge in Dublin, on Saturday the twenty-fixth of May.

On the night of the twenty-third of May, lieutenant colonel Finlay patroled with a party of foldiers Hear Clondalkin, four miles from Dublin,

where

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

where he met a body of rebels, proceeding to join thofe from Rathfarnham. After a flight (kirmifh, he killed three of them, whofe bodies were fufpended next morning in Barrack-flreet, as an example to the difalFeded inhabitants of that quarter of the city.

So fure were the rebel inhabitants of the country, adjacent to Dublin, that their fellow traitors would overpower the government and get poffeffion of it, that a number of them remained under arms till eleven o’clock in the morning near Artane, within two miles of the city, expefting a fummons to co-operate with them; and they threatened the lives of fome loyal fubjedls in the neighbourhood of that village.

On Saturday the fecond of June, Thomas Bacon, a tailor, of the proteftant religion, was hanged at Carlifle-bridge, purfuant to a fentence of a court martial.

Though deeply concerned in the confpiracy for fome years, he declared in his laft moments to major Sandys and other gentlemen, that he did not difcover, till the rebellion broke out and the maffacre of proteftants took place, that religious bigotry had a prevailing influence in it; and that he meant for that reafon to have withdrawn hinifelf from it. He was bred a protefl:ant and died in that profeflion. He was reputed an honefl: man, and in extenfive bufmefs, till volunteering made him an idler and a fpeculatifl: in politicks; and at lafl:, a rage for political innovation led him from a peaceful induflirious fphere into the vortex of rebellion. ^

In the country, for many miles round Dublin, the rebellion broke forth in various places, made a formidable appearance, and produced the mofl: fatal eflfefts.

The right honourable David Latouche had between feventy and eighty labourers employed in his work, at Marlay, the twenty-third of May, and the v.’hoie, except about ten, attended the Rathfarnham rebels.

A party of rebels entered the houfe of Mr. Minchin at Grange, headed by Curran his gardener, and Mc. Donagh his gate-keeper, about feven o’clock in the evening, when he and his family were in Dublin. They plundered it of various articles of houfehold furniture, which they carried off in two of his carts. Curran declared that all Ireland was rifen that night, and that he would return in a day or two, and take poflfeffion of the houfe and demefne as his own.

Major

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

225

Major SIrr the elder, the father of Mrs. Minchin, who had pafled a very long life in the fervice of his Majefty, and a female fervant of the name of Middleton, were the only proteftants in the houfe at that time; and the latter overheard the wife of Mc. Donough declare, that flic would cut their throats, which ftie probably would have effected, but that fome other women, who aflifled her in plundering the houfe, diffuaded her from it.

It was proved afterwards, and acknowledged by fome of the affociates of Curran and Mc. Donough, that fome ‘affaffins had been pofled that evening with mufkets in the avenue leading to the houfe, who were to have fliot Mr. Minchin as he approached it 5 but it fortunately happened that he remained in Dublin.

On the fame evening, a large party of rebels fhot at Tibbradden, about two miles beyond Rathfarnham, Mr. Philip Proflbr, a proteftant, formerly an eminent filk-throwfter in Dublin, and who then refided there, becaufe he refufed to deliver up his fowling-piece.

All the farmers and peafants in that large trad of country, between Dublin and the Wicklow mountains, were in a ftate of infurredlion, waiting the fignal which they expected, to enter the metropolis, and alTift their fellow traitors there; and in the mean time, they continued to commit various ads of outrage. In every other part of the adjacent country the rebels were equally terrifick and deftrudive.

A numerous body of them, varioufly armed, entered the town of Dunboyne, feven miles from Dublin, on the morning of the twentyfourth of May, murdered its protefliant inhabitants, and rifled and plundered their houfes; but did not injure the perfon or property of any Roman catholick.

In the police-houfe there were fix conftables on guard, of whom they afTaflinated three, who were of the eftabliflied religion; but did not moleil ^he remainder who were papifl:s»

They then proceeded to the houfe of the reverend Mr. Duncan, vicar of Dunboyne, the only remaining proteftant in that town; but he having made his efcape, they plundered it of various valuable articles to the amount of 500I.

Mr. Wynne, of Clonfillagh, having been informed by two of the yeomanry corps, which he commanded, of the infurredion and of thefc

G g atrocities.

226

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFl^ERENT

atrocities, proceeded about fix o’clock in the morning, with four of them, and eleven highlanders, commanded by lieutenant George Arm(trong of the artillery, to Ratoath,* where the rebels were in force, and had in their cuftody captain Gorges, member for the county of Meath^ Mr. Corbally the lieutenant of his corps, and fome of his privates, whom they furprifed, and were on the point of hanging.

Mr. Wynne, having been at this time feafonably reinforced by Mr. Frederick Falkiner, with eighteen of the fifth dragoons, they charged and difperfed the rebels, and killed thirty-five of them in the purfuit.

Soon after they fet out to return home; and the dragoons having left them, the rebels, perceiving the diminution of their numbers, purfued them as far as Clonee-bridge, where the highlanders under Ueutenant Armftrong difplayed prodigies of valour; fix of them having been killed in attempting to ftop the progrefs of the rebels.

On the fame day, they murdered fix of the AngusHiire fencibles, who were guarding the baggage of that regiment, and were on their route to Dublin.

A large party of rebels, headed by one Gihhahan, a popifli farmer, entered the town of Dunfhaughlin,! in the county of Meath, and fearched for arms in a fmall barrack in which they had been depofited; but having been informed that they were removed to the oppofite houfe, in which the reverend Mr. Neilfon lived, they, after firing a volley at the windows, rulhed into it, killed Mr. Neilfon, his brother-in-law Mr. Pendleton, and a gardener, all of the proteftant religion. They then plundered the houfe of arms, and of every valuable article of furniture which they could carry off. They did not injure the perfon or property of any popifh inhabitant of that town; but did not fpare one of thofe of the proteftant religion.

A party of ruffians, headed by Thomas Connor, and Thomas Atkinfon, entered and plundered the houfe of Mr. John Braffington of Ballymacarney, in the county of Meath, of arms and other articles, and carried off four horfes.

On the trial of thefe men, by court martial, held the twelfth of July, 1 798, at the barrack of Dublin, Meifrs. John and James Braf’ fington proved upon oath, that’ Connor and Atkinfon declared, at their

houfe,

• See plate 1.6, + Ibld^

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

227

houfe, that they were ordered to kill all hereticks,* and to wade in their blood; and they boalted that they had killed the police-men at Dunboyne, and the Ray fenciblcs at Clonee-bridge.

On the fame morning, they entered and plundered Woodpark, the feai of Mrs. Shell, near the Black-Bull, of various valuable articles; and robbed mifs Bradfliaw, her gueft, of a large fum of money. One of their leaders declared, that his orders were to put all proteltants to death.

Twenty of the Fermanagh regiment were quartered at Weftfieldftown, near Balbriggan, under the command of enfign Cleland. As he was returning to his quarters on the evening of the twenty-third of May, he was fired at from behind a bridge, by a ruffian with a blunderbufs; but though feverely wounded in different parts of his head and body, he was able to ride to Swords,! where his wounds, which appeared to be mortal, were dreffed.

On the fame evening, his detachment at Weflfieldflown, was furprifed by about two thoufand rebels, who difarmed and carried them off as prifoners, after having wounded fome of them.

As the inhabitants of Ballyboghill, noted for difaffeftion, were principally concerned in this outrage, a company of the Fermanagh regiment joined the Swords yeomanry, and burned the houfes of the difaffeded in that village. While major King was engaged in doing fo, an officer arrived, and informed him of the difafler v>‘hich had befallen the detachment at Weflfieldflown; he therefore purfued the rebels, who carried them off, for about fix miles, and found that they had plundered and deftroyed in their progrefs the houfe of every proteflant which had come in their way, and compelled great numbers of people to join them.

The major took prifoner a rebel leader, of the name of Carroll, a cottoa manufadurer, in good circumflances, and of the Romifh perfuafion, whom they found in arms, and he was hanged the twenty-fixth of May, on one of the bridges in Dublin.

Mr. Sherwood, a revenue officer, feeing, on the night of the twentythird of May, a number of rebels affembled near Dalkey, who were on the point of going to attack the camp at Lehaunftown, in which they

G g 2 expedled

* Thefe expi effions are to be feen in the bloody oath found upon the rebels in different jjarts^ot” the province of Leinfter. t Plate I. 6.

4

4 28 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

expcfled the afliftance of a number of foldiers attached to their caufe; with laudable zeal, though at the rifk of his life, harangued them for the purpofe of dilluading them from fo bafe and fo dangerous an enterprife.

On the night of Friday the twenty-fifth of May, a party of rebels attacked and entered Mr. Blair’s extenfive iron works at Lucan, carried off a confiderable quantity of arms and ammunition, and compelled fonie of his artificers to attend them to the hill of Tara. This party was headed by George Cummins, a popifh yeoman, of the Clonfillagh corps, who became a traitor on the breaking-out of the rebellion, though he had taken the oath of allegiance; for which he was tried in Dublin the tenth of July, 1798, and hanged.

The following paragraph appeared in the Dublin Journal the twentyfourth of May :

ROMAN CATHOLICKS. “ An addrefs to the lord lieutenant^ intended to be immediately prefented, and containing a declaration of political principles applicable to the circumflances of the prefent moment, lies, for fignature, at Fitzpatrick’s, bookfeller, Ormxond-quay; at the earl of Fingall’s, Great George’s-ftreet, Rutland-fquare; lord vifcountKenmare’s, Great George’sftreet; Malachy Donelan’s, efquire, Mountjoy-fquare; and counfellor

Bellew’s, No. 6,  Upper Gardiner’s-ftreet,  Mountjoy-fquare. All

fignatures muft be given in, on or before Saturday next. May 24th,

1798.”

A yeoman officer, and a magiftrate, who patroled the country for four miles round Rathcoole, in the county of Dublin, affured me, that he did not find a fingle man but one in above a hundred cabins and farm houfes, which he fearched for arms, the night before the rebellion broke out; their inmates having alTembled, in order to concert meafures for the general infurredion.

Captain Charles Ormfby, who commanded the Rathcoole infantry, confifting of forty-three privates and three officers, was ordered to maintain that poft at’ all rilks.

The rebels intended to attack Rathcoole on the night of the twentythird of May, when all the garrifons in the county of Kildare were furprifed; and captain Ormfby ‘s corps, who were all, with a few exceptions.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

529

tions, paplfts and traitors, intended to have murdered him, his brother who was his lieutenant, and one or two more proteftants, who were privates in it, and to have joined the rebels on the firft attack; but they were fortunately deterred from perpetrating their nefarious defign by the following incidents :

Twenty of the Armagh regiment, brave, loyal, and well-difciplined, were ftationed with him, and twenty of the fame corps at Newcaftle, at the diftance of about one mile and a half. The Rathcoole cavalry commanded by captain Kennedy, of whom many were proteftants, compofed alfo part of his little garrifon.

The rebels, whom they could difcern, in great numbers, every evening cxercifing on the adjacent hills, had appointed many different nights to make the attack, in which captain Ormfby’s traitorous yeomen, who kept up a conftant correfpondence with them, were to have joined; but they were intimidated by the few brave men of the Armagh who were ported there.

General Lake, confidering the importance of the place, and the fmall force deftined for its defence, fent there a reinforcement of eighty of the Anguslhire fencibles, commanded by colonel Hunter, an experienced officer, which completely put an end to the hopes of the rebels to furprife that poft.

Captain Ormfby difcovered the confpiracy of his corps in the following manner : The garrifon being fhort of provifions, he went to a hill over Rathcoole with a party, to forage; and finding there a fhepherd’s boy, who was conftantly watching his flock, he afked him, whether he had feen any people alTembled on that or the adjacent hills? and he anfwered in the negative. On which he feized him by the fhoulder, gave him three or four ftripes with the fcabbard of his fword, and faid, that he had told him a falfehood. The boy immediately exclaimed, “ Oh! fir, take me from this place, and I’ll tell you the whole truth!’*

Having led him to Rathcoole, he next day acknowledged that he had feen frequent meetings of the rebels on the hills, to the number of two or three thoufand, and among them feveral men with crofs belts; and he alfo pointed out John Shee and his brother, privates in the corps, to whofe father he had been fliepherd.

Captain

230 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Captain Ormfby having taken up John Shee, and having given him a few ftripes, he difclofed the whole of the treafonable defigns of .the corps, whom he inftantly ordered to parade, in prefence of a party of the Cavan regiment under arms, and he difarmed them; and committed ferjeant Walfh, corporal Dillon, corporal Byrne, John Shee and William Harvey, leaders among the rebels, and principals in the plot.

Wallh, foon after he was committed, confefled the whole of their treafonable fchemes; and that he^and ferjeant Rourke had been fwornby Mr. Clinch, a Romanift, and the fecond lieutenant of the corps.

Felix Rourke, the permanent ferjeant, had been early appointed a colonel of the rebels, and had deferted to them fome days before the rebellion broke out. His brother had been a competitor with lieutenant Clinch for a captaincy in the rebel corps of Rathcoole; but the influence of Felix was fuch, as to obtain fuccefs for his brother; and the zeal of Clinch in the rebel caufe was fo great, that he continued to ferve in it as a ferjeant.

Lieutenant John Clinch was the fon of a very wealthy man, had received fome education, was naturally humane and benevolent, but was perfuaded by the malignant influence of father Harold, his parifli prieft, to violate his oath of allegiance, and to become a traitor; for which he was tried and executed in Dubhn the fecond of June.

He acknowledged the juftice of his fentence, and died loading with curfes father Harold, his parifli priefl:; at whofe infl;igation, he faid, the inhabitants of Rathcoole, and all the adjacent country, had fwerved from their allegiance, and became traitors. He declared alfo, that the orga» nization of rebellion had taken place at his houfe, which was conflantly the rendezvous of the rebel leaders; and yet, that very priefl: frequently exhorted his flock to loyalty from the altar, for three months before the rebellion broke cuit; and on Sunday preceding that event, he preached two fermons eminently loyal, at the chapels of Sagart* and NewcaflJe, in the prefence of captain Ormfby and lieutenant Chrifliopher Clinchf of the Rathcoole cavalry.

It was proved alfo,. that Harold encouraged his rebellious ff dories to furrender fome bad pikes, and, to keep their good ones, in order to deceive the magifl:racy.

* Plarc I. 7.

This is a proteftant gentleman, confpicuous for his loyalty, and no way conncdled with Clinch the traitor.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 231

As foon as the confpiracy at Rathcoole was difcovered, he and many of its popifli inhabitants fled; but having been afterwards taken, government offered him his choice, either to be tranfported, or to ftand his trial for his life; and confcious of his guih, he preferred the former,

I mentioned before that Mr. Buckley, a refpedable gentleman farmer, was murdered near Rathcoole, on the thirteenth day of March.

On the trial of the traitors of that town, the following circumftances were brought to light : Being on his return from Dublin, through Rathcoole, he was prevailed upon by old Clinch, the father of the traitor, to continue drinking in his houfe till nine o’clock at night : After which he was murdered, and his body mangled with favage barbarity, a little beyond that village, and near the houfe of Fejix Rourke, in confequence of his noted loyalty.

Captain Ormiby having difcovered that a bayonet belonging to one of his corps was found fticking in Mr. Buckley’s body, ordered thera to parade, but did not find that any of them wanted a bayonet.

Felix Rourke, who abfented himfelf, was believed to have been concerned in the murder.

Lieutenant Clinch, a fhort time before his execution, confefled to captain Ormfby, that four of the corps had been concerned in the murder; and tliat he rofe on the night of its perpetration, and.gave a bayonet out of the ftore, which was under his care, to one of the affaflins, to replace that which he had left flicking in Mr. Buckley’s body.

The roads leading to the metropolis were fo completely obftrufted by bands of rebels, who roamed through and pillaged all the adjacent country, that no mail coach arrived there from the twenty-fourth of May to the thirty-firft of the fame month.

On the firft of June, the lord mayor, attended by Mr. Dawfon the high-conftable, paffed above two hours in fearching the vaults and cellars under the parliament-houfe, left gunpowder or any other combuftibles Ihould have been laid there by the rebels.

A minute recital of individual outrage committed in the neighbourhood of the metropolis would be tedious and difgufting to the reader : I fhall therefore proceed to defcribe fome of the achievements performed by the rebels in the county of Kildare, which gave ftronger indications j©f their boldnefs and malignity.

In

i?2

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

In the year 1795, defenderifm had fpread fuch deftrudion and difrnay in it, by the conftant Gommiflion of nofturnal robbery and aflaflination, that many of the loyal families were obliged to fecure the lower windows of their houfes with bricks and mortar; and fuch of them as had been aftive in checking its deftrudive progrefs, were obliged to introduce fome of the military into them for their proteftion; and as defenderifm had made the popilli multitude peculiarly fufceptible of the dodrines of the united Irifhmen, which were introduced into the county of Kildare in the year 1796; and as they were diffufed and fublimated by the refidence and the adive malignity of lord Edward Fitzgerald, the rebeUion broke out with deftrudive rage in that county.

His lordlhip had laid a plan of furprifing all the mihtary ports in it, which occafioned much carnage, though it fortunately did not fucceed in the extent which he expeded.

In the beginning of the year 1797, the rebels robbed the houfes of proteftants of arms from Athy to Monaftereven, Kildare, Kilcullen, Dunlavin, Timolin, and Caftledermot;* and were fo fuccefsful, that none efcaped, but thofe who fortified their habitations, and maintained a party of the military in them.f

An encampment of fome regiments of cavalry on the Curragh of Xildare, in the furamer of that year, furnirtied a plaufible pretext to the difafte£led of fpreading a report that orangemen, aided by the military, were to murder all the Roman catholicks; in confequence of which, numbers of the lower clafs of people, intimidated by fuch tales, propagated for the worft of purpofes, lay in the open fields, where they were fworn and organized.

The following fymptoms of the approaching rebellion appeared in the county of Kildare, in the years 1797 and 1798 : Conftant nightly meetings which the utmoft vigilance of the magiftrates could not prevent : The abftinence of the lower clafs of people from fpirituous liquors, to a degree of fobriety too unufual and general not to be fyftematick : The infrequent application to magiftrates in matters of difpute : The decHning to pay rent or any debts whatfoever, by thofe who had means to do fo, and who had been before very regular : The conftant refort of the popifh multitude to the confcffion boxes of their clergy: The refufal to take bank notes,

from

• See plate 1. 7 and 8, for thefe places.

t This fulfilled the prophecy of fir Laurence Parfons in the year 179J.  See page (33.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 233

from an idea that the approaching convulfion by fubverting the government, would put an end to their currency.

I fhall now proceed to defcribe the operations of the rebcii in iliai county.

THE ATTACK UPON NAAS.*

In the month of May, the garrifon of Naas confifted of one hundred and fifty of the Armagh mihtia, commanded by colonel lord Gosford, with two field pieces, thirty-five of the ancient Britons, commanded by major Wardell, twenty-four of the fourth horfe, and fixteen of the North Naas cavalry, commanded by captain Neville.

On the evening of the twenty-third of that month, two anonymous letters were received, one in the morning by the honourable lieutenant colonel Achefon, the other in the evening, by lord Gosford; informing them that the town would be attacked that night by three thoufand men.

In confequence of this information, the guards were doubled, and every meafure neceflary for their defence was adopted. As the garrifon continued unmolefted till two o’clock in the morning of the twentyfourth, many of the officers went to bed, thinking the information they received was groundlefs; but about half pad two o’clock, a dragoon from an out-poft came in, and informed major Wardell, that a very large body of rebels were moving towards the town; on which the drums beat to arms, and the guards repaired to the different pofts which they were deftined to occupy.

Soon after, three thoufand rebels, who had been ported at the quarries of Tipper, advanced rapidly and quietly to the town, and entered it at four different places, the greater part from the North, by the Johnftown road, and penetrated almofl to the gaol, where they made a moft defperate attack; but were repulfed by a party of the Armagh, with one piece of cannon, and a detachment of the ancient Britons.

Captain Davis having received fome pike wounds in the beginning of the adion, of which he died the next day, his men were fo enraged, that they charged too foon, and prevented the cannon from playing on the enemy.

Large parties of the rebels, who dole unnoticed into the town, through the houfes and narrow lanes, fought fometime in the ftreets,

H h and

• Plate I. 7,

234 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

and flood three vollies from a party of the Armagh militia, ported oppofite to the barrack, before they gave way; at lafl: they fled precipitately in every direftion, when the cavalry charged, and killed a great number of them in the purfuit. Thirty of the rebels were killed in the ftreets; and, from the numbers found dead in back houfes and in the adjacent fields, a few days after, it is imagined that not lefs than three hundred could have fallen.

They dropped in their flight a great quantity of pikes, and other arms, of which a great number were found in pits near the tov^ n, where they alfo feized three men with green cockades, whom they inflantly hanged in the publick flreets. Another prifoner, whom they fpared in confequence of very ufeful information which he gave, told them, that the rebel party was above one thoufand ffrong, and that they were commanded by Michael Reynolds, who was well mounted, and drefl’ed in veoman uniform. He made his efcape, but his horfe fell into the hands of our troops.

One of the rebels concerned in the attack, who obtained the royal mercy by furrendering himfelf under the proclamation, informed me, that one of the gunners, who directed the cannon at the gaol, having been feduced by the rebels, elevated it fo much as not to injure the alTailants.

ATTACK ON THE TOWN OF PROSPEROUS.

The rebels were more fuccefsful in this enterprife than in that at Naas, having contrived it with more ingenuity.

On Sunday the tM^entieth of May, captain Swayne arrived there, with a detachment of the city of Cork regiment, and immediately repaired to the chapel, where he, the reverend Mr. Higgins, parifli prieft, and doftor Efmond, a phyfician, fucceffively exhorted the people to return to their allegiance, and to furrender their arms; but as their exhortations produced no effed, he, agreeably to the order for exercifmg free quarter, diflrained the cattle, and did fome injuries to the property of perfons well known to be difaffeded, and to have concealed arms in their pofieiFion; but it produced no other effecl than the furrender of two or three pikes and firelocks, on the morning of the twenty-third of May.

Father Higgins and dodor Efmond informed captain Swayne, that the people were become repentant, would have brought in their arms, and have

left

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

left them in the ftreets during the night, but that they were afraiJ of the fentinels. The captain therefore, at his defire, ordered the fentinels not to challenge them, which order proved fatal to the garrifon.

Befides the city of Cork detachment in Profperous, there was a party of the antient Britons, confiding of a lieutenant, a quarter-mafler, and twenty privates. Twelve of them were lodged in a houfe oppofite the barrack of the city of Cork company, and the remainder were at fmgle billets, except a few who llept over the ftable where their horfes were.

About two o’clock on Thurfday morning the twenty-fourth of May, the two fentinels were furprifed, and killed; and both the barracks were aflaulted, while the foldiers were fafl afleep. The barrack of the Cork company confifted of a hall, an apartment on each fide, the fame in the next ftory, and under ground offices. A party of the rebels rufhed into captain Swayne’s apartment, which was on the ground floor, and murdered him. Some foldiers, who llept in the oppofite apartment, alarmed at the noife, came forth with their firelocks, and expelled thofe ruffians from the barrack, after having killed two or three of them.

The houfe was at that time furrounded with a great number of rebel* varioufly armed. A fierce conflidl enfued between the affailants and the befieged; but it was foon put an end to by the following malignant device of the former : There was a great quantity of flraw in the underground office, to which the rebels fet fire, and to increafe the flame introduced fome faggots into it. The foldiers were foon in a ftate of fuffocation; and the heat being fo great, that they could not endure it, they retreated to their com.rades in the upper itory; but the flame and the fmoke foon reached them there, as the rebels continued to introduce lighted faggots into the apartments under them. Enveloped with thick fmoke, and overcome with heat, fome of them leaped out of the windows; but were immediately received on the pikes of the affailants, who gave a dreadful yell whenever that happened.

At laft, the barrack being in a ftate of conflagration, the foldiers refolved to rufh forward, and fight their way through their affailants; but they, who were very numerous, formed a half moon round the front of the barrack, and received them on their pikes, fo that but few of them efcaped.

H h 2 Previous

236 MJMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Previous to this, the rebels were fo much galled by the conflant and well-direded fire of the foldiers, that, defpairing of fuccefs by force of arms, they fent two of their men into the hall, who cried out, “ We will deal honourably by you; we will fpare fuch of you as defccnd and deliver up your arms :” But thofe who yielded to their delufive promifes, were inftantly perforated with pikes.

Nicholas Eldon, the deputy barrack-mafler, his wife and children, and the families of fome of the Cork foldiers, remained in one of the underground offices, during this fcene of carnage; having retired there for fafety. At laft they, preceded by Mrs. Eldon, endeavoured to efcape from the flames; when a ferocious ruffian, ready to difpatch them with Ills pike, exclaimed, “ Let the heretick remain to be burnt,” They returned and continued to pray, till the flames forced them out again.

She ruflied out, and dropped on her knees, furrounded by three young children, having one of them in her arms. Her tears and entreaties, and her piteous fituation, altogether fufpended their fury for a moment. James Mc. Evoy, a young man of humanity, though a rebel, arrived, and conduded them to the houfe of Hugh Mc. Evoy, his father.

However, nothing could have faved them, if the following event had not taken place : A ftiort time before, exprefles arrived from Naas and Clane, which the rebels had attacked the preceding night, to inform the people of Profperous, that their friends had been repulfed at both; and to defire that they would fpare the lives of the proteftants, and the foldiers wives and children, that they might be faved in their turn.

James Mc. Evoy confefled, that they intended to have burnt all the proteftants in the barrack, but for that fortuitous circumftance; and it was remarkable, that they had placed over their doors fentinels, who were withdrawn as foon as the exprefles had announced the above intelligence.

Mr. Brewer, an EngHftiman, noted for his humanity and benevolence, had embarked very extenfively in the cotton manufadure at Profperous, where he maintained numbers of people, who had been fteeped in poverty. Hugh Mc. Evoy was his foreman, and his fon was employed under him. They condufted Eldon and his family to the houfe of Mr. Brewer, who, feeing them almoft jiaked, inftantly fupplied them with fome of his own deaths.  He had remained alone at his houfe,

vainly

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 237

vainly thinking that his adive benevolence, and his charitable difpofition would be his befl Ihield among the inhabitants of Profperous, whom he had fed and cloathed, by employing them in ufeful induftry. Hugh Mc. Evoy informed Mr. Brewer and Eidon, that they had been both condemned, and that he feared he could not fave them; but that he would do his utmofl: for that purpofe. He alfo faid, when he was leaving him, “ Sir, if they afk you to fwear, by no means refufe them and he promifed to comply.

During Mc. Evoy’s abfence, Mr. Brewer’s houfe was furrounded by a large body of rebels, who broke in fome of the windows, and were proceeding to break open the door, when Mr. Brewer ordered it to be opened, not fufpedling that he could have an enemy in the country, and deriving great fortitude from religious faith. When the mob entered his houfe, James Tobin, an inhabitant of the town, and a tailor by trade, rufhed into his apartment, and made a lunge at him with a pike, fo vehemently, that he perforated his body, and turned the edge of the weapon againft the wall, fo much, that he had fome difficulty in extrafting it. Having then drawn a fcymitar, he cleft his IkuU from his ear to his forehead; then aided by one Patrick Farrell, a native of the town, he carried the body to the front door, when Andrew Farrell,* who was leader of the party, cried out aloud, “ Behold the body of a heretick tyrant,” which was repeated by the whole party, who gave three cheers.

Barnaby Dougall, a cotton weaver, employed by Mr. Brewer, attended there on the horfe of captain Swayne, fully accoutred, and faid, he was a much better man than the captain.

When Hugh Mc. Evoy returned, he exclaimed, “ Oh! you villains, have you murdered the good man who kept us all from ftarving? If I knew the man that did fo, I would fhoot him, though I were to lofe my own life by it.” Mc. Evoy had great difficulty in faving the life of Eldon, as Andrew Farrell fwore he would kill him, and made a ftroke of a fabre at him.

At that inftant an alarm was fpread among the rebels of Profperous, by an exprefs from their friends at Clane, who called for a reinforcement, as they had been defeated there.  They therefore marched towards

Clane,

• He was a defeiter from the Clane corps, apcl had aflifted in attacking the town that morning with dodor Efmond.

2;,S Mr.MGIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Clcne, and put Eldon, live of the ancient Britons who were their prlIbners, and feme other proteftants in their front rank; but when they had advanced a fhort way, they found their friends retreating and difperfed.

The attack on Downings, the houfe of Mrs. Bonynge, about half a mile from Profperous, was attended with circumflances of brutal ferocity. One Dunn, a deferter from the Clane corps, galloped up to it in his uniform, at the head of a large party of rebels. This villain, a traitor to his king and country, called out for Mr. Johnfton, who was hateful to them, on account of his noted loyalty and zeal in the publick fervice. He was a member of the Clane corps, and was then defending that town from three attacks which the rebels made on it. Dunn was foon convinced of his abfence, by figns made by the popifli fervants of the houfe, who were attached to the caufe of the union.

As Mrs. Bonynge had fed fome of the Cork foldiers the preceding night, Dunn, fuppofing them to be in her houfe, infifted on having them delivered up to him; but being difappointed in this, he vowed deftruction againlt the houfe, milcfs I\Ir. Stamers was furrendered to him. He was proprietor of the principal part of Profperous, and went there occaficnally to receive his rents. Mrs. Bonynge, who preferved the moil unfhaken prefence of mind, had previoufly infilted on his concealing himfelf in the back yard; and on her declaring that he was not there, they difmounted, and in a turbulent manner fearched every part of the houfe. On being difappointed, they were on the point of fending for an additional party to demolifli the houfe and furniture, when Mr. Stamers generoufly came forth and furrendered himfelf, to fave the houfe in which he had be;;n fo hofpitably entertained. Falling on his knees, he implored the fanguinar)’ wretches to fhoot him there, ar, an ad of mercy, rather than put hirn to a cruel death, which their menaces and their furious appearance gave him reafon to dread; and he alfo befought them to fpare the houfe, and its inhabitants; all of whom conjured them, in the mofl: pathetic manner, to fpare the life of that worthy and unoffending gentleman. They promifed compliance, but infifted on conducting him among his towns-people. One fellow, who had captain Swayne’s horfc, required (as a matter of kindnefs) that he fhould ride him; but he fubmitting quietly to his fate, walked through the town, and was fhot at the other end of it. t n n

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 239

I ftiall refer the reader to Appendix, No. XV.* for a defcriptinn of the horrors of Profperous on that woeful morning. The rebels, on leaving Downings, vowed vengeance againft captain Williams, a half-pay officer, and nephew to Mrs. Bonynge, for no other reafon than that he was a loyal fubjed:.

It is remarkable that lieutenant Power of the Cork regiment, and his wife, both of the popifh perfuafion, remained unmolelLcd in Profperous, during this dreadful fcene of carnage.

The rebels murdered a man above feventy years old, who had ferved the greateft part of his life in the army as a ferjeant, and had retired on a penfion to Profperous; and merely becaufe he was a proteftant.

Of the city of Cork detachment they killed one captain, two ferjeants, one drummer, twenty-three privates, and wounded eight, of whom two died afterwards : The remainder of the company happened very fortunately to be fent on a party a day or two before, a few miles off.

The lofs of the Ancient Britons was, nine killed, five taken prifoners, and the remaining eight leaped out of the windows, and made their efcape over the bog of Allen.

A circumftance attended the attack on Profperous which evinces the force of fanaticifm even on perfons of enlightened minds, and ot its baneful influence in extinguifhing all religious and moral reftitudc. Dodor Efmond, brother to fir Thomas Efmond, was of a very antient popifh family in the county of Wexford. He fettled as a p hyfician in the county of Kildare, where he had confiderable practice, till he married a lady with fo large a fortune, that he became indifferent about the emolument arifing from his profeffion. Joined to a handfome countenance, and a very good figure, he had fuch urbanity of manner, and fuch attractive convivial qualities, that he was regarded as a very pleafing companion. In confequence of thefe mental and perfonal qualifications, Mrs. Efmond became enamoured of him. In private life, he was confidered as honourable and humane; but on this occafion, he yielded to the delufions of bigotry, which rendered him a traitor to his king, and infpired him with a malignant defire of fubverting the beft conflitution in the univerfe, and of erecting, on its ruins, the pandemonium of France, with all its concomitant horrors. Affuming the femblance of loyalty, he applauded the exertions of captain Swayne, and even cooperated

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

operated with him in extinguifliing that fpirit of difafFedion, which prevailed among the inhabitants of Profperous and its vicinity. He dined with him at an inn there on the twenty-third of May, and continued to enjoy the glow of focial mirth with him, till a few hours before the perpetration of that bloody fcene, which he had for fometime meditated.

“ Talibus infidiis, perjurique arte Sinonis,” “ Credita res.”

He was lieutenant of the Clane cavalry, commanded by captain Griffifth, and he perfuaded many privates of the corps to defert their colours, and to join him in the attack on Profperous, which is about three miles from Clane.

ATTACK UPON CLANE BY THE REBELS.

The garrifon there, confifted of a company of the Armagh militia, commanded by captain Jephfon, and a few of the Clane yeomen cavalry. Early on the morning of the twenty-fourth of May, the main, body of the rebels ftole into the town unperceived; but a drummer and the trumpeter having been alarmed, the former, after beating a few ftrokes of his drum, was driven into the guard houfe; however the trumpeter •alarmed the garrifon.

Captain Jephfon, on looking out of his window, faw the ftreets crowded with rebels, armed with different weapons : The foldiers, who were at billets in the town, endeavoured to come forth; but as each houfe was befet by a body of pikemen, they were obliged fmgly to fight their way through them; and in attempting to do fo, two of them were killed on the fpot, and five were badly wounded. However, the remainder, notwithftanding the furprife, alTembled, and gallantly repulfed the rebels. In the fecond attempt which they made, fix rebels, drelTed in the cloaths and mounted on the horfes of the Ancient Britons, entered the town, with the view of impofing themfelves as yeomen, an artifice which in fome meafure fucceeded; for captain Jephfon approached them, laid his hand on the neck of one of the horfes, and afked the rider, whence he came? on which he damned him, drew his fabre, and made a cut at him; for which he was inftantly (hot by one of the foldiers, and the remainder were wounded in their retreat.

About

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About three o’clock captain Griffith received an exprcfs at Miiliccnt, hh feat, by a yeoman, that a large body of rebels had attacked the guard at Clane : The captain arrived there in fifteen minutes, and found that, by the fteady conduct of part of his troop, who were armed with carbines, which they ufed with good eifeft, the infurgents had received fuch a check, as to afford time to about forty of the Armagh to turn out. The yeomen and militia had not fired more than three rounds, when the rebels difperfed; and the captain, on his arrival, found the troops purfuing them, and burning the houfes on the common, in which they had taken refuge. They killed a good many of them, and took fix prifoners of the popifh perfuafion, four of whom were captain Griffith’s tenants. One of them was condemned and hanged at the drum-head in Clane; the other five were hanged the fame day at Naas.

At his return to Clane, about five in the morning, he heard of the carnage at Profperous. On muftering the guard, he found his fecond lieutenant, a ferjeant and feventeen privates, one of whom was feverely wounded; the other three had deferted with their own arms, and thofe belonging to other yeomen of his troop. He had hardly time to draw up the yeomen and militia in the ftreet, when a party of rebels, mounted on the horfes and furnilhed with the arms and accoutrements of the ancient Britons, made a charge into the town. By one volley they brought down fix or feven of them; the remainder fled precipitately, and took fhelter behind a ftrong party of rebel infantry, which were approaching from Profperous, and which made a formidable appearance, not fo much from their numbers, though confiderable, as from the brightnefs of their arms, and the fcarlet coats and helmets of which they had plundered the foldiers at Profperous.

As they were not ftrong enough to attack fo numerous a party, and thinking it diflionourable to retreat, the captain, in concurrence with the militia officers, refolved to take poft on an elevated fpot near the Commons, where they could not be furrounded or out -flanked; and there they waited for the enemy, who began a fmart fire on them, but without effeft, as the elevation was too great. Our troops, having returned the fire, killed and wounded a confiderable number of them, on which they fled in great difmay, and were charged by the captain and his fixteen yeomen, who cut down many of thofe whofe heads were ornamented

I i with

242 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

with the helmets of the ancient Britons, or the hats of the Cork regiment. In their flight, they dropped a great quantity of pikes, pitchforks, mufkets and fabres.

He returned to Clane, refreflied his men, and fet out for Naas, whi,ther he had orders to march; but a fhort time before he left Clane, he was joined by one of his yeomen, of the name of PhiHp Mite, who fecretly delivered him a letter, in which he communicated to him the condud of Efmond,who, he faid, had commanded at the attack of Profperous; and that he (Mite) had accompanied him to the entrance of that town, and then made his efcape. He had fcarce received this intelligence, when Efmond appeared and joined the troop, with his hair drelTed, his boots and breeches quite clean, and fully accoutred. The captain had fortunately fufficient command over himfelf, to reprefs his indignation on feeing him, and to hold his peace till he arrived at Naas, where, having drawn up his troop in front of the gaol, he committed Efmond in five minutes after they halted.

When Mite was awakened, and was compelled to join the rebels, who were proceeding to Profperous, he objeded againft attending them; on which Efmond, who headed the party, defired him to banifti his fears, as, he faid, the mafs of the people of Ireland would rife that night.

He was afterwards conveyed to Dublin, was tried by a court martial, and convicted of high treafon, on the cleareft evidence, and was hanged on Carlifle-bridge the fourteenth of June.

INSURRECTION NEAR DUNLAVIN.

On the night of the twenty-third of May, the rebels having broke open the gaol of Ballymore-euftace, one of the prifoners, who made his efcape, arrived at Dunlavin, and informed captain Ryves, who commanded a corps of yeomany there, that the town would be attacked by a numerous body of rebels that night, or early in the morning.

At the dawn he perceived large columns of them moving round the adjacent country, and many proteftant houfes on fire; and knowing, from the cruel and fanguinary fpirit which the rebels had difplayed at Ballymore-euftace, that they meditated the total extermination of all proteftants and loyalifts, he was driven to the necelfity of adopting a meafure, which nothing but motives of felf-prefervation and the emergency

■i

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

243

gency of the occafion could juftify. The only troops in Dunlavin were his corps of yeomen, and the light company of the Wicklow militia, commanded by captain Richardfon; and the number of prifoners confined in the gaol there for treafon far exceeded that of the garrifon.

The captain marched out of the town with a party of yeomen cavalry to encounter the rebels; but they were fo numerous and defperate, that he was obliged to return, after fome of his men had been piked.

The officers, having conferred for fome time, were of opinion, that fome of the yeomen who had been difarmed, and were at that time in prifon for being notorious traitors, fhould be fliot. Nineteen therefore of the Saunders-grove corps, and nine of the Narromore, were immediately led out and fuffered death.

It may be faid, in excufe for this ad of fevere and fummary juftice, that they would have joined the numerous bodies of rebels who were moving round, and at that time threatened the town. At the fame time they difcharged fome of the above corps, in confideration of their former good charafters.

ATTACK ON BALLYMORE-EUSTACE.

As the united Irifhmen in the neighbourhood of Ballymore-euftacc were known to have an immenfe quantity of arms, captain Beevor was fent there on the tenth of May with detachments of the ninth dragoons, the Tyrone, Antrim and Armagh militia, to compel a furrender of them, by living at free quarters. He had every reafon to believe, that he had completely fucceeded in the objedl of his miflion, as he received three thoufand ftand of arms of different defcriptions; and particularly, as, on the morning of the twenty-third of May, four ferjeants of united Irilhmen marched in their quota of men, eleven each, with their pikes on their fhoulders, and received protections. As feveral committee-men had done the like on that and the preceding day, captain Beevor was fo convinced , that the people were fmcere in their profeffions of renouncing their re• bellious defigns, and of returning to their habits of peaceful induftry, that he fent off one hundred and twenty men of his garrifon, and kept but about forty, to lighten the diftrefs of the people, who were obliged to maintain them.

About the hour of one o’clock, he was awakened by the cry of a perfon, that the rebels would have his blood; and on rifmg, two men rulhed

I i 2 into

244

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

into his bed-chamber, one armed with a piftol, the other with a pike* The former, who fired at him, very f’ortmiately miffed him; on which he feized a piftol, which lay at his bed-fide, and ihot him through the body. The other made a longe at him with his pike, which he ftrove to avoid, and received but a flight wound in the Ihoulder. The ruffian, feeing that he was reaching for the fecond piftol, feized him in his arms, and carried him fome way towards the head of the flairs, where he faw a number of pikemen ready to receive him; but, being fuperior to him in ftrength, he got his arms loofe, refcued himfelf, and dragged the rebel into a room, where a yeoman was ftanding with his fword drawn, and whom he folicited to run him through the body, but he never offered to flir. It appears that he was a papifl, and was afterwards difmiffed from his corps for noted difaffedion.

At that moment, lieutenant Patrickfon arrived, and ran him thromgli the body. The pikemen, at the foot of the ftairs, findhig that their two comrades had been kilLd, were making off, but were met by fome of the dragoons, who were rallying from all points round the captain’s quarters, and who killed moft of them. Twenty-eight dragoons joined the captain, and took poft in his houfe, which was attacked for near two hours by a large body of rebels, whom they at length repulfed, after having killed a number of them.

In the mean time, th| rebels fet fire to feveral houfes in which the foldiers were quartered; and, affifted by the owners, who treacheroufly fecreted their arms, murdered feven dragoons and four of the Tyrone militia, and defperately wounded three of the former, and two of the latter.

At length, captain Beevor fallied out with twelve dragoons, and routed them in every direftion. Lieutenant Mc. Farland, of the Tyrone militia, a mofl excellent officer, w^s fhot through the body and died.

They entered the houfe of Mr. Henderfon, a revenue officer and a proteftant, and fhot him in his bed.

Next morning they took a rebel prifoner, ^vho gave the following information, as to their number and their mode of attack : The foldiers were quartered in eight different houfes, each of which was to be attacked at the fame moment, by the fignal of a gun fired in the churchyard.  The number of the affailants was eight hundred.  They lofl

three

I

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 245

three captains, and near one hundred men. Captain Beevor’s fervant was (hot in his bed. He, lieutenant Patrickfon, cornet Maxwell, and all the privates of the dragoons and the militia, difplayed fingular fpirit and intrepidity againll fo great a fuperiority of numbers.

INSURRECTION AT KILDARE.*

For feme days previous to the twenty-third of May, the inhabitants of Kildare and the adjacent country continued in great numbers to furrender arms, to take oaths of allegiance, and to obtain protections.

About two o’clock in the afternoon of that day, general Wilford ordered the troops under his command at Kildare to march to Kilcullen, for the purpofe of reinforcing general Dundas, who had had an engagement with the rebels.

John Conftable, a private of captain Neville’s corps of yeomen cavalry, who conveyed the orders to him for that purpofe from general Dundas, was (hot outfide the town; yet he lived to deliver his difpatch, but dropped dead foon after.

On leaving the town, general Wilford ordered Mr. Cooper, innholder, to colled his baggage, and that of the Suffolk fencibles, and to lodge them in the guard-houfe. He alfo fent orders to captain Winter, commanding a detachment of the Suffolk, and a fmall party of the 9th dragoons at Monaftereven, to follow him.

When captain Winter arrived at Kildare, he received written orders from the general, to burn all the camp equipage lodged at Kildare; but Mr. O’Reilly, late major of the Kildare, having reprefented to him the danger of fetting fire to the town, and having informed him that its inhabitants would proteft the baggage, which they treacheroufly promifed to do, he defifted from burning it.

In about an hour after the king’s troops had left the town, the inhabitants rung the market bell, as a fignal for a general infurreftion, which accordingly took place.

About two thoufand f rebels, headed by one Roger Mc. Garry, marched into the town, and feized all the officers’ baggage and the camp equipage, which had been lodged in the guard houfe, and a con

fiderable

* Plate I. 7. t Thcif pikes had croffei paintcil on them.

«46 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

fiderable quantity of pikes and fire arms, which they had furrendered a few days before, as a proof of their fincerity to renounce their treafonable defigns, which they promifed by oath to do. The proteftant inhabitants, fearing that they fliould be maffacred, immediately fled to Naas or Monaftereven, for protedion, and on their departure, their houfes and their property were plundered and deftroyed. Mr. Cooper loft to the amount of 2oocl. in Kildare and the Curragh.

The following horrid circumftances attended the murder of George Crawford, and his grandchild of the age of fourteen years. He had formerly ferved fo long in the fifth dragoons, as to be entitled to a penfion, and was at that time a permanent ferjeant in captain Taylor’s corps of yeomen cavalry. He, his wife, and granddaughter, were flopped by a party of the rebels as they were endeavouring to make their efcape, and were reproached with the appellation of hereticks, becaufe they were of the proteftant religion. One of them ftruck his wife with a mufket, and another gave her a ftab of a pike in the back, with an intent of murdering her. Her huftjand, having endeavoured to fave her, was knocked down, and received feveral blows of a firelock, which difabled him from making his efcape. While they were difputing whether they fliould kill them, flie ftole behind a hedge, and concealed herfelf. They then maffacred her huft^and with pikes; and her granddaughter having thrown herfelf on his body to proted him, received fo many wounds in the breafts, the head, and thighs, that flie foon after expired. Thefe circumftances of atrocity have been verified by affidavit fworn by Crawford’s widow the twentieth day of Auguft, 1798, before alderman Jenldn. The fidelity of a large dog, belonging to this poor man, deferves to be recorded, as he attacked thefe fanguinary monfters, and fought bravely in defence of his mafter, till he fell by his fide, perforated with pikes.

Mr. James Williams, a revenue officer, of the proteftant religion, having made his efcape, they plundered his houfe, and deftroyed his property; and having hung up his favourite dog, they fired many fhots at it, lamenting at the fame time, that they had not an opportunity of treating his heretick mafter in the fame manner.

About eleven o’clock that night, they ftopped and plundered the Limerick mail coach, and maffacred one of the paffengers, lieutenant

William

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

247

William Giffard of the Sad regiment, and fon to captain John Giffard of the royal Dublin regiment. The favages having fhot one of the horfes fo as effedually to prevent the coach from proceeding, demanded of lieu<tenant Giffard, who, and what he was? to which he anfwered without hefitation, that he was an officer, proceeding on his way to Chatham, in obedience to orders he had received. They demanded, whether he was a proteftant? and being anfwered in the affirmative, they held a moment’s confultation, and then told him, that they wanted officers; that if he would take an oath to be true to them, and join them in an attack to be made next morning on Monaftereven, they would give him a command, but otherwife he muft die.  To this the gallant youth replied, that he had already fworn allegiance to his king; that he would never offend God Almighty by a breach of that oath; nor would he difgrace himfelf by turning deferter, and joining the king’s enemies; that he could not fuppofe an army of men would be fo cruel as to murder an individual who had never injured them, and who was merely paffing through them to a country from whence poffibly he never would return; but if they infifled on this propofal he mufl die, for he never eould confent to it.  This brave and yet pathetic anfwer, which would have kindled fentiments of generous humanity in any breafts but thofe of Irifh rebels, had direftly the contrary effeft upon them : With the utmofl fury they alTaulted him; he had a cafe of pocket piftols, which his natural courage, and the love of life, though hopelefs, prompted him to ufe with ^ffedt.  Being uncommonly active, he burfl from them, and vaulting over a fix-feet wall, he made towards an houfe where he faw light, and heard people talking.  Alas! it afforded no refuge! it was the houfe of poor Crawford, whom, with his granddaughter, as before mentioned,  they  had juft piked for being proteftants.  A band of the barbarians, returning from this exploit, met lieutenant Giffard; there he fell, covered with wounds and with glory; and his mangled body was thrown into the fame ditch with honefl Cra\vford and his innocent grandchild.  Thus expired, at the age of feventeen, a martyr to religion and honour, whofe memory will ever be refpeded by the virtuous and the brave!

While thefe blood-hounds continued their fanguinary orgies in the sight, they conftantly exclaimed againfl hereticks and orangemen.

About

248 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

About one o’clock in the mornings they marched for Monaflereven, from thirteen hundred to fifteen hundred in number, and commanded by captain Mc. Garry.

As by far the greater part of the popill> members of the yeomen corps in the county of Kildare joined the rebels, or were known to be difafledted, I think it right to mention that fourteen of that perfuafion in the Monaflereven corps, much to their honour, fhewed on all oecafbons the utmofl fidelity to their king and country.*

In their march to Monaftereven, they killed fuch proteflants as tliey could lay their hands on, and plundered their houfes. They gave many wounds with a pike to Thomas Birch, parifli clerk of Kildangan, a nian above eighty years old; and then drove him into his houfe, which they fet fire to, with an intent to burn him; but he efcaped out of the back door, and recovered afterwards.

They murdered dean Keatinge’s parifli clerk, a very old man; and they took a proteftant boy of the name of Higginbotham to their camp at Knockallin, and {hot him there. They piked one Miley, a carpenter, near Dunlavin, and major Ponfonby’s fervant, one of the fifth dragoon guards, as he was croffing the Curragh.

ATTACK UPON MONASTEREVEN.f

In this town there was a corps of yeomen cavalry, another of infantry. Having received intelligence on the twenty-fourth of May, that one of their members was barbaroufly murdered, and that another was a prifoner with the rebels, they made circuits of feveral miles round the country, to give the loyal inhabitants an opportunity of retreating to the town. They met great numbers of rebels repairing to their refpective leaders, with whom they had fome fkirmiflies, and in one of which they were fo fortunate as to refcue three foldiers of the Ancient Britons, part of a detachment from Kildare, confifting of a warrant officer and four privates, one of whom they had barbaroufly murdered. One of the troop, who raftily purfued fome rebels too far into a bog, received many defperate pike wounds.  In their circuit they repaired to the houfe

of

* Mr. John Caflidy, a brewer of that town, and a Romanift, flicwed fingiilar zeal on all occafions, as a loyalift, in that corps. + See plate I. 7.

I

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 249

of Mr. Darragh, for the purpofe of efcorting him and his family to Monaftereven; but he was in fuch imminent danger, and fuch excruciating pain, that he could not be removed.*

Between four and five o’clock in the morning, one of the videts galloped into the town, with intelligence that the rebels were advancing; one column approached by the canal, covering the road to a great extent, and was oppofed by the infantry, commanded by lieutenant Eagot, who ordered his men to prefent; and the rebels having fuddenly halted, the infantry recovered their arms and advanced, on which the rebek retreated, with an intention of attacking the town in another quarter.

The cavalry, commanded by captain Hayftead, then came forward, turned down the road towards the turnpike, and fell in with another body, whom they routed, after killing many of them.

The third column advanced into the main flreet, where the adion became very ferious.

The infantry maintained a warm and well direfted fire on the rebels, and at laft broke them.

The cavalry, taking advantage of their confufion, charged them, and purfuing the fugitives, killed and wounded a great number of them; no lefs than fixty rebels lay dead in the ftreets. On the part of the loyal yeomen, John Nicholfon, Chriftopher Cox, John Pilfworth, Edward Simpfon, and Richard Hetherington, and nine horfes, were killed.

I think it is a tribute due to the memory of thefe brave men, that their names fhould be recorded in the page of hiftory. It redounds much to the honour of the Monaftereven yeomanry, that they defended their town againft thirteen hundred rebels, well appointed with arms, without the afliftance of the militia or regular troops.

A prieft of the name of Prendergaft was hanged at Monaftereven, having been convicted on the cleareft evidence of being deeply concerned in the rebellion.

A day or two before it broke out, he called on a proteftant gentleman in its vicinity, for whom he had a particular regard, and informed him, that he was very defirous of faving him and his wife; but that he feared it would be impoflible to do fo, uniefs they would confent to be chriftened, to confefs to him, and to embrace the Roman catholick reHgion;

K k that

* See the attempt on his life, page 197.

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MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

that on fuch terms he would fave alfo his brother; but that he coulJ not fave his wife, as fhe was an orangewoman.*

When the rebels were entering the town of Monaftereven, they attacked, and were on the point of breaking into the houfe of Mr. John Chriftian, with a defign of murdering him, his family, Charles Browne, efquire, and his lady, Mr. and Mrs. Chriftian and their child, all protcftants; but were driven from it by the fire of the yeomen.

On the twenty-fourth of May, while Mr. Darragh of Eagle-hill was lying on the bed of pain and ficknefs, his houfe at Eagle-hill was attacked by a numerous body of rebels, who came from their camp at Knockalin-hill, about three miles oft’. It was defended by Mr. Dalton, his brother-in-law, two other gentlemen, tvi^o foldiers, and two fervants; the whole under the direction of Mr. Bolton, his furgeon, who fought with great bravery, the reft of his domefticks having joined the rebels. They had juft time to place the barricadoes to the windows, which Mr. Darragh had been obliged to make ufe of to defend his houfe for twelve months before, and to diftribute the ammunition. As the rebels approached the houfe, they fent forth a terrifick yell, like favages, and fwore they would carry off”, on their pikes, all the heads of the irunates. They had but two guns, three piftols, and two fwords, befides the foldiers mufkets, for their defence. A furious aflault was made immediately on the houfe, and many vollies were fired into the windows of the ground floor, and middle ftory; and fome balls found their way through the port holes, into the drawing-room, where Mr. Darragh lay, accompanied by!Mrs. Darragh, her mother, fifter, the maid fervant, two men fervants, and two foldiers. They were fo fortunate as to rout the whole party, after killing and wounding a great number of them. The rebels carried off all the killed, except one ruffian, who fell when he was endeavouring to break open, with his pike,” a window near the hall. He had in his pocket captain Swayne’s protection, in confequence of having taken the oath of allegiance, and furrendered a pike, a few days before; and the following prayer :

“ My God, I offer unto thee my fleep, fubmitting it with a pure intention to thy holy will; and that I may recover new vigour to ferve

thee.

* By this, he alluded to her being fifter to a gentleman of noted loyalty, who was very aftive in checking the progrefs of the confpiracy.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

25»

thee.* I wifli that every breath I am to take this night, may be an adt of praife and love of the divine Majefty, like the happy breathings of the faints and angels who never fleep; and fo I compofe myfelf to fleep in the arms of my Saviour.”

This wretch lived about a mile and a half from Eagle-hill, and had a fhort time before been brought through a malignant fever, and his life faved, by the benevolent affiftance of Mrs. Darragh, who fupplied him with medicines, wine, and other neceflaries and comforts.

He kept a fchool, and a nightly rofary, which v/as fome fuperflitioua inflitution like the fcapular, that ferved as a vehicle for treafon.

ATTACK ON RATHANGAN.

On Thurfday morning the twenty-fourth day of May, the Inhabitants of the country for fome miles round Rathangan were in a flate of infurredtion; and as they approached the town, towards evening, in great bodies, and with much vociferation, captain Langton, who was quartered there with a company of the South Cork militia, fearing that he fhould be furprifed and cut off, kept patroles all that night on the different avenues leading to it, which was very fortunate, as they had Ikirmifhes with, and repulfed different parties of the rebels who were advancing towards the town. Purfuant to orders which he had received from general Wilford, he would have marched that day to Sallins; but he was perfuaded to remain there by Mr. Spenfer, who promifed to excufe him to the general, and who fent a Mr. Gatchell to Kilcullen for that purpofe.

On his arrival there, he found that it had been evacuated by the king’s troops, and was in pofTeffion of the rebels, who attacked and endeavoured to feize him; but he narrowly efcaped, after having been feverely wounded. He received intelligence on the road, that the mail coach had been deftroyed near Naas by the rebels; who, in large bodies, had been defolating the preceding night all the country contiguous to thofe towns with fire and fword.

The loyal inhabitants of Rathangan were in the utmoll confternation all that night, as they could difcern, from the tops of their houfes, a great number of habitations on fire in the adjacent country; and their o\^Tiers,

K k 2 who

* Every popifli rebel imagined that he ferved his God in oppoftfig a protcflant, or ini\uiRg his proteftant fellow-fubjefls,

252 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

who v/ere all proteftants, came flocking into the town, after having narrowly efcaped with their lives. They coukl alfo perceive multii^udes of the rebels moving round the fires; and could hear them uttering the mod dreadful fhouts and yells.

Captain Langton, having received a peremptory order from general Dundas, marched from Rathangan on Friday, about three o’clock in the afternoon, and endeavoured to perfuade Mr. Spenfer to accompany him, as he was very obnoxious, from his noted loyalty; but he refilled his earneft entreaties.

The inhabitants remained under arms on Friday night, expeQing to be .attacked every moment. It was not until Saturday the twenty-fixth, about three o’clock, that the rebels in great numbers, and varioufly armed, entered the town; of whom the principal part approached and furrounded Mr. Spenfer ‘s houfe, which he had barricadoed, and introduced into it fome of his labourers, in whom he thought he could confide, and three proteftant farmers, two of them yeomen. They broke in the windowfhutters with the butt ends of their mufkets, and thruft into the rooms large quantities of burning ftraw, on the end of their pikes. They alfo fet fire to the back-door, and to the windows of the under-ground offices. Mr. Spenfer perceiving that refiftance would be fruitlefs, afTured them, from a window in the firft floor, that he would quietly furrender his arms. Having defired him to defcend, he complied with their wifhes, and approached them in a mofl refpefliful conciliating manner; on which a fellow, of the name of Doorley, to whofe family Mr. Spenfer had always been very kind, and whofe brother was a yeoman in his corps, approached him with a menacing afpe6t, and flourifhed a fcymitar over his head, ufing at the fame time fome infolent and opprobrious language. Mr. Spenfer afked him, “ What he had ever done to offend him?” Doorley replied, “ You would not give me a protedion againfl the foldiers, when they came into this country upon free quarters.” Mr. Spenfer alTured him, “ That he would have done fo, if he had applied to him for that purpofe.” ‘

Mr. Spenfer, perceiving that they began to grow turbulent and furious, retired into his houfe, and was purfued by a party of them, who murdered him on his ftair-cafe, having /hot him through the head, and mangled his body with pikes in a molt favage manner. They then carried it out, and laid it on the ground, in the front of the houfe, as if to fatisfy the rebel

multitude^

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

253

multitude, that their wi{hes had been accompliftied. Next day the fervants obtained permiffion to bury it; but \uithout a coffin.

Thus this worthy gentleman, who was an adive and intelligent magiftrate, and as remarkable for the amiablenefs and afi’ability of his manners, as the benevolence of his heart, fell a facrifice to the fanaticifm of thofe favages, to whom he had been unremittingly a kind and generous ‘benefadtor.

As his houfe was a fliort diftance from the town, Mrs. Spenfer, who was led to it in the midft of thefe monfters, had the anguifh to fee the mangled corpfe of her hufband lying at his door.

When they killed him, they proceeded to maffacre George Moore, James his fon, and John Heaflip his fon-in-law, the three proteftants who were in the houfe : The labourers joined the mob, and were not injured ^ for their religion preferred them.

Mr. Spenfer was captain of a yeoman corps, which made him hateful to the rebels, who were joined by almoft the whole of the popifh members of his troop. Of thefe, Martin Hinds, to whom he had been Angularly kind and generous, and Molloy, an opulent farmer, who was his fecond lieutenant, became leaders among the infurgents.

Mr. Moore, his firft lieutenant, was an Englifh gentleman, who had long ferved with reputation in the king’s fervice, and had retired to Rathangan, a very pretty village, in which a few refpeclable families formed a pleafant fociety. On the approach of the rebels, he and about fifteea of the yeomen infantry, together with a few loyal inhabitants, retreated inte the houfe of Mr. Neal, a quaker, as it was more defenfible than his own. They afked him to furrender his arms, having affured him that his perfoa fliould not be injured.

For fome time having refufed to comply, Mrs. Spenfer, and fome more refpedable females, went to the front of the houfe, and on their knees befought him to accept of the terms offered by the rebels; from a conviftion that refiftance would be vain, and that it would terminate in the deftrudion of the befieged. They at laft acceded to the terms which had been delufively offered; but thefe amiable females found, alas! that they had been deceived by thefe blood-hounds, whofe cruelty could be equalled by nothing but their treachery; for they murdered every proteftant in the houfe, by leading them into the ftreet, and butchering them with favagc

exultation :

254

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

exultation : But it is remarkable, that they did not injure a fingle papift whom they found there.

They led Mr. Moore about the ftreets, mocking and infulting him. His wife, who lay-in three days before, had been removed to the houfe of captain Grattan five or fix hours previous to the maffacre; and, having conduced him oppofite to it, they refolved to aifaflinate him there, to encreafe the bitternefs of death, and to wound the feelings of his innocent wife, whofe fenfibility was heightened by the delicacy of her fituation; but fome of the favages, more humane than the reft, objected to that refinement in cruelty. They then led him to another part of the town, and iliot him; and foon after they malTacred fix proteftants who had been in Mr. Ncal’s houfe with him; of whom the youngeft, of the name of Fofter, was but fourteen years old.

One of the Fofters efcaped in the following manner : While they were torturing his brother, he refcued himfelf by main force, darted from them into an adjoining houfe, clofed the door, and got into a little clofet under the flairs, where he remained above forty hours, almoft double; and when the favage pikemen purfued him, the maid fervant humanely faid, that he pafTed through the houfe, and made his efcape; but I am forry to fay, that her fubfequent conduQ: abated her merit very much; for afterwards, in a moment of cool deliberation, fhe exprelTed concern at having faved a heretick.

On the whole, they murdered nineteen proteftants in that little village, and fome of them with fuch circumftances of cruelty, as nothing but fanaticifm, operating on the moft barbarous ignorance, could dictate.

They cut off the arm of Robinfon, a carpenter of the proteftant perfuafion, before they put a period to his exiftence.

On firing at one Whelan, a proteftant, he fell to the ground, and then received many pike wounds; and yet he recovered and is ftill alive. The ruffian who fired at him exclaimed, “ There goes a proteftant!”

They killed one Coyle a fhoemaker, far advanced in years, becaufe he could not crofs himfelf; but on finding him to be a heretick, they compelled him to crofs himfelf as well as he could with his left hand, fuperflitioufly beUeving, that the doing fo would inevitably doom him to eternal damnation.

They

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

25s

They were Inclined to kill Mr. Dawfon, a proteflant gentleman, who lived at Rathangan; but fome of them objeded to it, and faid, ‘ He is married to one of us,’ meaning a papift.

A woman urged them to kill dodor Bagot, an aged and infirm gentleman, who never denied medical afliftance to the poor. One of the rebels objefted to it, and faid, he is a good man : She replied, ‘ You fhould get rid of him; for his children fmg * Croppies, lie down.’ However, they led him out to execution, and compelled him to wear a green wreath in his hat; but his wife faved him, by faying, he would be ufeful in dreffing their wounds. There is not a doubt but that he would have lhared the fate of the other proteflant inhabitants of Rathangan, if they had not hoped to avail themfelves of his (kill as a furgeon; for, through the courfe of the rebellion, they were careful of the lives of fuch perfons as were verfed in the medical art.

Thefe favages continued all night to exprefs the joy which they felt at their fuccefs, by fliouts and yells, uttered with barbarous diflbnance, and to boaft of their achievements in the prefence of thofe perfons whofe relations they had malTacred.

The following expreffions were related to me by fome ladies of undoubted veracity, who heard them uttered by thefe cannibals : “ We have got rid of our friends, and have fent their fouls jumping to hell.” “ We have at laft got what we had a right to, our own county to ourfelves,”* meaning the county of Kildare.

One of them, foon after the murder of Mr. Spenfer, alked one of his fervants, whether they were all Roman catholicks? and on her faying they were, the houfekeeper excepted, he replied, ‘ The bitch mull be put an end to.*

Lieutenant-colonel Mahon of the 7th dragoon guards, marched to the relief of the town, on Monday the twenty-eighth of May, with a detachment of his regiment, and fome yeomen cavalry from Tullamore, which is feventeen miles from Rathangan. Sometime before he arrived there, he divided the fquadron into two parts, with a view of approaching the town by two different roads, in order to furround the rebels. One party arriving firft, palfed through it without any moleftation, and having joined

the

• Tlie popifh multitude are taught to believe, that the proteftant* have no right to refiJe ia Ireland, or to any property in it.

256

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

the other, they returned to fee that every thing was right; but in pafEng through if, they received a mofl tremendous fire of muflcetry from the windows, by which three men were killed, and eleven were wounded; and fix horfes were killed, and twelve were wounded. It is furprifing that they efcaped fo well, as the fquadron, confifting of eighty, were clofe together; but the great duft which they raifed prevented them in fome meafure from being feen. Lieutenant Malone, whofe horfe was fliot under him in the ftreet, became their prifoner, and had a narrow efcape, as he was fhot through his cloaths, and received many fhots in his faddle and holfters. One of the favages was feen to give many ftabs of a bayonet to One of the dragoon horfes which lay dead in the flreets; and every time he repeated it, exclaimed, “ Take that, protcftant!”

On Monday morning one James Curry, a leader of them, and fuppofed to be mufter-mafter, cried out in the flreets, “ “What is become of the boys of Coolelan and Ballinure?* damn them, flick them to the heart, for not joining us.” The favages fwore vehemently that they would do fo; and faid we are the boys that will do their bufinefs. That villain was between fixty and feventy; he was hanged in two hours after.

They fired up into the fteeple of the church, fuppofing that Wilfon the fexton was there; but he lay concealed in a hay loft, and eluded their favage fury.

On Sunday, one of their leaders, mounted on Mr. Spenfer’s horfe with all his accoutrements, arrived at Rathangan; and after haranguing them fometime, faid, “ Let there be no more bloodfhed, as we have got poffeflion of the caftle and the barrack of Dublin.”

They frequently boafted of the murders they had committed. A young man having declared vauntingly, in the prefence of Mrs. Watfon, that he killed captain Moore, and committed other barbarities; (he, who is a quaker, and has much religious fortitude, exclaimed : “ Oh! thou wretch! If thou art fo great a monfter at thy age, what mull thy father be?”

On Monday afternoon, the city of Cork militia under colonel Longford, with a detachment of dragoons, and two field pieces, approached Rathangan. The rebels ftiewed the utmofl terror and confternation; fome were for giving battle, others for abandoning the town; one was heard

to

* Two tov.’ti-lands in the county ef Kildare. The inhabitants of every town-land were regularly cnrollfd ana regiftered.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 257

ro fay, “ I thank God I heard three malTes yefterday!’* A large party of them called out for holy water; and having obtained it, retired to Mrs. Pym’s yard, went on their knees, and were fprinkled with it.

Lieutenant-colonel Longfield having appeared at fome diftance from the town, the rebels fent a man on horfeback, with a flag of truce, towards him; and major Millar having advanced to meet him, received a letter from, him for the commanding officer; importing, that they Vv^ouid inflantly put Mr. Malone, their prifoner, to death, if the king’s troops did not retire; but the colonel, difregarding their menace, advanced precipitately ,« after having fired fome rounds of cannon fhot at the town, which diflodged the rebels, and put them to flight; and fuch was their confufiony that they fled without injuring Mr. Malone.

Colonel Longfield obtained ample vengeance for the death of the loy= alifts, having killed in the attack and the purfuit between fifty and fixty rebels, and hung fome of their leaders, who fell into his hands; among whom was Molloy, Mr. Spenfer’s renegado lieutenant.

They were on the point of hanging one Keogh, a glazier, who had been adtive among the rebels at Mr. Spenfer’s houfe. Having pleaded that he was compelled by force to join them, they fpared his life; but obliged him to execute thofe whom they fentenced to death.

When the military appeared, the rebels had begun to firip the lead from the roof of the church, for the purpofe of making bullets; and then they intended to have burned it.

Doorley owned afterwards, that in one day more they would have put all the proteftant women and children to death, if the king’s troops had not arrived; and there is every reafon to think fo, as their fanatical fury, inflamed by conftant ebriety, had fermented to a very high pitch.

The barbarous treatment of Michael Shenfi:one, a proteftant, deferves to be circumftantially related. He was led into the ftreet, with the other unfortunate proteftants, and received eighteen ftabs of pikes.

A woman of the name of Farrel, who was infamouflv a£live in this fanguinary bufinefs, informed them, that they did not know how to kill Orangemen; on which a ruffian ftepped forward, and trampled on the dead and dying. He then put a piftol clofe to Shenftone’s head, and the ball entering near the ear, came out under the eye, having fraftured the cheek-bone in a mofl fhocking manner.  In fome hours after h€ was put

L 1 into

258 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

into a cart with the bodies of feventeen proteftants who had been murdered, and was conveyed to the church-yard to be interred; but feme alarm preventing it, he remained among the dead that night. Next morning, at the interceffion of fome of the rebels, his body was delivered to his wife, by whofe care and proper medicinal affiftance he recovered, and regained the ufe of his limbs. Thefe fads were related to me by a gentleman who faw Shenftone foon after; and they have been verified by his affidavit, fworn before Oliver Nelfon, a magiftrate, and by Mr. Bayly, curate of Rathangan, and Mr. Pym, his landlord.

I fliall mention here an incident, which throws great light on the fpirit;of the confpiracy and rebellion, and the fecret defigns of the great body of the rebels. One Dennis, an apothecary and a . proteflant, was the county delegate, and the chief conductor of the plot in the King’s county,* which was to have exploded in a few days; but the wanton malTacre of proteflants at Profperous and Rathangan having convinced him that their extirpation was the main objeft of the Romanifts, though they had with fmgular diflimulation concealed it from him, who was their leader, he repaired to TuUamore to general Dunn, who commanded in that diftrid, threw himfelf on the mercy of government, expofed the whole plot, and the names of the captains, who were immediately arrefted. He faid to the general, “ I fee, fir, that it -will foon be my own fate.”

ATTACK ON KILCULLEN.f

For a fortnight or three weeks previous to the twenty-third of May, the rebels continued to take oaths of allegiance, and to obtain protections, in confequence of having furrendered pikes and mufkets, which they did to the number of between ten and fifteen thoufand, to general Dundas, who refided at Caftlemartin, within half a mile of KilcuUenbridge. In confequence of this, the civil magiftrates, and the officers, were thoroughly convinced that the difaffeded had completely renounced their rebellious defigns.

A perfon alTured me, that he rode alone on the morning of the twentythird of May, from Tallagh-hill to Kilcullen-bridge, without feeing any perfons on the roads or in the fields; and yet at four o’clock in the afternoon, Mr. Robert Douglafs of Gormanftown, came into Kilcullen, and informed the garrifon, that about three hundred rebels had affem

bled

• See plate I. 7. f Ibid,

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 259

bled at the Rath of Gilltown the preceding night; and that he was very well informed, that they meant in a large body to attack the town, and to take general Dundas prifoner by furprife. In confequence of this intelligence, patroles were fent to all the avenues leading to the town, and the army and the yeomanry were ordered to be in readinefs.

At half paft eight, two of captain Latouche’s corps, John Farange and Hugh Gribbin, were fent exprefs to Ballymore-euftaee, to apprife the garrifon there of the rifmg. About midway, they fell in with five hundred pikemen, at a fudden turn of the road. They knocked Gribbin oft” his horfe, and gave him feveral flabs of pikes; however he is fmce recovered. Farange returned, and entered the town, crying out aloud, “ To arms!’*

About twelve o’clock, a prifoner was brought in, who, on being whipped, confelTed, that the rebels were at that time on the point of attacking Naas.

The town remained quiet till feven next morning, when general Dundas ordered forty cavalry of the 9th dragoons, and the Romneys, and twentytwo of the Suffolk fencibles, commanded by captain Beale, whofe condud merited the higheft praife, to proceed to Old Kilcullen, where the rebels were affembled. Three hundred of them were ftrongly entrenched in the church-yard, which was defended on one fide by a high wall; on the other, by a quickfet hedge, with a dyke before it.

General Dundas ordered the Romneys and the 9th dragoons to charge the rebels, though it was up-hill, though the ground was broken, and many of the rebels were in a road clofe to the church-yard, in which not more than fix of the cavalry could advance in front.

They however charged with great fpirit, though their deftruftion was confidered by all the fpeftators to be the certain and inevitable confequence of it; for what could cavalry do, thus broken and divided, againft a firm phalanx of rebels, armed with very long pikes; neverthelefs, they made three charges, but were repulfed in each; and at every repulfe the general urged them to renew the attack.

It was with the utmoft difiiculty that captain Cooks and captain Erfkine could prevail upon their men to renew the charge, after the firll defeat. In the laft charge, captain Cooks, to infpire his men with courage by his example, advanced forae yards before them; when his horfe having

L 1 2 received

26o

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

received many wounds, fell upon his knees; and while in that fituatlon, the body of that brave officer v/as perforated with pikes; and he, captain Erflcine, and twenty-tv/o privates, were killed on the fpot, and ten fo badly wounded, that mofl of them died foon after.

Had general Dundas waited for the arrival of twenty-two of the Suffolk fencibles, who were advancing, and joined them in a very fhort time, that affair would have had a more fortunate iffue.

Captain Beale, who commanded the Suffolk fencibles, with great coolnefs advanced within thirty yards of the rebels, broke and difperfed them with one well-dire£ted volley, every fhot having taken place.

General Dundas, defeated at Old Kilcullen, retired with his little force to the village of KilcuUen-bridge, where he halted for fome time; but the rebels, elated with their fuccefs, determined to follow up their victory with vigour, and knowing that they could not hope to force the ftrong and narrow pafs of KilcuUen-bridge, defended by regular troops, they took a route fomewhat more circuitous; and fording the Liffey a little below Caflle-martin, marched up to the Turnpike-hill, and took a pofition between Kilcullen and Naas,* with intent to cut off general Dundas and his forces from the pofTibility of retreating.

The general upon this occafion put himfelf at the head of twenty-feven Suffolk fencible infantry, his cavalry In the rear, and marched boldly up to the rebels, whofe fuccefs had encreafed their numbers to many thoufands.

The rebels were -drawn up in a regular line, three deep, with three flands of green colours. They began the attack by firing four rounds, accompanied with loud fhouts. They were broken and difperfed by the fecond or. third difcharge of the Suffolk fencibles; on which the cavalry charged, routed them, and killed great numbers in the purfuit.

Mr. Latouche’s corps made a diflinguiflied figure in this affair, in which three hundred rebels were killed.

After the engagement, general Dundas abandoned Kilcullen, and marched to Naas, for the purpofe of concentering the forces under his command, as near the metropolis as poffible; having well-grounded apprehenfions, that it would be attacked by the enemy in great force.

Soon after the general marched from Kilcullen, the rebels plundered all the houfes of the proteflants in it and its vicinity, and murdered fuch

of

* Fourteen miles to the Xouth of Dublin, Plate I. 7.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

of the inhabitants as coald not make their efcape. They killed quarter-mafter King of the 9th dragoons, a man feventy years old, who remained behind in the town; and two dragoons of the fame regiment, who guarded the reverend dodor Cramer’s houfe, were treacheroufly murdered by feme wretches who were drinking with them. They piked out one eye of a Mrs. Burchell, aged ninety; they alfo aflaffinated fome wounded foldiers who had been left in the town, and a Mr. John Cheney at Donard. All the proteftants near KilcuUen, who were fo fortunate as to efcape from the favage rebels, fled to Naas, where they remained feme days in the utmofl: diftrefs.

On the twenty-fifth of May, the houfe of the reverend Henry Annefley Off Newpark, was furrounded by a party of rebels, headed by one Hetherington of Kildare, who, after taking a plentiful repaft, and plundering it of provifions and various articles, fet fire to it, and eight outoffices, which were foon confumed.

One of the leaders of this party was Laurence Byrne, a blackfmithj who lived under and was kindly protected by Mr. Annefley’s family, at Ballyfax. This ruffian made feveral attempts to ftab him with a pike, but was prevented. He repaired the fame evening to Ballyfax, with a cocked piftol, and compelled Mr. Annefley and his nephew to go to Knockallin camp.

All the proteftant clergy in the county of Kildare, except one,* were obliged to fly from their houfes.

On Saturday the twenty-fixth of May, the houfes of Mr. Eyre Lindfay, Mr. David Burchell, and Mr. John Jones, all proteftants, v/ere burnt near Ballyfax.

There were fix rebel encampments in the county of Kildare,! one nt Knockallin near Old Kilcullen, one at Barnhill near Kildare, one at Hodgeftown, one at Hortland, one at Redgap, and one at Timahoe.

On Saturday the twenty-fixth of May, a rebel army, above three thoufand in number, who compofed for the greater part of thofe that had been ftationed at Knockallin and Barnhill, fent a deputation to general Dundas, to fignify that they would furrender their arms, and return to their refpeftive houfes, provided their prifoners that were taken were liberated; but he refufed tkefe terms.  I’hey then offered an unconditional

* The peculiarity of bis conneifl’cns pvotcifled him.    f Plaie I 7.

262

IVIEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

furrender; but he hefitated to negotiate with them without the fandion of government.

General Lake having been fent to him by lord Camden, the two generals received their arms and their fubmiflion, and granted them pardon; yet the greater part of them joined their friends in their different camps in the county of Kildare, with the protections of thofe generals in their pockets; and others repaired to the county of Wexford, to join their fellow traitors there.

It is univerfally allowed, that this negotiation of general Dundas with the rebels, though well intended, produced the worft elFefts; for it made them elate and infolent, by fhewing them that treafon might be committed with impunity; and it encouraged them in the commiflion of murder and rapine for many months after, which will appear in the fequcl.

General fir James Duff, quartered in Limerick, having heard that the infurredion was very general and terrifick, infomuch as to threaten the metropolis, and to obftruft all the roads leading to it, marched from Limerick with two light fix-pounders, feventy of lord Roden’s fencible cavalry, and two hundred and fifty of the city of Dublin regiment of militia. They were joined on their route by about two hundred of the South Cork regiment of militia, and their two battalion guns; and by about fifty of the 4th dragoon guards, and a party of gallant yeomen. They arrived at Kildare by forced marches in forty-eight hours, and then repaired to a place called the Gibit Rath, where the rebels were pofled in a Danifh fort.

General Wilford had been deputed by general Dundas to receive their fubmilTion; but, unfortunately for that body of rebels, fir James Duff arrived there half an hour before him.

The general, on his arrival there, after having difpofed his army in order of battle, fent a ferjeant and twelve of the cavalry to the rebels, to defire they would quietly furrender their arms; but they wantonly and without provocation fired on the king’s troops, of whom they killed one, and wounded three; but ample vengeance was foon obtained; for above three hundred and fifty of the rebels were killed, and feveral wounded by lord Jocelyn’s fencible cavalry, who fell in with them pell mell; fo that the artillery and infantry were unable to ad without the rifque of deftroying their friends.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

263

The reverend Mr. Williamfon, a proteflant clergyman of Kildare, :and the priefl: of the parilh, repaired to general Duff on the part of the inhabitants of Kildare, to obtain the royal mercy for them, on condition of furrendering their arms, and returning to their allegiance; but the king’s troops, fufpefting their fmcerity, and not knowing them, were on the point of hanging them, which probably they would have eflefted, but that colonel Sankey, of the city of Dublin regiment, and brotherin-law of Mr. Williamfon, arrived and undeceived them.

Next day, fir James Duff, having received information that a large body of rebels were encamped at Blackmore-hill, whither great numbers of thofe pardoned by general Dundas had repaired with their protections in their pockets, he marched to attack them; and by a few difcharges of artillery they were routed, and a good many of them were killed.

No praife can equal the merit of fir James Duff, and his gallant little army; for in forty-eight hours they marched feventy miles without halting. At Kildare, they found the murdered bodies of honeft Crawford, of his innocent granddaughter, and of the gallant young Giffard, who preferred death to diflionour, and whom they interred with military honours.

It is to be lamented that the difaffedion of the popilh yeomanry of the county of Kildare was highly difgraceful.

Of a corps of fifty yeomen cavalry at Caftledermot,* there were but five who were not implicated in the rebellion; and their lieutenant, Mr. Daniel Caulfield, was committed by government,

A neighbouring corps of yeomanry, called the Sleumarigue, under the command of Mr. Bambrick, with great modefty gave up their arms, confcious of the improper engagements they had made with the united Irilhmen.

A proteftant corps of the fame name, formed under the command of Mr. Gerald Fitzgerald, have rendered the moft effedual fervice to their country.

A well-mounted corps of fifty yeomen, called the Athy cavalry, were raifed under the command of Thomas Fitzgerald, efquire, of Geraldine, whofe commander was committed to the caftle of Dublin, where he remained a clofe prifoner for fome months; and foon after his arreft,

the

* Plate 1. 8.

264

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

the corps were difanned pubiickly, in the market fquare of Athy, for difaffedion.

An attempt was made to admit fuch as were without cenfure, into the loyal corps of Ballylinan, commanded by Steward Weldon, efquire; but very few were found eligible.

All the Roman catholieks in the Rathangan corps joined the rebels.. Molloy their lieutenant, and feveral more were hanged; many were pardoned under the proclamation, and others of them abfconded.

In the North Naas corps, there were fo many implicated in the rebellion, that but fixteen could be depended on to do duty.

Though the Clane corps were fixty-fix ftrong, fuch difaifedion pre^vailed among the Roman catholick yeomen, that but twenty-four muftered on the twenty-fourth of May. .

ATTACK ON CARLOW.*

The mail coach from Dublin always reached Carlow in the morning, about eight o’clock; and, as its not arriving on the morning of Thurfday the twenty -fourth of May was to be the fignal for rifmg there and ia its vicinity, the rebels could not make their intended attack on that town till the morning of the twenty-fifth.

About two o’clock on that morning they alTembled in great force, moftly from Grange, Hacketftown, Tullow,t LeighHn,]; and that part of the country between Rathvilly andBorris,§ headed by one Roach a farmer. They gave a moft dreadful yell as foon as they entered the town, where they were joined by moft of the lower clafs of the popifh inhabitants, and numbers of people who had been fecretly coming into it the whole of the preceding day and night. They marched, in number about two thoufand, through TuUow-ftreet, till they arrived at the potatoe market, where their progrefs was interrupted by two fentinels ported at the coir ledtor’s door, and a loyal proteftant who joined them; and they, by a conftant and well-direded fire, defeated their defign of uniting with the Queen’s county rebels, (who were to have met them at Graigue-bridge) and drove them acrofs the potatoe market towards the gaol, where two fentinels, with equal fpirit, checked them in their career, and forced them to retreat through Bridewell-lane, towards the court-houfe; where

having

• PMte I. 8, and II. i.   f Plate II. i, j.   4 Ibid. 3, 4.   § Ibid. 7.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 265

having received a few fliots from the houfe of a loyal proteftant, they cried out that they were furrounded by the foldiers, threw down their arms, and, in the greateft confternation, endeavoured to retreat by the road through which they had at firft advanced; but, fearing to meet the army in that diredion, numbers of them retired into the houfes in Tullow-ftreet, which it is believed were inhabited by their alTociates; for when the foldiers fet fire to them, to make the rebels bolt, there was not a woman or child in any of them. Some rufiied out through the flames, and were fliot or bayoneted; others remained in the houfes till they were confumed. The other mifcreants who had taken different routes, were fliot by the loyal inhabitants from their windows; and fuck of them as efcaped, werepurfued and killed by the foldiers and yeomanry;, fo that the ftreets, the roads, and fields contiguous to the town, were fl:rewed with carcafles. That evening, and all next day, nineteen carts were conft:antly employed in conveying the dead bodies to the other fide of Graigue-bridge, where four hundred and feventeen bodies were buried in three gravel-pits, and covered with quick lime. On the whole, it was believed, that no lefs than fix hundred of the unfortunate wretches periflied, including thofe who were confumed in the houfes, and thofe who fell in the roads and fields, and were fecretly interred by their friends.

The Queen’s county rebels were to have met, and joined thofe of the county of Carlow, at Graigue-bridge ^ but having heard that there were two pieces of cannon ported there, they changed their route; and, headed by one Redmond, and one Brennan, who had been a yeoman, they burned fome proteftant houfes in the village of Ballyckmoiler, and attacked the houfe of the reverend John Whitty, a proteftant clergyman, near Aries, about five miles^ from Carlow; but it was bravely defended, by himfelf and eleven proteftants, who kept up a conftant fire, killed twenty-one rebels, and baffled all their attempts to ftorm or burn it. The conflict continued from three till fix o’clock in the morning; when Mr. Whitty’s ammunition being nearly expended, he fent two of his party to a neighbour to borrow more; but they were furrounded and overpowered after a gallant defence. The corpfe of one of them, whom they killed, was mangled in a barbarous manner. They left the other, whofe name was Impey, fuppofing him to be dead; but he after

M m wards

266

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

wards recovered : He aflced for a draught of water from fome perfons who were prefent, but they would not relieve him, till he afked for a prieft, and then they fupplied him with it. This party was firft informed, by emifTaries from Carlo w, that their friends were fuccefsful, and had got polTefTion of the barrack; on which they felt a degree of joy equal to madnefs, but it was only the delufion of a moment; for the difmay which they felt, on hearing the fate of their friends wa« fuch, as to check their fanguinary defign of immolating an unfortunate proteftant, whom they were on the point of {hooting.

Richard Waters, a member of Mr. Rochfort’s corps of yeomanry, fell into their hands; and they had him for fome time on his knees, ready for execution, when an account of the fad cataftrophe at Carlow arrived. He, taking advantage of the panick which it produced, reprefented to them the folly of continuing in their rebellious career; recommended to them to furrender their arms, and throw themfelves on the mercy of government; and his exhortation not only produced the defired effeft, but faved his life.

The barony of Carbery in the county of Kildare, part of the adjacent country, including confiderable portions of the counties of Meath, and the King’s county, were dreadfully agitated, fo early as the beginning of the year 1795, by the defenders, who continued almoft without intermiffion, till the rebellion broke out, to levy money, to plunder of arms the houfes of proteftants, and often to murder their inhabitants; and this in fome inftances at noon day.

About the hour of twelve o’clock at night, on the fixth of May, 1797, they attacked the Charter-fchocl at Caftlecarbery, in great numbers, broke all the windows, fired many hundred fhots into it, and attempted to force open the door; but were repulfed with the lofs, it is faid, of twenty men killed. The number who fell could not be well afcertained, as they carried off the dead bodies. They affumed the title of united Iriflimen fome time in the year 1 796.

On the thirtieth of May, 1798, about two thoufand of them, headed by one Cafey, attacked and burned the fame charter-fchool, after having plundered all the property of Mr. Sparks, the mafter, which was confiderable. This man, remarkable for his humanity and tendernefs to the children under his care, was peculiarly the objeft of their vengeance, on

account

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 267

account of the vigorous defence which he had made the preceding year. The fchool had been defended by a party of fencibles, till the twentyfourth of May, 1798; and when they were withdrawn, Mr. Sparks and his family were obliged to abandon it; and the children took refuge in the bog of Allen, and in fome neighbouring cabins.

The day before the charter-fchool was burnt, the parifli prieft told fome of the children, and an old woman who attended them, that they need not be under apprehenfions that night; and that, at all events, they (meaning the children) would not be molefted. The charter-fchool, a^ a proteftant inflitution, was peculiarly the objed of hatred to the infurgents, who were exclufively of the popifh religion.

In confequence of the increafing outrages of the (Country, and the well-grounded belief, that a general infurreftion would foon take place, lieutenant Tyrrell, commanding the Clonard cavalry, in the abfence of Mr. John Tyrrell, its captain, then in England, received an official letter on the tenth of May, ordering his corps on permanent duty at Clonard,* four miles from Carbery.

Mr. Thomas Tyrrell, at that time high fheriff of the county, finding his houfe at Kilreny, a mile and a half from Clonard, indefenfible; and as his noted loyalty and activity had made him obnoxious, he removed his family to the houfe of his kinfman, Mr. John Tyrrell, at Clonard; which he fortified^ and where he kept a guard of one ferjeant and eighteen men, who were relieved every week.

Abaut the fame time, captain O’Ferrall, of the Ballina cavalry, mounted a permanent guard at John down; but as there were ftrong apprehenfions of a general infurreftion, he was permitted to join the guard at Clonard every night for protection, and returned every morning at four o’clock to Johnftown.

At laft, the outrages and atrocities increafed to fuch an alarming degree, that lieutenant Tyrrell repaired to Dublin, and applied to lord Caftlereagh for a reinforcement of regular troops. His lordfhip affured him, that, from the peculiar ftate of the country, government could not comply with his requeft; but recommended to him to raife fome fupplcmentaries among the proteflants of the country, and told him that they fliould be fupplied with arms and ammunition.

M m 2 During t See piate I. ( and 7.

2€8

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

During this reprefentation to adminillration, the rebels burned the proteftant charter-fchool at Carbery, and feveral houfes of proteftants in it and its vicinity. They then proceeded towards Johnftown, burning all the proteftant houfes they met with in their progrefs, which terminated at Gurteen, where they plundered and burned .the houfe of Mr. Metcalf.

Mr. Barlow, fecond lieutenant of the Clonard corps, marched out with part of his guard, and being joined by captain O’Ferrall, purfued the rebels to Gurteen; but finding that they were pofted behind hedges, at each fide of the road, which was fo deep and fo narrow, that the cavalry, tliough expofed to the enemy’s fire, could not deploy, or make any offenfive or defenfive operations, they were under the necefTity of retiring.

On the thirtieth of May, Mr. Tyrrell arrived from Dublin, and next day enrolled and armed nineteen well-afFe£ted proteftants, to aft as infantry. By this time the rebels had coileded in very great numbers, and encamped on an ifland in the bog of Timahoe,* and at Mucklin and Drihid; and for fome time they continued to plunder the houfes of all the proteftants in the neighbourhood, and carried off” all the horfes and cattle tliey could find; and even intercepted the fupplies of oxen and fheep which were going from remote counties to the capital.

Government, having received intelligence of thefe enormities, fent general Champagne, on the fifth of June, to confult with Ueutenant Tyrrell, who was well acquainted with the country, on the beft and moft feafible mode of attacking the enemy’s camp. General Champagne was efcorted to Edenderry by lieutenant Tyrrell; but finding no troops there, he fent an exprefs to Philipftown, to order troops from thence to attack the enemy; and they arrived at Edenderry on the evening of the feventh of May; and on the next day, the general, having arranged his plan of operation, proceeded to attack the enemy with the following forces : A detachment of the Limerick militia, commanded by lieutenant-colonel Gough; the Cooleftown yeomanry cavalry, by captain Wakely; the Canal Legion, by lieutenant Adam Williams; the Clonard cavalry, by lieutenant Tyrrell; and the Ballina cavalry, by captain O’Ferrall.

The

* A gentleman who was a prifoner with them, informed mc, that he faw a pi ieft there, who encouraged the rebels to perlift in the rebellion, by afluring them that all the people in Connaught were in a ftate of infurredion.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

269

The general difpofed the cavalry fo as to furround the bog, while the infantry attacked the camp, which was on an ifland in it. The conteft lafted for fome time, as the number of infantry was but fmall; however, their valour amply compenfated the paucity of their numbers; for the Limerick, led on by the gallant colonel Gough, and ably fupported by the X;!lanal Legion, commanded by Heutenant Williams, at laft forced the camp, and difperfed the rebels; of whom great numbers were cut off, in their flight, by the cavalry*

Lieutenant Tyrrell having received information that a numerous body of rebels had taken poll on a hill near his houfe of Kilreny, where they were committing depredations and various enormities, went to Kinnegad himfelf for the troops quartered there, and fent an exprefs for thofe who were ftationed at Edenderry, to co-operate with them.

The following troops alTembled on the thirtieth of June, and attacked the rebels, who, to the number of fix hundred, were pofted on Foxeshill : A detachment of the Limerick, the Cooleflown, the Canal Legion, and a fmall party of the Northumberland fencibles. They were foon routed with confiderable (laughter; and one Cafey, their commander, his brother, and another leader, were killed, and their bodies were expofed for fome days at Edenderry.

Cafey had been principally concerned in the atrocities committed at Rathangan; the uniform great coat of Mr. Spenfer, and the boots of Mr. Semple, a yeoman, murdered there, having been found upon him.

Lieutenant Tyrrell entertained the mofl fanguine expectations that fuch decifive advantages againft the rebels would have reftored peace and tranquillity; but the arrival of four thoufand Wexford rebels in the county of Kildare, commanded by general Perry, and one Kearns, a popifh prieft, blafted all his h6pes, and fpread defolation in the country which he was appointed to defend. I fhall poftpone a defcription of their progrefs and operations, till I have mentioned their defeat in the county of Wexford.

The following anecdote will Ihew the reader to what a ftate of debafement the popifli multitude were reduced by the fanguinary and fanatical principles which were conflantly infufed into their minds, to prepare them for the approaching infurre£lion and rebellion; John North, of Nurney in the county of Kildare, a fellow of mean parentage, and ple

279

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

beian manners, married a handfome young woman of the name of Car* rol, of the proteftant religion, and refpeftably conneded; but whofe diftrefles compelled her to make fo difagreeable and unequal a connection. Being a bigotted papift, and of a ferocious difpofition, he became an enthufiaft in the caufe of the united Irifhmen, and gradually contradted an envenomed hatred againft his wife, on account of her religion; infomuch, that he ufed conftantly to beat her with great cruelty, and to reproach her with the appellation of heretick; and his relations, harbouring an inveterate averfion towards her for the fame reafon, would not fuffer her to fuckle her only child, a new-born infant. At laft, intpelled by fanaticifm, he attempted to murder her with a knife, and would have effeded it, but that his mother, on her knees, deprecated his anger.

He kept an inferior kind of publick houfe, which was the rendezvous of all the rebels of the adjacent country; particularly of one Prendergaft, a priefl, who was hanged at Monaftereven, on the breaking-out of the rebellion. As fhe heard them at their nightly meetings forming treafonable plots, and expreffing their determination to deftroy all heretick?, file was kept in a conflant ftate of terror.

At laft fhe found, among his papers, a letter from a rebel captain, advifmg him to kill her, and to bury her in an adjacent fallow field; on which fhe fled, and repaired to her relations in the county of Wicklow.

Soon after, this ruffian having a quarrel with a proteflant yeoman of the name of Crofs, a challenge took place, and the combatants agreed to decide it with piftols. North fired firfl, and miffed his antagonifl, on which Crofs defired him to beg his life; but he fwore he never would do fo of an Orangeman; on which Crofs fired and killed him.

ATTACK UPON KILCOCK.

The day after the rebels furrendered their arms at Knockallln to general Dundas, a party of them, encamped at Timahoe, fent as their delegate the reverend father Murphy, a priefl, to fir Fenton Aylmer, pofted at that time at Kilcock, with the Donadea cavalry which’ he commanded, confifling of one captain, one lieutenant, three ferjeants, and thirty privates; for the purpofe of affuring him of their penitence, and their determination of furrendering their arms; and to requefl that he would go to their camp, which he might do with the utmofl fafety, as they had

I the

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

the greateft refpe£t and regard for him : He, agreeable to their defirc, having gone there, accompanied by one friend, and efcorted by two dragoons, had a long conference with their leaders; and in confequence of the ftrong aflurance of their pacific difpofition, and of an ardent defire to return to their allegiance, he repaired firfl to general Dundas, and afterwards to lord Camden, to obtain an amnefty for them.

While fir Fenton Aylmer was conferring with the rebel chiefs in their camp, his friend perceived two of the inferior rebels fteal behind a hedge, and prefent their mufkets at him; on which he told the leaders, that he and his friendwould inftantly Ihoot them, if the affaflins did not immediately defifl: : On which the chieftains made an apology, and faid it was done without their knowledge. They then, at their inftance, accompanied them to a place about a mile from the camp; and as a proof of their fmcerity, they obferved, that they had no arms; but they no fooner arrived there, than they faw fix rebels with their mufl^ets, going behind a hedge, to fhoot at them.

Notwithftanding his exertions to ferve them, they treacheroufly made an attack on him at Kilcock, with their whole force ftationed at Timahoe, which is feven miles diflant, on the Monday following; faying, “ That all they wanted was the bloody fir Fenton Aylmer, and Michael Aylmer his lieutenant, and their bloody Orange crew,’*

One of his videts having informed him of their approach, he advanced with his corps, with an intention of charging them; but perceiving their great fuperiority of numbers, he founded a retreat, after having narrowly efcaped being furrounded by them.

The rebels, after entering the town, fearched every recefs, and every chimney in the inn, for him and his officers.

Sir Fenton Aylmer then fell back, and joined a fmall corps of yeomen infantry, commanded by captain Jones, about a mile at the other fide of the town, determined to give them battle.

On taking his ground, which was in fir Percy Gethin’s lawn, he found, to his mortification, that the infantry had retreated, and that all his corps, except fourteen who were proteftants, had deferted him; the re^ mainder, who were Romanifts, not being able, as they faid, to mount their horfes in the hurry, remained behindj and the rebels were fo friendly to them, that they only deprived them of their arms, without offering them any injury. r^^^

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

The .papiils in captain Jones’s corps retired to their refpedive houfes, in the fame manner, without being molefted by the enemy. The rebels then burned the houfe of Jofeph Robinfon, a proteftant, an aftive conllable, and clerk of the parifh church of Donadea, then the barrack; and afterwards Courtown, the feat of lieutenant Aylmer; fwearing at the fame time, that they would burn the houfe of every bloody proteftant. They afterwards proceeded to Donadea, to burn the houfe of fir Fenton Aylmer, but were diverted from doing fo, by being informed that their own friends had lodged many valuable articles in it for fafe cuftody; but they gave orders to have them removed, that they might execute, their malignant purpofe. But having been engaged in fome other enterprife, they fortunately forgot it.

Nicholas Newenham, one of fir Fenton’s videts at Kilcock,. having^, from excefTivc zeal, advanced too far, was taken prifoner by the rebels, and was a witnefs of the deftruftion of his father^s houfe, clofe to Dona, dca, which they burnt, becaufe he was a proteftant; for they publickly announced their determination to deftroy the property of every perfon of that perfuafion.

Having led young Newenham to their camp, they compelled him to dig his own grave; and during five or fix days they carried him often to the brink of it, and threatened to throw him in and bury him alive; and whenever they did fo, they compelled him to fay his prayers at the edge of it; and while performing his devotion, they mocked his religion^ and curfed him, as a heretick; at laft one of them, more humane thaa the reft, ftiot him, threw his body into the grave, and covered it lightly with earth.

Thefe fads have been fubftantiated by the affidavits of different rebels, Tvho afterwards obtained their pardon.

About a month after, as fir Fenton Aylmer was coming to Kilcdck with fourteen dragoons, he was way-laid near Clane, and had a narrow cfeape, as the hedges were thickly lined with rebels. Very fortunately for him, he had an advanced guard, confifting of four men, of whom they killed three, which alarmed them, and enabled them to make their retreat to Sallins. One of the advanced guard was Archibald Noble, a proteftant, and late of the Fermanagh militia, noted for his courage and loyalty; and fuch was their hatred towards him, that they fired

th«

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 273

the inftant they faw him, by which the remainder of the party were faved.

William Aylmer, a rebel general, declared afterwards, that he wou’d have cut off the whole of them by the ambufli which he had laid, but that he could not reftrain the impetuofity of his men.

Next day they lay in wait a fecond time for him and his party.

Of eighteen papifts in fir Fenton Aylmer’s corps, eleven deferted on Sunday the eleventh of June, 1798, with their full arms and accoutrements. The other feven that remained faithful, were officers fervants, or perfons who immediately depended on proteftant gentlemen for their fubfiftence.

INSURRECTIONS IN THE COUNTRY NEAR ATHY AND NARRAGHMORE, AND COUNTY OF KILDARE.

On the feventeenth of March, 1798, John Glennan, a proteftant, was murdered near the Moat of Ardfcull; and a few days after, John Lucas, parilli clerk at Narraghmore, a man far advanced in years, was decoyed out of his houfe by his brother-in-law, and afTaflinated.

Thefe atrocities, and the conftant robbery of proteftant houfes of arms, alarmed the loyalifts fo much, that they invited Mr. Rawfon, of Glaffealy near Athy, to command them; and he was foon at the head of one hundred and forty men, fteady in fupport of their king and country. By their adive exertions and the difcoveries that were made under the direction of that excellent officer general Campbell, the leaders of infurrtftion were fpeedily apprehended in the vicinity of Athy. Many hardened rebels fought for chieftains in more diftant parts, and feveral hundreds acknowledged their crimes and furrendered their pikes.

Colonel Keating, a moft adive magiftrate and intelligent officer, perceiving ^that the ftorm was gathering, raifed fixty yeomen cavalry and twenty infantry for the prefervation of the peace; and it is to be lamented, that the Roman catholick members of thofe corps, with few exceptions, proved afterwards to be difaffefted; and that many of them, in violation of their oaths of allegiance, turned their arms againft their king and country.

This amiable gentleman went to the difi’erent popifh chapels, and fre(juently exhorted the multitude to renounce their treafonable defigns, and

N n to

274 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

.to return to their allegiance; but finding all his efforts fruitlcis, he left the country in defpair; an ill-fated event for the neighbourhood where he refided! for, had he remained, his good fenfe would have contributed much to avert the ftorm which hung over the county of Kildare.

In the month of January, >79^, captain Rawfon, to undeceive and conciliate the people, publiHied addrefl’es at all the chapels in his neighbourhood, of which fee a copy in Appendix, No. XV. and for this, his noted loyalty, and his aftive exertions as a magiflrate, he was condemned by a committee of aflaffination, which fat in his vicinity; and the ruffian who made an attempt on the life of Mr. Darragh, having been employed to murder him, he lay in wait for him at different times, in a fhrubbery near his houfe, and would have affaflinated him, but that he was fortunately attended by his fon, who was armed.

On the memorable twenty-fourth of May, an exprefs arrived from Dunlavin to general Campbell, and intelligence was brought to captain Rawfon, that the popifh multitude were in a ftate of infurreftion on every fide, and the proteftant inhabitants of Narraghmore requefled to know what meafures they were to take for their protection. The general fent an exprefs to Dunlavin, with directions how to proceed; and captain Rawfon fent another to Narraghmore, with orders to the loyalifts to fall back on Glaflealy, with an aflurance that a party would foon go to their afliftance; but both the expreffes were murdered by the way; and fuch of the unfortunate proteftants of Narraghmore as could not effect their efcape, remained in the village, without any affiftance.

General Campbell fent a detachment of the Suffolk fencibles, under the command of major Montrefor, by Glaffealy, to the affiflance of the Narraghmore loyalifts, whilll he went with another towards Mulloghmaflhill.

Early in the day, James Murphy of the water-works, as principal in command, with a number of rebel captains, colle€ted the whole country, men, women, and children; in fhort, every one capable of bearing a pike; and they, with their united force, proceeded to attack the yllage of Narraghmore. Nine loyalifts, who retired into the court-houfe, fuccefsfully refifted them for two hours, and at lafl beat them off.

John Jefferies, the permanent yeoman ferjeant of the Narraghmore corps, having a houfe with much property, which he wifhed to defend,

imprudently

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

275

imprudently led his little party into it» The routed rebels were met by Daniel Walfh, a traitorous yeoman of that corps, who has been fmce defervedly hanged; and he rallied, and brought them back to the attack. Jefferies’s houfe being foon fet on fire, the loyalifts parleyed, and the rebels promifed that their lives fhould be fpared, provided they furrendered their arms; but the inftant they came forth, the pikemen fell to butcher them. No lefs than fix traitors were {tabbing together at Thomas Young; but the clafliing of their pikes, and the confufion which arofe from their eagernefs to fhed his blood, having fufpended his fate for a moment, Fitzpatrick, one of the traitors of the Narraghmore corps, cried out to the pikemen to clear his way; and he inftantly blew out the brains of his fellow foldier, with the mufket which he had received to; ferve his king and country he then feized a pike, and transfixed the body to the ground, crying out, “ That’s the way to kill a heretick.”

Thomas Alcock, and Mofes Borroughs, an old man of eighty years^ (whofe venerable locks fhould have protected him,) were next inhumanly butchered. The other fix were reierved to be hanged in the adjoining wood of Narraghmore. The rebels then fet fire to every proteftant houfe in the town, in which the women were particularly adive. On their retiring, the mangled body of poor old Borroughs was feen by Fitzpatrick, who thruft a pike into it, and pitched it into a dyke of water,, exclaiming, “ Fogh! I fraoll a proteftant carrion.”

This barbarian was apprehended by the Athy loyalifts, tried by a courtmartial, executed on the fpot where he had committed fome of his enormities, and his head is now on the gaol of Athy. In his laft moments he declared that he died innocent.

Lieutenant Eadie of the Tyrone militia, who had been ftationed for fome months at Ballytore, was ordered, on the morning of the twentyfourth of May, to join his company at Calverftown. Having proceeded with, twenty-three privates, by Narraghmore,. he received a prefling invitation there to breakfaft, which was vi^ry unfortunate, as by that delay he was prevented from arriving in time to fave the lives of the loyalifts.

He had not proceeded far with his party, when he heard the Ihouts of the favages, exulting over their vidims, as they conveyed them for execution.

N n 2 Lieutenant

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MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Lieutenant Eadie placed his men^ehind a low wall, and when the favages came within thirty yards, gave them a volley, which killed many of them.

The favages fled, leaving all their prifoners, fave Jefferies and William Aflie, behind them. They were rallied and brought back to the fight, by a heroine, whofe fpirit and animation would have immortalized her name in a good caufe.

In their turn, the rebels attacked lieutenant Eadie’s little party, for many hours; he kept on the defenfive, until at length he completely routed his foes, taking the heroine prifoner. She was ftripped of her riding-coat and cap; and, lieutenant Eadie, either admiring her bravery or beauty, gave her her liberty.

The rebels, after their defeat by lieutenant Eadie, retreated to Ballytore, where they gained a reinforcement of many thoufands; and, attri* buting their want of fuccefs to irreligion, they formed in the ftreet, knelt down, and compelled Mr. Cullen, the parifh prieft, to give them his blefling. Then, headed by Redmond Murphy, and Malachy Delany, two rebel leaders, they broke into a houfe where lieutenant Yeates, the fon of a refpedlable magiftrate of the neighbourhood, was prifoner, butchered his body in a moft cruel manner, and threw it into the ftreets to be devoured by pigs. They then murdered a poor travelling foldier, who had fought protedion in the houfe of Mr. Robert Hudfon,

They attacked and put to death feveral fick foldiers of the Suffolk fencibles, hanging fome of them, who were in fevers, out of their windows : they took prifoners two ladies, the wives of the Suffolk officers, and lodged them in the houfe of Abraham Shackleton,* of Ballytore, under a guard of rebels. They then proceeded to murder Jefferies and Afhe; but Mr. Cullen faved and concealed them, till they made their efcape to Athy.

By this time the rebel force had encreafed to the number of three thoufand, and learning from their fcouts, that lieutenant Eadie had miffed the road to Calverflown, they purfued him. Major Montrefcr having proceeded with his detachment to GlafTealy, a party of rebels from Fonftown, under the command of captain Paddy Cowling and

Terry

* His father Was fchoolmafter to Edmund Burke.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 277

Terry Toole, who were on their way to burn the manfion-houfe there, fled at his approach. The major then proceeded to the village of Narraghniore, but too late to do any eflential fervice there; as no human being was to be feen, but the wretched vidims of favage fury, and every proteftant houfe in it was deftroyed, or confumed by fire.* The major then marched to the place of his deftination, Redgap-hill, while captain Rudd with thirty men, flanked him through the woods of Narraghmore; and having been joined by lieutenant Eadie, they followed the route which major Montrefor had taken.

At the end of the bog road near the, turnpike, they were attacked and furrounded by the three thoufand rebels from Nar>^ Taghmore, on whom they kept up a briflc fire, for near half an hour, which brought the major and his party to their afliftance. The rebels having perceived his approach, placed a number of wool packs on cars, which happened accidentally to be pafling by; and fome of their markfmen concealed behind them, fired and killed feven of the Suffolk fencibles, and then retreated to their main body. But the major purfued, and obtained ample revenge; for in a fliort time, two hundred rebels lay dead, and as many more were wounded. In thefe different conflicts, and in the fcenes of carnage, conflagration and plunder, which occurred in the courfe of that day, fixty of the Narraghmore corps in their uniforms, fought with the rebels; for which, eighteen of them were fhot, feveral were hanged, fome fled the country, and others came in under the proclamation, offering pardon to repentant rebels, and received protections.

The main objeft of the rebels in that part of the county of Xildare, was, to join thofe of the (^een*s county, and the county of Carlow; and to have aflifl:ed them in taking poflefllon of the town of Carlow.

Notwithftanding

* The houfcs of the following proteftants were burnt at Narraghmore, on the morninj •f the twenty-fourth of May, by their Roman catholick neighbours, witk whom, till that day, they had lived on the moft friendly terms; and their inmates, narrowly efcaping with their lives, fled for proteifbion to Athy|:

Mary Jefferics, widow, Jofeph Whiteacre, Thomas Corry, Robert Cooke, Richard Holmes, Matthew James, Darby Kehoe, William Cope, Sarah Lucas, Catherine Young, William Little and James Little. Thefe fa&» have been verified by the affidavit of the fald perfons, and captain Thomas J. Rawfon, fworn before A. Weldon, Efq. a magiftrate, the twenty-fixth of July, 1798. Bcfides the above, the houfes of the proteftants whom they mafTacred in that town werr bnrnt.

MEMOIRS OF rilE DIFFERENT

Notwithftanding their different defeats, they coUeded a party of one thou* fand two hundred, and were proceeding to accomplifh their original plan; but, in paffing through Caflledermot to Carlow, they were attacked by captain Mince, who commanded there a fmall party of the fixth regiment of foot. After the fecond difcharge they were routed, and feveral of them were killed; and fir Richard Butler, who went with his troop of yeomen cavalry to the afliftance of captain Mince, purfued them and took many prifoners, of whom two were hanged; and the remainder, through the clemency of government, were fet at liberty.

General Campbell, having received intelligence that the rebels were in great force in Ballytore, that they had taken many palTengers prifoners,, and that they obftruded the approaches not only to that tovni, but even the great Munfter road to the metropolis, by felling large trees acrofsthem, he laid a plan for diflodging them, and ordered the troops from Carlow and Baltinglafs to march to one fide of the town; and he intended to arrive at the oppofite fide at the fame morrlent.

At twelve o’clock on the night of the 27 th, he marched from Athy, with his whole force, except a few yeomen under the command of captain Rawfon, who were left in charge of the town; the perfon who undertook to guide his party miflook the road, and led him by the woods of Narraghmore, through which he fent a flanking party.

As they palfed by the manfion-houfe of Narraghmore, forae difaffeded perfons fired at the troops from it; on which general Campbell ordered it to be attacked with cannon. After fome dilcharge of artillery it was fet on fire; and the fellows who had fired at the troops were killed in the woods, as they were endeavouring to make their efcapc

When the general entered Ballytore, he found it deferted by every male, except Mr. Francis Johnfon, a furgeon; and as fome of the Tyrone regiment had repeatedly feen him commanding the rebels, the fight of “him kindled fuch indignation in them, that one of them bayoneted him through the breaft, on which he fell. He rofe again^ laid his hand on his wound, and ftrongly, and with many oaths afferted his innocence. Several of the foldiers cried out, that they had frequently feen him at the head of the rebels — an open was made — five of the Suifolk fencibles prefented their mulkets at him; when he found that all fubterfuge was vain, he exclaimed, “ Since I muft die,

guilty

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

guilty as I am, the Lord have mercy on me!” and he was Inftantly fent into eternity.

The general, on entering the town, liberated colonel Wolfcley and his lady, two wives of the Suffolk officers, and fome others, who had beem prifoners with the rebels.

The rebels, finding that they were every where unfuccefsful, fent a deputation to general Campbell, offering him a furrender of their arms; and he having aflented, about three hundred gave up pikes and other arms at Ballindrum, near the Moat of ArdfcuU; and great numbers befides went to Athy, and obtained protedions. •

In about ten days, general Dundas thought it neceflary to order tht garrifon at Athy to march to Kilcullen, to reinforce him there; and the town was evacuated by the military, the yeomen, and all the proteftiants; the latter well knowing that they would be maflacred without the protecr tion of the former.

When they had marched about ten miles, they received an order that the yeomanry fliould return to defend the town, which gave the greateft joy to the loyalift;s, as all their property would have been deff:royed in their abfence. They arrived there about twelve o’clock at night, and concluded that the rebels were in pofleffion of it; but though they had been waiting to attack it fome nights before, they were afraid to enter, fufpeding that the evacuation of it was but a feint; and that the general meant to have attacked them, as foon as they had got pofleffion of it.

The next evening they approached it in great force; but finding the yeomen ready to receive them, they fled from a fmall patrole who had been fent to reconnoitre.

From this period, the country round Athy appeared tolerably tranquil, and no bodies of rebels appeared in force; but ff:ill it was not fafe for a proteff:ant to appear, or travel ever fo fliort a diftance alone.

John Jefferies of Narraghmore, who efcaped on the day they burned his houfe, having gone to that village from Athy, to look after fuch part of his property as might have rem.ained, was murdered at two o’clock in the day.

Such was the malignity of the rebels in the county of Kildare, that a party of them, in order to dift:refs the metropolis, endeavoured to obif rud the navigation of the Grand canal, by cutting its banks, and emptying

«8o MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

jhg its water Into the adjacent country; but they were furprifed and prevented by captain Griffith of Millicent, who killed fome of them.

The vicinity of Athy remained peaceable, and it was believed that the difaffeded had given up their deftrudive fchemes; but on the night of the twenty-fourth of December, 1798, a party of rebels, moft of them from the Wicklow mountains, and under the command of Matthew Kenna and Redmond Murphy, two Kildare ruffians, fet fire to the houfe of Mrs.HannahManders,clofe toGlafrealy,and murdered her, her two fifters,* and Mr. John Anderfon her nephew, all proteftants, and a fervant woman of the Romifh perfuafion, and threw their bodies into the flames, in which they were reduced to aflies.

They then burned the dwelling-houfe of captain Rawfon, and all his furniture; and in one hour deftroyed the produdion of twenty-five years of aftive induftry.

A Roman catholick fervant, who was in Mrs. Manders’s houfe, was fuffered to pafs unmolefted; but Anderfon, attempting to follow him, was (hot.

The Roman catholick maid fhewed her attachment to the rebels, by. putting her head out of a door, and calling tolhem to take care of Keane, the brother of one of them, who was in the ftable. He was accordingly led out, and refcued from the flames; but fhe met with that ^iate which flie deferved; for refembling Mrs. Manders in perfon, they miftook her, and piked her to death.

In a fliort time after, captain Rawfon had one Whelan, an aflaffin, better known by the nick-name of Black Top, apprehended, for the murder of the Manders family; and he was tried before a court-martial at Carlow.

It appeared on the evidence of Mrs. Margaret Mc. Ivers, the niece, who efcaped through a back window, that, when the houfes were fet on fire. Black Top flood at the door with a muflcet and bayonet, to prevent any of the proteflant part of the family from efcaping : That Ihe applied to him to take the young infant flie held in her arms out of the flames, and flie would take her chance; but he replied, “ No, you damned heretick bitch! you may burn together; nits will become Hce.”

Immediately Howard, a traitorous yeoman, Avho had been often hofpitably entertained in the houfe, entered it with a muflvct and bayonet; on which

Mrs.

* Tbcy were unofiending religious wotKcn, far advanced in yeans

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

Mrs. Manders was overjoyed at feeing him, fuppofing that he came as her deliverer; and (he expreffed a hope that he vi^ould not murder her; but the obdurate ruffian repHed, by knocking her down with the butend of his mulkct, and transfixing her aged body to the floor.

An old fuperannuated fifter, who had not left her bed for many months, crawled into the garden, and endeavoured to conceal herfelf in a fquare of cabbages; but fhe was purfued and piked, and her body was thrown into the flames.

Black Top and Fitzpatrick (the murderer of Thomas Young at Narraghmore,) were convicted, and executed where they had committed thefe horrid crimes.

In the fpring of 1800, one of the villains became an approver, and gave captain Rawfon full information. Shortly after, Howard was taken in the county of Carlow, by a fon of the captain’s; and Keane and Bryan, two more of the aflfaflins, were alfo apprehended. Thefe three were brought to trial at the aflizes, and fully convided, to the fatisfadiion of a crowded court, and of the very humane judge Kelly, who in paffing fentence, declared, “ That it was the firfl: cafe that ever came before him in which he did not feel diftrefl”ed; but that he felt great fatisfaftion at being the inftrument, under Providence, of ridding the world of fuch monfters.”

On the trial it was proved, that captain Rawfon’s houfe and out-offices were burned in revenge for his loyal exertions; and that the Manders family were afl*affinated merely becaufe they were hereticks.*

On this trial Mrs. Margaret Mc. Ivers, Mrs. Manders’s niece, corroborated the teftimony of the approver againfl: Howard, in what has been before ftated; and he, Keane and Bryan, were hanged and beheaded at Glaflealy.

All the cottagers contiguous to that place, to whom captain Rawfon had aded with fmgular Inimanity for above twenty years, were among the foremofl: in plundering his houfe.

POISONING AT RATHCOOLE.

Though the efforts of rebelHon were cruflied at Rathcoole on the general rihng, yet the rebels, indignant at the difappointment, endeavoured to accomplifli their nefarious defigns on the twenty-fecond of June, by poifoning the garriibn there.  On that day, captain Jofeph Hewan of the

O o Angusffiire * This was acknowledged by the approvers on the trial.

282

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Angusihire regiment, was ordered to march from Tallagh to Hazel Hatch 5 with twenty of his men, to reinforce the party there; and having halted his men at Rathcoole, the head quarters of his regiment, to refrefh them, fome of them, after ha-ving been there about an hour, were reported to be very ill. On enquiry, it appeared, that after having eaten fome bread and milk, they v/ere feized with a great ficknefs in their ftomachs, accompanied with a head-ach, and a violent vomiting and griping; and they faid, that they thought they had a ball of fire in their breafls.

Mr. Irwine, fxirgeon of the regiment, communicated thefe fymptoms to colonel Hunter, who commanded there, and his fufpicion, that the bread which they ate, had been poifoned. On which the colonel ordered the baker and his man into cuftody.

The men of both parties began now to be taken ill with the fame fympton s, by five or fix at a time; the commanding officer then ordered the baker and his boy, and one Doyle, who was fl:rongly fufpefted, to eat fome of the bread; but more of the men becoming fick, and the malignity of their diforder increafing, he ordered the two former to be fhot. The latter grew as fick as any of the foldiers; but no body doubted of his innocence, as his wife and children were affected in the fame manner, as they had ate of the bread. Doyle kept a low publick houfe, in which fome of the foldiers had been entertained. Many of them would have died, but that they were relieved by medical affi fiance. The fymptoms were fometimes abated by an emetick, but they often returned with redoubled violence; and then oil or melted butter, as a fubftitute, afforded them relief. Some of them were feized with fuch flrong convulfions, that two or three men could not hold them, but with difficulty.

Mr. Robinfon, a proteftant clergyman, his wife, and feven children, who were pafTmg through Rathcoole, were affefted exaftly in the fame manner, in confequence of having eaten fome of the bread.

Next day the officers of the Angusfhire regiment were well informed, that the roads, fields, and ditches near Rathcoole, were crowded on the preceding night with men well armed, and that they difperfed when the bakers were fhot, and reinforcements came from Dublin, Tallagh, and Hazel-hatch. They intended to have furprifed the garrifon, when debilitated by poifon.

Some

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

Some of the bread which had produced fuch dreadful effeds in thofe who had eaten of it, was given to’a cat and a dog, and they died of it. Some hours after the baker and his boy were (hot, his houfe was fearched, and a paper, containing about two ounces of yellow arfenicky was found in his bake-houfe; which, being fent to Dublin to a furgeon^ proved, on the analyzation of it, to be that kind of poifon.

ATTACK UPON MAYNOOTH.

From the fuppofed fandity of this town, as a college had been recently ereded there, and endowed at a very great expencc by the protejlant fiate, for the education of popijh priejis, it was hoped that it would not have been molefted by the rebels; however, the proteftant inhabitants of it and its vicinity were as much the objed of the fanguinary rage of the rebels, as in any other part of the county of Kildare.

About twenty of the Carton cavalry, of which his grace the duke of Leinfter was captain, and Thomas Long and Richard Cane, efquires, were lieutenants, did permanent duty there, for fome time, previous and fubfequent to the twenty-fourth of May; and ten of them were conftantly ftationed on the different avenues leading into the town : the duke was abfent at that time in England.

About one o’clock in the morning of the tenth of June, 1798, two men approached the town and addreffed one of the corps, who was at an outpoft; and pretending to be travellers, and that they loft their way, begged admittance into the town, to get a lodging; but on being refufed, they drew back a few paces, and both fired at the fentinel at the fame time; on which, he galloped with the utmoft fpeed to the guard room, and alarmed his fellow-foldiers; and was purfued by about five hundred rebels, headed by William Aylmer their commander.

Such was the difaffeclion of the corps, that, though they were alarmed in due time, only feven mounted their horfes to face the rebels; and of thofe feven, but four fired at them; and they were under a neceflity of retreating, left they ftiould be overpowered by the great fuperiority of numbers.

Lieutenant Cane made his efcape, but a young gentleman of the name of Nugent, who had been on a vifit with the lieutenant, and whofe youth and innocence fhould have preferved him from their fanguinary difpofi

O o 2 tion.

284

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

tion, fell into their hands, and was led to their camp and fhot there next day. They took eleven yeomen prifoners, fome of whom returned next day, and the remainder continued with the rebels. Three days after, a party of the fame rebels entered the town of Maynooth, and plundered fome houfes; and at the fame time, they feized Mr. Wilkinfon, a proteftant, and a mafter carpenter, much eftcemed for his probity; and conveyed him to their camp, where they next day piked him to death. As they conveyed him out of the town, he implored them to put an end to him immediately, that his body might fall into the hands of his friends, for the purpofe of being interred; but they refufed his requeft.

Afterwards lieutenant Cane, and about thirteen of the corps, joined the yeomanry at LcixHp, and continued to do duty with them, moft of the remainder having joined the rebels.

Mr. John Brown, a gentleman farmer, much efleemed for his probity, lived at Barropftown, near Maynooth; and had three fons who ferved in the Carton yeomanry. He and his family, being natives of England, and proteflants, were fo much the objedt of rebel vengeance, that they were obliged to leave their houfe, and retire to LeixHp for fafety.

In the beginning of September, Mr. Brown, his wife, daughter and fon, went to pafs the day at Barropftown. In the evening Mr. Brown, having rode out to fee fome hay-makers whom he employed, perceived, about forty perches from his houfe, twelve ruffians, armed and mounted, galloping furioufly towards him; and on feeing him, they fhouted and encreafed their fpeed. Mr. Brown galloped to his houfe, alarmed his family, and proceeded towards Leixlip. Part of the ruffians purfued him; the others his fon, who fled firom them on foot, and whom they murdered with favage barbarity; but his father was fo fortunate as to efcape.

The following anecdote will fhew the reader how much the influence of the Romifli priefts tends to defeat diftributive juftice : A rebel, of the name of Cullen, was to be tried at the fummer affizes of Naas, on the following charges : For having fired three flaots at a yeoman, as he was travelling along the high road, and wounding him in two places; and, for being concerned in the attack upon Profperous, and in the murder of captain Swayne. One Kennedy, the profecutor, was kept in gaol, to fecure his appearance, and to prevent him from being aflaffinated.  When the trial was coming on, Mr. Kemmis, the crown

folicitor.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

folicitor, went to the gaol for Kennedy, the profecutor; but on appreaching it, he perceived a priefl: whifpering in his ear, through one of the grates; and who, on perceiving Mr. Kemmis, fled precipitately. On entering the gaol, he told Kennedy that he mufl repair to the court with him, as the trial would come on immediately; but to his great aftonilhment, he difcovered, that the fuggeftions of his ghoftly adviier, but for a few minutes, had induced him to contradid the moft material fads which he had fworn in his information; for he pretended to be ignorant of them.

BATTLE OF OVIOTSTOWN, NEAR KILCOCK.

It was much to be lamented, that the rebels of the county of Kildare, inftead of feeling gratitude for the royal mercy which had been extenfively granted to them by the generals who commanded there, and of returning to their allegiance, perfevered, for a long time, not only in committing individual robbery and aflaffination, but continued their encampments, and to commit depredations in large bodies. Lieutenant-colonel Irwine, who commanded the garrifon of Trim, having received intelligence that a numerous body of rebels were aflembling near Kilcock on the eighteenth of June, marched on that night, with part of his garrifon, confifting of the fourth dragoons, a troop of the duke of York’s fencible cavalry, four companies of foot, and two battalion guns, and the following yeomanry corps : The Trim cavalry, one troop; the Navan and Murgallion cavalry, one troop; the Demifore, one troop. Soon after he palTed through Kilcock, his advanced guard was fired on by a large body of the rebels; of whom the main body, fuppofed to confift of three thoufand, was drawn up in a line at the bottom of Oviotftown hill, near Hortland houfe. As it was fome time before the colonel could form, owing to the unevennefs of the ground, and the number of inclofures on it, the rebels kept up a fmart fire, and made a defperate effort to feize the cannon; but the well-direcled fiire of the infantry, made them abandon that enterprife. Soon after the troops formed, they routed the rebels, who precipitately fled to a neighbouring bog, where they effected their efcape, after two hundred of them had been flain. The king’s troops fuftained the following lofs : Fourth dragoon guards, one ferjeant killed; captain fir Richard Steele, one ferjeant,

i86

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

two rank and file wounded; Murgallion cavalry, one rank and file wounded; Trim cavalry, one rank and file wounded; Duke of York’s Highlanders, enfign John Sutler, one ferjeant, and five rank and file killed; lieutenant-colonel Irwine, one ferjeant, and feven rank and file wounded; the firft flightly.

William Aylmer, who had been a lieutenant in the Kildare militia, was the leader of the rebels in this aftion.

For many months after, the ferocious fpirit of the popilh multitude continued to break forth in adls of rapine and murder, of which the reader will find fome fpecimens in Appendix, No. XV.

The chapel of Athy was burnt in the month of April; and an offer was made, by fome papifls of confideration, of a fum of money to a foldier of the Cork regiment, to fwear that it was perpetrated by the yeomen of that town, who are proteflants. I fhall refer the reader to the fame Appendix, for the particulars of this infamous tranfaftion.

This chapel was wantonly burnt, with a malignant defign of throwing an imputation on the proteflants of having done it.

DUBLIN.

I fliall now return to the metropolis, to give the reader a fhort fketch of its fituation, as its difaffeded inhabitants flill continued to give unqueftionable proofs that they hoped to fucceed in a general infurreftion, with the affillance of the country rebels, and fome of the difloyal yeomen, who were flill attached to their caufe in the city.

On the twenty-ninth of May, the Sepulchre’s corps, who muflered about fifty effedive men, commanded by captain Ryan, was ordered to mount guard at Dolphin’s-barn, an outlet on the South Wefl fide of the city of Dublin. As they were marching to their pofl, a man of the name of Raymond, a Romanifl, and one of the mofl aftive privates in the corps> entered into converfation with one Jennings, who was alfo in the ranks, and faid to him, “ Do you fee that our lieutenant has got piilols?’* (alluding to lieutenant Maturin, the officer of the guard.) Jennings anfwered, “ Yes.” Raymond then faid, “ They will not be of any ufe to him, for we will do him out.” When they arrived at their pofl, Jennings afked him what he meant, in the allufion which he made to the lieutenant.  Raymond then informed him of the following plot : “ That, in

cafe

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

287

cafe of an attack, which was hourly expelled, and which it was believed he had previoufly concerted with the rebels, the difaffedted members of the corps were to maflacre the officers and the proteflants of it, and to deliver up the bridge to the aflailants : They were then to proceed to the battery in the park; to inform the guard that they had been defeated; to alk admittance; and on being let in, to murder the guard; to take poffeffion of the battery and ammunition; and to turn it to their own ufe.”

Jennings had been fworn an united Irifhman, and was attached to their caufe from pure republican principles; but being a proteftant, and having difcovered from the maflacres which had taken place, in the counties of Dublin, Meath and Kildare, that the extirpation of his own order waftintended, he informed lieutenant Maturin of the plot; and he having communicated it to government, Raymond was taken up, tried, convicted and hanged on the Old Bridge the firft of June.

As the Roman catholick members of that corps, who formed the majority of it, were difcovered to be difafFefted, they were difarmed on parade the Sunday following, and difbanded.

Raymond would not have formed fo defperate a defign, which mufl have been defeated, and have terminated in the ruin of him and his fellow confpirators, if it were not conneded with a general infurreftion, which the difafFedled in the metropolis conftantly meditated.

The fanatical zeal of fome of the rebels was fuch, and their hopes of fucceeding by a general infurredion, were ftill fo fanguine as to extinguifh all prudence.

Two foldiers, who were conduding a prifoner by Peter’s-row, were attacked at noon-day by two ruffians, who fnatched their firelocks from them, with which they knocked them down. One of them, of the name of Fennel, a notorious traitor, was taken up, tried and hanged on the twenty-ninth of May, on one of the bridges. He was fo great a fanatick, that he faid, when he was about to afcend the fatal ftep, “ That he would live and die an united Irifhman.” This fellow had been captain of a corps of united Iriflimen; and was at the head of a numerous body of them, in the fields, near the floating docks, on the night of the twenty-third of May, waiting for a fignal to rufh into the city.

Committees were frequently difcovered in deliberation; blackfmiths were deteded in the ad of making pikes; and fentinels were frequently

fired

288

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

iired at, or knocked down while at their polls : Information was obtained from fome notorious traitors by whipping them, of the extent and malignity of the plot; and of immcnfe quantities of pikes and other arms, which were dilcovered and feized in different parts of the city.

There was a conftant communication between the rebels of the metropolis and thofe of the country, which was proved by the frequent interception of letters; and that the former expefked the co-operation of the latter.

On the evening of the twenty-fifth of May, a detachment of the merchants corps, confifting of one officer, one ferjeant, and twenty privates, was ordered to efcort four waggons of ammunition to Naas; and it was confidered by government to be a fervice of fo much danger, that their deftination was kept a profound fecret, till the moment of their departure; and a military officer, who accompanied the party, had orders not to fuffer any perfon to go before them, left the country rebels, rifen in great multitudes in the county of Kildare, and who had four encampments there,

might cut them off.  During the whole of their progrefs, one K , a

Romanift, and ftrongly fufpeded of difaffeftion, inveighed bitterly againft government for the difrefpeft fhewn to the corps, in having fent them off in fo fudden and unexpeded a manner.

Next morning, when on their return to town, about a dozen rebels came out of a wood near Johnftown, as if to provoke an attack from the yeomen.  The officer drew up his fmall party, who fired fome fhots at the

rebels, on which they retired into the wood.  K urged the party to

purfue them, which would have been fatal to the whole of them; as it has fince been difcovered, that there were from twelve to fourteen hundred rebels in the wood, ready to cut them off on their return, of which Khad given them information the night before; and that the ten who fliewed themfelves were intended to draw them into an ambufli.

On Monday the twenty -feventh of May, a party of the merchants corps, confifting of one officer, two ferjeants, and thirty privates, were ordered on the fame fervice to Naas. On that night, captain Beresford waited on captain Stanley, who commanded that corps, to inform him, that he had

informations againft K , who was immediately arrefted; and ffiewing

ftrong marks of perturbation, he confeffed that he was a colonel in the rebel army, and that he was to have headed a very large party on the twentythird of May, in an attack upon Newgate. q

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

289

On Tuefday the twenty-eighth of May, an exprefs going from Dublin

had been flopped, and a letter was found upon him from K to the

rebels, written on Monday; the purport of which was, to inform them of every particular refpeding the efcort which was to go toNaas, and exprefling a wifli that they might be more fuccefsful in cutting off this party than the former.

It was obfervable, that for fome days previous and fubfequent to the intended infurreftion, the difafFefted tradefmen, among whom the butchers were very confpicuous, would not take bank notes. Though it had been defeated on the night of the twenty -third of May, the rebels were fo confident of fucceeding in another effort, that fellows were at different times employed in marking the doors of the loyalifls, and particularly thofe of the yeomen. Seven men were detefted and feized on the thirtieth of May in the a£t of doing fo; and on being whipped by a party of the attornies corps, in the old Exchange, they acknowledged that they belonged to a committee of fifteen employed in that fervice; that there were many fimilar committees, and that each of them had its refpeftive department.

As an infurredion was flill expefted every night, the lord mayor publifhed the following caution :

CITY OF DUBLIN.

Manfion-houfe, 26th May, 1798. A CAUTION, Le^ the Innocent Jhould fuffer for the Guilty.

The lord mayor requefts his fellow citizens to keep within their houfes as much as pofTibly they can, fuitable to their convenience, after fun-fet, in this time of peril, as the flreets fhould be kept as clear as pofTible, fhould any tumult or rifing to fupport rebellion be attempted, in order that the troops and artillery may a£t with full effed: in cafe of any diflurbance.

The lord mayor’s fervant acknowledged to his lordfhip, that he was at the head of a numerous body of fervants, who were to have affafTmated their mailers; and that he and his party were to have murdered rhe lord mayor and his family, and two others of his fervants, who had hefitated to join them; and that this atrocious deed was to have been the fignal for the other fervants in the vicinity to rife and commit fimilar enormities.

P p Purfuant

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Purfuant to a notice to the Roman catholicks, inferted in the Dubh’n Journal of the twenty-fourth of May, an addrefs, purporting to be that of the Roman catholicks of Ireland, was prefented to his excellency the lord lieutenant, on the thirtieth of May, “ exprefling their firm attachment to his majefly’s royal pcrfon, and the conftitution, under which they have the happinefs to live : That the fliare of political liberty, and the advantages which they polTefs under it, leave them nothing to expedl from foreign aid, nor any motive to induce them to look elfewhere, than to the tried benignity of their fovereign, and the unbiaffed determination of the legiflature, as the fource of future advantage; and they expreffed their regret, that many of the lower order of their religious perfuafion were engaged in unlawful affociations and pradices.”

This addrefs was figned by four noblemen, fome gentlemen of landed property, fome refpeftable merchants, and by twenty-eight titular bifliops. Had the latter, fo early as the year 1793, informed government, which they might have done, having learned it in their confeflion boxes, that a confpiracy was at that time formed for fubverting the conflitution, they would have endeared themfelves to the beft; of kings, and to his government in England and Ireland. It may be faid, that the fecrefy required in the article of confeflion, raifed infuperable obftacles to it. There is not a fentence in the fcripture which gives the moft remote fandion to the doftrines of confeflion and abfolution, and the extraordinary fuperftrufture raifed on them, except that faying of our Saviour to his apoftles, “ Whofe fins ye remit, they ftiall be remitted to them; and whofe fins ye retain, they fliall be retained.”

The Almighty thought proper, at one particular period, to make ufe of fupernatural means, and to invefl; with extraordinary powers a certain fet of men, whom he felefted to difpel that darknefs which inveflied the pagan world, and to work the falvation of his creatures; but that end being attained, it mufl: be confidered the higheft arrogance in any chriftian paftor afterwards to claim a delegation from his Creator, and a right, to exercife thofe powers.

Thefe doftrines were a device invented by the artful policy of the court of Rome, to gain an afcendancy for its members, wherever the Romifti faith was profefled; and it is moft certain, that a fet of men, in whom celibacy extinguiflies all focial affeftions, who are infulated in fociety,

and

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. zgt

and whofe primary obje£t therefore is the aggrandizement of their own order, muft have very great influence in fociety, when they can extract from their communicants of every rank and degree, their moft important fecrets. The Romifh priefts, thus circumftanced, may be confidered as in a ftate of ambufh, in refped: to the reft of the community.

From the various and fluduating opinions deHvered by the learned divines and fchoolmen of the Romifli church on this dodrine, it is very evident, that fecrefy in confeffion is a pofitive human inftitution; and it is very extraordinary, that a fet of men who profefs to be of the religion of Chrift, which is the bond of peace, and enjoins the practice of every moral virtue, fhould prefcribe a rule under the article of confeffion, which fanftions the concealment of crimes, and by doing fo, prevents the punifhment, and confequently encourages the commiffion of them. This is contrary to the divine law; for any thing unworthy of the Deity cannot be true, and whatever is repugnant to his attributes of wifdom,. juftice and mercy, muft be falfe.

St. Paul tells us, “ That our Saviour was all things to all men, that he might by all means fave fome.”* But a prieft is prohibited from difclofmg a fecret, on which the lives of thoufands, or the exiftence of an empire, might depend. Mifprifion of treafon is a capital offence by the laws of every ftate in Europe; and yet the popifti priefts are compelled to be guilty of it, in confequence of their not being allowed to break tha. feal of confeffion.

By the divine law we are ordered to fubmit to the laws and ordinances of the ftate under which we live. “ Let every foul be fubjeft to the higher powers; for there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God. Whofoever therefore refifteth the fuperior power, refifteth the ordinance of God; and they that refift, ftiall receive damnation to themfelves.”t *’ Wherefore ye needs muft be fubjeft, not only for wrath, but for conscience fake.”J “ Submit yourfelves to every ordinance of man for the hordes fake; whether it be to the king, as fupreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are fent by him for the funifhment of evil doers, and for the praife of them that do well.”|j

P p 2 Now

* I Corinthiars x. ji. f Romans xiii. i, z. \ Ibid. 5.

!l I Peter ii. 13, 14.

292 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Now the prieft, who obtains a knowledge of crimes, fhould, according to the ordinance of man for the Lord’s fake^ and for the punifhinent of evil doers, difclofe them to the civil magiftrate; but in doing fo, he is guilty of facrilege, as confeffion is a facrament in his church, according to the canons of it; and by concealing them, he violates both the divine and human law.

By the ancient canons, particularly by the council of Lateran, under pope Innocent III. in the year 1 2 1 5, every confeflbr, who reveals a confeflion, fhall be interdicted and imprifoned for life. Cardinal Tolet fays, “ that the feal of confeffion fliould not be broken, to fave the lives of princes, or even the republick And Henriquez adds, “not even to fave the whole world, or to keep it from burning, or all the facraments from demolition.” But cardinal Bellarmine* fays, “ if treafon be known to a prieft in confeffion, he may give notice of it to a pious and catholic k prince, but not to a heretick :” And father Suarez faid, that that was acutely and prudently faid by him.” This fhews that it was founded in human policy, and framed as a fyftem of terror to drive fovereign princes within the pale of the Romifli church. Father Binet differed from Bellarmine, and fays, “ it were better that all the princes in the world perifhed, than that the feal of confeffion were broken.’*

Jaurigny and Balthazard Gerard, who murdered William I. prince of Orange, Clement the Dominican, who alTaffinated Henry III. of France, Chatel, Ravaillac, and all the parricides of that period, went to confeffion before they committed thofe crimes. Strada, a jefuit, diftinguiflied for his learning, tells us, “ that Jaurigny expiated the guilt of that crime, before its perpetration, by receiving the facrament from a Dominican friar.f”

Fanaticifm was carried to fuch excefs in that dark age, that confeffion was an additional engagement to the perpetration of crimes; for, it was held facred, as confeffion is regarded as a facrament in the Romilh church.

In thofe counties in Ireland, where the rebellion broke out, the lower clafs of people, fome days previous to it, reforted in great numbers to the confeffion boxes of their priefts.

Soon

* One of their moft learned divines.

t Non ante facinus aggredi fuftinuit, quam cxpiatam ejus animam, apud Dominichanuiu facerdotem, ccckfti pane, firmaverat.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 293

Soon after the aflaflination of Henry IV. and while the French were lamenting the death of that amiable monarch, the advocate-general Servin, of iliuflrious memory, required that the Jefuits fhould be obliged to fign the four following articles :

I. That the council is luperior to the pope.

II. That the pope cannot deprive the king of any rights by excommunication.

III. That the ecclefiaflics are like any other people, entirely fubjed to the king.

IV. That a prieft, who by confeflion is apprized of a confpiracy againfl; the king, or the ftate, fhould reveal it to a magiftrate.

The parliament pafled an arret, laying the fame injundion on the jefuits; but the court of Rome was at that time fo powerful, and that of France fo weak, that the arret was difregarded.

It is worth notice, that the court of Rome, which would not fufFer a confpiracy againfl the life of a fovereign to be revealed in confefTion, ordered confefTors to inform the inquifition, in every inflance, where a female fhould accufe another priefl of having feduced, or attempted to feduce her. This revelation was ordered by Paul IV. Pius IV. Clement VIII. and Gregory XV.

Some of the mofl learned divines of the Romifh church have fpecified certain cafes in which confeflion might be revealed; and others have contended, that it might be difciofed in every inflance, with the confent of the penitent.

This horrible abfurdity is one of the unhappy confequences of the conflant flruggle, which has fubfifled for ages between the ecclefiaftical and civil power, * and which has been the fource of inextricable error; for mankind have been fufpended between the crimes of facrilege and high treafon; and the diflinftions of right and wrong have been buried in a chaos, from which they are not yet emerged.

To return. The roads leading to the metropolis, were fo much obflrufled by the rebels, that no mail-coach arrived there from the twenty-fourth of May until the thirty-firfl, when the fpirited and gallant fir James Duff struck terror into the rebels, by the defeat which he gave them on the

curragh

* Fortunately avoided by the Englifti conftttution.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

curragh cf Kildare, by which, he opened a free intercourfe between Dublin and the fouthern parts of the kingdom; but it ftiould not be forgotten, that general Campbell, by his good fenfe and fpirited exertions in the vicinity of Athy, Narraghmore, and Ballytore, contributed materially to elFed this.

As the difaffeded in the metropolis were difappointed in their expectations of raifmg an infurredion there, numbers of them left it at different times, and difplayed their zeal in the caufe of the union, by joining rebel encampments in the country.

On the twelfth and thirteenth of June, a great many fervants and mechanicks, and other perfons of various defcription, fuddenly difappeared in Dublin, and the neighbourhood of Blackrock; and it was obfervable, that the fame thing took place, when the rebels were about to make any great effort in Wexford, Wicklow or Kildare.

The loyalty, magnanimity, and firmnefs, of the corporation of Dublin, in the courfe of the confpiracy and rebellion, fliould never be forgotten. They raifed four regiments of yeomanry, with uncommon celerity; and it is well known, that the indefatigable exertions of thofe brave corps preferved the metropolis from deftrudlion. The vigilance and adivity of the corporation in enforcing the execution of the laws were fuch, as to fuperfede the neceffity of proclaiming the city, till the nineteenth day of May; and many counties claimed the proteftion of the infurredion law, two years before that period.

BATTLE OF TARA.*

I already mentioned the barbarous outrages committed by the rebels in Dunboyne and Dunfhaughlin; from whence, having proceeded towards Tara, in the county of Meath, moft of the farmers and labourers of the county through which they paiTed, flocked to their ftandard; and in fliort, the mafs of the people in the county of Meath, and in that part of the county of Dublin bordering on it, were in a ftate of infurredion, and plundered every houfe in the country, which happened not to have been well guarded, of provifions, wines, fpirits bed cloaths, wearing apparel and furniture.  As there were no military

in

• Eighteen miles to the north of Dublin, and in the county of Meath.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 295

in the country, and as the officers of the yeomen corps perceived that their fafety depended on the concentration of their forces, they, by mv.tual and immediate commmiication, adopted mcafures for that purpofe. The corps of lord Fingal and captain Gorges performed that fervice with great adivity and vigilance.

On the morning of the twenty-fourth of May, the officers of the Navan cavalry, John Prefton, efquire, captain, Philip Barry, lieutenant, wrote a letter to the officer commanding the garrifon at Kells, to requeft that he would fend them fuch troops as he could fpare for their protection,; as a private of captain Gorges’s yeomanry had arrived there, and informed them of the atrocities committed at Dunboyne and Dunffiaughiin; and that the rebels had planted the tree of hberty at the latter.

Captain MoUoy, who commanded at Kells, on receiving that intelli,gence, marched the yeomen cavalry and infantry of that town, to relieve them; but finding on his arrival there, that the town was not immediately threatened with an attack, he returned to Kells for the protedion of its inhabitants, and of a large depot of ammunition in that town, w’hich lay expofed in his abfence.

It was then determined, that the Kells cavalry, with a detachm.ent of the Navan troop, fhould proceed towards Dunfhaughlin, and reconnoitre the enemy; and they having difcovered that the mafs of the people were in a ftate of infurrection, and were committing various enormities, Mr. Barry, lieutenant of the latter, wrote the following letter to captain Molloy, at Kells : “ Sir,

“ Prepare your yeomanry immediately, as an infurredion has appeared from Dublin to Dunfhaughlin, and numbers have been murdered. -Com.municate this to all the other officers,’*

In confequence of this, captain Molloy apprized the different yeomen officers of thefe alarming circumftances; and recommended to them to be in readinefs. Captain Prefton, commanding the Navan cavalry, having been informed that the Rea fencibles were to be in Navan on the night of the twenty-fifth of May, on their route to Dublin, refolved to join them, in hopes of being able to obtain their co-operation in attacking next day the rebels, whom he had reconnoitred in great force, at Dunlhaughlin; and they having complied, and all the yeomanry in

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

the adjacent country having joined them, they proceeded at break of day, on the morning of the twenty-fixth of May, from Navan, to attack the enemy at Dunfhaughlin.

On their arrival there, they found that the rebels had changed their pofition; and as they could not learn whither they had gone, the Rea fencibles, having refolved to quit them, fet out for Dublin, and the yeomanry determined to retire to their refpedive homes, which vt^ould have been fatal to the whole country, as the rebels would have fpread univerfal defolation.

He then followed the Rea fencibles, who had proceeded two miles on their march, and informed the commanding officer that he would engage to find out the rebels in two hours, if he would confent to ftay; but having refufed to comply, he informed him, that he would proceed to Dublin, and obtain an order from the lord lieutenant for him to return, before he could proceed half way on his march; on which he confented to return, and gave him two hundred and ten men, and one battalion gun, the whole commanded by captain Blanch; and they were joined by the yeomanry, commanded by lord Fingal and captain Prefton.

After going fome time in quell of the rebels, they found them very ilrongly pofted on Tara-hill, where they had been four hours, and were about four thoufand in number; and the country people were flocking to them in great multitudes from every quarter. They plundered the houfes in all the adjacent country of provifions of every kind, and were proceeding to cook their victuals, having lighted near forty fires. They hoifted white flags in their camp. The hill of Tara is very fteep, and the upper part is furrounded by three circular Danifli forts, with ramparts and tofles; and on the top lies the church-yard, furrounded with a wall, which the rebels regarded as their citadel, and confidered as impregnable.

The king’s troops, including the yeomanry, might have amounted to about four hundred. As foon as the rebels perceived them, they put their hats on the tops of their pikes, fent forth fome dreadful yells, and at the fame time began to jump, and put themfelves in various fingular attitudes, as if bidding defiance to their adverfaries. They then began to advance, firing at the fame tiine, but in an irregular manner.

Our

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 297

Our line of infantry advanced with the greatefl: coolnefs, and did not fire a fhot until they were within fifty yards of them. One part of the cavalry, commanded by lord Fingal, were ordered to the right, the other to the left, to prevent our line from being outflanked, which the enemy endeavoured to accomphlh. The rebels made three defperate onfets, and in the laft laid hold of the cannon; but the officer, who commanded the gun, having laid the match to it, before they could completely furround it, proftrated ten or twelve of the ailailants, and difperfed the remainder. The Rea fencibles preferved their line, and (ired with as much coolnefs as if they had been exercifmg on a field day.

They at length routed the rebels, who fled in all direclions, after having loft about four hundred in killed* and wounded. In their flight, they threw away their arms and ammunition, and every thing that could encumber them. We took three hundred horfes, all their provifions, arms, ammunition and baggage, and eight of the Rea fencibles whom they had taken prifoners two days before, and whom they employed to drill them.

It was much to be lamented, that the brave Rea fencibles loft twentyfix men in killed and wounded; and the Upper Kells infantry had one killed, aud five wounded.

The king’s troops would have remained on the field all night, but that they had not a fingle cartridge left, either for the gun or the fmall arms : The prifoners, of whom they took a good many, informed our officers, that their intention was, to have proceeded that night to plunder Navan, and then Kells, where there was a great quantity of ammunition, and little or no force to proted it; and that when they had fucceeded, they expefted, according to a preconcerted plan, to have been joined by a great number of infurgents from Meath, Weftmeath, Louth, Monaghan and Cavan, and to have releafed all the prifoners confined in Trim, where they would not have met with any oppofition.

So general an infurreftion might have been fatal to the kingdom, for the rebellion in Wexford and Kildare was raging with inextinguiffiable fury : It was ftill deftruftive in Wicklow and Carlow, and the mafs of the people, in many parts of Leinfter and Munfter, were on the point of rifing.

C^q The

* In thfir p^.ckets, popifli prayer books, beads, rofaries, cruaifixes, pious ejaculaUoiu t:» our Saviour and the Virgin iMary, and republican fongs were found, and Icapulat i on Ibe bodies of many of them.

398 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

The garrifon of Dublin was fo weak, and fo much exhaufted by fatigue in the fevere duty which they underwent, in endeavouring to prevent its difaflfeded inhabitants from rifmg, that they could not fend any troops to the adjacent country.

Part of the rebels who fled from Tara, retired to the bogs of Meath and Kildare, where they continued for three weeks to plunder and defolate the furrounding country.

The earl of Fingal, who commanded the yeomanry in this adion, /hewed great fpirit and courage in it; for which, and his noted loyalty and zeal in the fervice of his king and country, during the progrefs of the confpiracy and rebellion, he became fo obnoxious to the difalFeded m the county of Meath, that it was refolved to cut him off; and hig alfaffination was to have been a fignal for a general maffacre of all the loyalifts in that county.

I think it right alfo to fay, that captain Molloy, who commanded the yeomen infantry, under lord Fingal, difplayed the moft fteady and deliberate valour; and that the officers and privates under him fought with the coolnefs of veterans.

On the fourth of June, lord Edward Fitzgerald died in the gaol of Newgate. During his confinement he often enquired, with apparent folicitude, of Mr. Gregg the gaoler, and thofe perfons who attended him, of the flate of the metropolis, and the kingdom in general. Any extraordinary noife which he happened to hear, he fuppofed to be occafioned by the explofion of that confpiracy which he had planned.

As the execution of Clinch on the fecond day of June, attended by a numerous body of troops, and a vaft concourfe of people, occafioned much noife in the metropolis, he anxioufly enquired the caufe of it; and having been informed, it affeded him fo much, as almoft to put him into a (late of derangement. Lady Louifa Conolly, his aunt, attended by the earl of Clare, vifited him the day before his death, but he was completely delirious. A perfon who was prefent informed me, that it was a moft affefting fcene, as the degraded and deplorable ftate to which his crimes and misfortunes had reduced him, made a very deep impreflion on that very amiable and refpeftable lady.

Lord Edward had ferved with reputation in the fifteenth regiment, during a great part of the American war, and on many occafions had difplayed great valour and confiderable abilities as ah officer.  When in the

army,

/

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 299

army, he was confidered a man of honour and humanity, and vras much efteemed by his brother officers for his franknefs, courage, and good nature; qualities, which he was fuppofed to poflefs in a very high djegree. After the war he retired on the half-pay lift; but having again entered into the fervice, he obtained the majority of the 54th regiment, quartered at St. John’s, New Brunfwick, on the bay of Fundy, and joined it in May, 1788.

The following adventure is a flirong proof of that aftive mind and enterprizing fpirit which he difplayed on all occafions : He fet out from Frederick-town on the river St. John’s forQuebeck, in the winter of 1788, through woods and defarts, which had never before been traverfed by any European; and without any other attendant than captain Brifbane of his regiment, a guide, and his own fervant, who was a negro. From the great depth of fnow, they were obliged to ufe fnow fhoes, and they had no other provjfions but what they carried on a fledge, which lord Edward drew in his turn. This journey, which was fome hundred miles, took them many weeks to perform.

In the month of November, 1791, the regiment landed at Portfmouth, where lord Edward received a letter from lieutenant-colonel Bruce of the fame corps, from Naples, acquainting him, that he was in a rapid confumption, and advifmg him to take proper meafures for fucceeding tiira : But as his lordftiip and his family were at that time in oppofition in parUament, he would not folicit a favour from government; but at the fame time expedled that the commiffion would have been given to feiiji without felicitation, though he had many competitors of longer ftanding.

On hearing that colonel Sturt fucceeded to the commiffion, lord Edward, foured with difappointment, and fired with indignation, repaired po Paris the latter end of the year 1791, or the beginning of the year 1792, and became, from difguft, an enthufiaftic admirer of the extravagant political theories of the French, which were repugnant to, and fubverfive O^f the glorious conftituiion under which he Kved, but of whofe defers he pretended to be a reformift; and having manifefled thefe principles without referve, his majefty thought proper to ftrike his name out of the lift of the army; but allowed him at the fame time to fell his commiflion.

q^q 2 He

MERIOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

He became fo great a devotee to French principles, that he married a little French woman, whofe birth and origin* were unknown, except by conjedure, and who had nothing to recommend her to him, but the extravagance and malignity of her republican principles.

The fate of lord Edward affords a ftrong and inftrudive leffon to fuch gentlemen as oppofe the crown, from motives of difgufl and difappointed ambition, not to exceed the bounds of moderation; for a perfon, enflamed and blinded by refentment, may, from an infatiable defire to gratify it, gradually fmk into a dereliftion of every rehgious, moral, and political duty; and a vehement reformift is often an incipient traitor.

“ Nemo repente fuit turpiflimus.” The reader may form fome idea of the perfecution of the proteftant clergy in the archdiocefe of Dublin, from Appendix, No. XV.

The reader will find the origin and progrefs of the confpiracy in the county of Carlow, in Appendix, No. XI.

REBELLION IN THE COUNTY OF WICKLOW.S

Previous to the introdudion of the principles of the united Irifhmen into it, in the year 1796, it was the moft peaceable and amenable to the laws, of any county in the kingdom; and the aftive and unabating induftry of its inhabitants, had improved it fo much, that its appearance v-as entirely changed within the laft twenty years.

Religious animofities between proteftants and papifts were at an end, or at leaft were dormant; and tythes were not complained of as a grievance. The gentlemen of the country refided on their eftates; employed great numbers in building, planting, and agricultural improvements; maintained focial order, and gave energy to the execution of the laws. The farmers followed the example of their landlords, meliorated the ftate of their arable lands, and, in general, built good and commodious lioufes.

The labourers, who had conftant employment, received as wages ten pence a day in the fummer, and eight pence in the winter; and paid but*

two

* She was fiippofed to he the natural daughter of the duke of Orleans, by madam Genlis.

§ Plate 1. 8.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 30 r

two guineas a year for a cottage and an acre of land; but in fome places their wages were higher.

In the parifh of Rathdrum, twenty good flated houfes were built within a few years, with fuitable offices, fit for gentlemen of large fortune; and many others on a fmaller fcale, but neat and commodious.

Mofl; of thefe buildings have been deftroyed; every thing that art could accompHfh for the happinefs of man has been annihilated; and all progreffive induftry has been fufpended by the late rebellion, promoted by the united Iriflimen.

For fome week# previous to the breaking-out of the rebellion, the magiftrates of the county of Wicklow met almoft every week, for the purpofe of preventing, if polTible, the explofion fo much dreaded.

Every means were ufed to call the lower clafs of people to a fenfe of their duty, and a fubmiffion to the laws. Friendly exhortations, and promifes of protedion, were for a long time reforted to; but they were treated with derifion. Threats were then ufed, with no better elFeft. The magiftrates then had recourfe to rewards for publick or private information of feditious meetings, and concealed arms; however, friendly and conciliating admonitions were ftill continued. The refolutions of the magiftrates^ containing pathetick exhortations, and threats, and rewards, were printed and circulated through the country; but the mafs of the people had drunk fo deep of the intoxicating poifon of French republicanifm, fublimated by fanaticifm, that no antidote could counteract its baneful influence.

I lhall refer the reader to Appendix, No. X VL 1 . for part of a pathetick addrefs, publifiied by the magiftrates, on the third of April, 1798; when finding that mild and conciliatory meafures were difregarded, they were driven to the necelTity of proclaiming the whole county. The upper and lower half barony of Talbotftown was fo much difturbed, that it was proclaimed the tenth of November, 1797.

The firft feeds of difafieftion fown in the county of Wicklow were by a party of defenders, who had been hunted out of the county of Louth by the Speaker, in the year 1792; and were employed as labourers in the mines of MelTrs. Camacs, at Ballymurtagh.

Thofe

302

MEMOIRS OF TliE DIFFERENT

Thofe mifcreants, with their moft zealous exertions, could not propstgate defenderifm any farther than the diftrid in which they lived; and it was not accompanied with any adts of violence or outrage. All the efforts of the united Irilhmen to make the people of the county of Wicklow join in their rebellious defigns, proved unavailing, till they perfuaded the Popifh clergy to co-operate with them for that purpofe; which took place in the year 1796, as ftated in the report of the fecret committee, on the evidence of doftor M’Nevin, a Roman catholick, and ojie of the leaders in the rebellion.

A loyal papift, who was tenant to captain King, of Rathdrum, informed his landlord, that he had been prefTed by a neighbour to take the united Iriftimen’s oath, and threatened, if he refufed, or delayed to comply, with the total deftrudtion of him and his family; but he peremptorily refufed, having afhgned as a reafon, that he had taken the oath of allegiance. This objection was laughed at by his pretended friend, who aflbred him, that it had been decided, and declared, by their clergy, that the oath of allegiance, and all other oaths prefcribed by law, were to be confidered as compulfory, and therefore not binding; and that none but thofe which were voluntarily taken, impofed any obligation on confciences.* He at the fame time recommended to him, to confult father C. a prieft, on the fubjed; and having afked him, whether it was fmful to take the united Iriftiman’s oath, after having taken the oath of allegiance? he affured him, thatit was no fm. This man, having been informed that his life would be in imminent danger, unlefs he joined the united party, as he was told that a refolution had paffed at one of their meetings, that fuch perfons as refufed to do fo fliould be put to death, told his landlord captain King of what had paffed; and by his advice, he afked father C. and two more priefts, who happened to be in his company, whether a perfon could get abfolution in their church, for having deliberately killed a heretic, or one who differed from them in religious tenets? The anfwer of the priefls, which was evafive and equivocal, fhocked him fo much, that he refolved to become a proteflant; and he and all his family have continued to go to church ever fmce the rebellion.

This

• See the council of Lateran, pages ro, ii, and the opinions of docftor QurVe, and the cardinal Legate, on fuch an oath, pages 39, 40.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

303

This man being fatisfied that papills, under priefts influence, regarded the oath of allegiance as not binding, fuggefted to his landlord, captain King, the following teft oath, and recommended that it might be propofed to the Cronebane corps of yeomen; and aiTured him, that numbers of them, who were difaffedted, would refufe to take it.

*’ I , do in the prefence of my neighbours, folemnly fwear by the

contents of this book, containing the holy gofpel of Chrift, that I have not joined, nor in any manner entered into, any fociety, or alTociation of perfons, ftyling themfelves united Irilhmen, or any other feditious fociety or afTociation whatfoever, or taken any oath to keep the fecrets of any fuch fociety : And that I will not join, nor enter into, any fuch fociety, or take any oath to the prejudice of his majefty king George III. or contrary to the exifting laws, or conftitution of this kingdom of Ireland. And all this I fwear, freely and voluntarily, without any mental evafion, or fecret refervation whatfoever.

« So help me God.”

The fa£l turned out as predicted; forty-four of that corps who were deeply difaffecled, refufed to take the oath, which a prieft of the name of Meagher, pronounced to be blafphemous, when it was propofed for his confideration; though he would allow his flock to take the oath of allegiance, or any other prefcribed by law.

This prieft declared that he had loft all influence over his congregation ever fmce the introduftion of French principles; and yet, when a fearch fbr arms was about to be made, he gave notice to them to come in and take the oath of allegiance, which was immediately and implicitly obeyed by aii his parifhioners.

It was univerfally believed that he did fo from an idea that the taking that oath would fuperfede the necefl!ity of fearching for arms, and throw a veil over the malignant defigns of the united Iriflmien. Captain Mills, who commanded the Cronebane corps, difarmed the forty-four difaffeded members, and their places were fupplied by loyal men.

This teft oath, and the occafion of framing it, having been mentioned in the Dublin JoA.irnal, was adopted by the officers of many other corps in the counties of Wlcklow, Dublin, and Wexford, by whom it was propofed to be taken; and it produced univerfally the fame effeft, as almoft the whole of the popifh yeomen refufed to take it, and were therefore difmifled; which tended much to ftrengthen the caufe of loyalty;

as

304 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

as fome corps were purged of many traitors by it. Fourteen Roman catholicks of the Coolgreany corps, commanded by captain John Beauman, rcfufed to take it, and were therefore difmilTcd.

In the Caftletown corps, commanded by captain Grogan Knox, there were about fifty papifts, and ten proteftants. The captain intended to propofe the above teft oath to be taken, but was difTuaded by his two lieutenants, fir Thomas Efmond and Laurence Doyle, both papifts; but as the difaffeftion of the popifli members were very ftrongly fufpefted, the gentlemen of the country infifted on having them difmifled, which was very fortvmate, as many of them were afterwards hanged, or fhot, for having been concerned in the rebellion.

There was very great difaftedtion in the popifli yeomen of Bray. In fhort, there appeared a fpirit of difaffedion among the popifli yeomen of £very corps in the county of Wicklow. Captain Hume’s corps confifted of proteftants, and were of courfe loyal.

William Byrne of Ballymanus, a rebel captain, and a member of the Wicklow yeomanry, having refufed to take the oath, quitted it. He was afterwards hanged, for having been an aftive rebel leader.

Some time previous to the rebellion, and during its exiftence, many proteftants were murdered with horrid circumftances of barbarity. The magiftrates and gentry of the country, by frequent addrefles, endeavoured to recal the people to a fenfe of their duty; and offered large rewards for the difcovery of fuch atrocities.

Captain King having fent one of thofe papers to father C to be

read from the altar; he, in anfwer, faid, “ That he had received a paper from him, which contained rewards for the difcovery of crimes, and that he was fure it was well intended. That our Saviour was betrayed for thirty pieces of filver, but he hoped that none of his parifliioners would a£t the part of Judas.”

For fome months previous to the rebellion, the priefts ftrongly inculcated the neceflity of fobriety and peaceable demeanour,* to lull the magiftrates and government, and to prevent the rebels from betraying their fecrets, which had fuch immediate and univerfal effed, that the whifl^ey houfes were deferted, and thofe who had been the moft notorious drunkards, could not by any perfuafion be induced to drink any fpirits, and

abftained

• This appeared to have been the main objea: of the defenders, as appeared in their profpedus found on Sharky atDrunr.banagher, fo early as the year 1789. See Appendix, No, H.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 305

abftained from broils and quarrels, and particularly from feditious language in any mixed aflemblies.

Such inftrudtions, penned with energy and elegance, were printed and circulated among the people, which rapidly produced an apparent reformation in their manners, to the great furprife of thofe who were ignorant of the fecret motives which occafioned it.

Very early in the rebellion, two men of the names of Doyle and Lancafter, were found in arms near Glenmalier. The former, a papift, was condemned to die; but it appearing that he was more than once inftrumental in faving the life of Lancafler, who was a loyal man, and had been compelled to join the rebels, he was pardoned at the interceffion of captain King and Ifaac Eccles, efquire, two magiftrates. V/hen the mitigation in his fentence was communicated to him, he related feveral circumftances concerning the rebellion; among others, that he believed the priells promoted the rebellion to the utmoft of their power, and that twenty-eight of them were in the rebel army at the camp of Vinegarhill.

In fa£l:, the war there was purely religious; for there was no other motive to actuate the mafs of the people, except the hope of plunder, v.’hich was held out as an additional encouragement.

The old obfolete popifli holydays were revived, in order to give the feditious more frequent opportunities of aflembling, which could have proceeded only from the clergy, who attended on thofe days.

When the united Irifhmen had diffeminated their principles among the mafs of the people, iheir leaders tried many devices to afcertain the rirength and numbers of the party, and at the fame time to inflame their refentment againft the proteftants-Tpf the eitabliflied church, whofe loyalty was unqueftionable. For that purpofe, they propagated reports, “ That the Roman catholicks were to be murdered on a particular night, by the yeomen and loyalifts.”* This aflbrded a plaufible pretext to the difaffefted to aifemble in their refpeclive diftrifts, to avoid or oppofe the intended maflacre.

At other times it was faid, that the orangemen harboured that barbarous deiign, though at that time the very name of cv^ngeman was unknown

R r there^

* See finailar reports propagated in the rebellion of 1639, p. ^4 and

/

To5 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

•J

there. The firA meeting of that kind took place the eleventli of Odober, and was general in the country, from Arklow to Bray, taking in the whole of the county eafl; of the mountains.

On the tenth of October, a man who aflumed the name of James Collins, and faid he was the fervant of captain King, perambulated a great part of the county on horfeback, and propagated a report, *’ That he had been employed three days in giving notice to all the orangemen in it, to meet the Rathdrum troop (all of whom but four were orangemen,) the next night, to begin the maflacre of the Roman catholicks; and the reafon he afligned was, that all the yeomanry corps were to be ordered to march to Bantry bay, and that they were to perform that office before they fet out.”

He declared, “ That though he was fervant to that loyal gentleman, captain King, he was a warm friend to the Roman catholicks, and for that reafon he wiflied to put them on their guard.”

This perfon having been well defcribed, captain King traced him to ♦ the mines of Ballymurtagh, where he was employed by the MelTrs. Camacs; and he difcovered alfo, that his name was James Mc. Quillan, a native of the county of Louth, where he had been aftive among the defenders.

On being committed to gaol, he acknowledged, “ That at a meeting of the Ballymurtagh men, (many of whom had been defenders,) it was agreed, that he fliould undertake his miflion, and propagate the report about the defigns of the orangemen; that he went by the fea-fide to Dublin, and returned by another road to make the dilTemination of it more general.”

He affumed the name of Collins, htcaufe feveral perfons of that name were in the fervice of captain King.

The rifmg and alTembling of the people was preconcerted, and Mc. Quillan’s miffion was merely to give them notice on what night it was to take place.

Captain King’s name was much made ufe of to have him aflaflinated, as he was very aftive as a magiftrate, and a yeoman officer, in checking the progrefs of rebellic/i^; for which purpofe he was one of the firll perfons marked as an objeft of rebel vengeance in the Union Star.*

The

* See an account of it in page 187,

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 307

The informations relative to Mc. Quillan. are lodged in the clerk of the crown’s office.

Many other agents were employed to fpread fuch reports in the county of Wicklow.

On the feventh of Augufl^ i797> William Mc. Daniel of Crownaroe, announced publickly at Humewood, and in other parts of the county, that many of the proteftant members ef captain Hume’s corps,* in which there was but one Roman catholick, took a folemn oath, to burn all the Roman catholick houfes in the county, and to fhoot their inmates, an4 that they would foon fwim in Catholick blood. This ruffian was taken up, convided of that crime at the allizes, and imprifoned fix months.

A female vagrant went about the country near Weft-Aftonj fpreading a report, with adlive malignity, “ That Mr. A6ton, a gentleman of good landed property, faid, that an order had been received from government, that the proteftants fhould put all the Roman catholicks to death; and that he exprefled concern at it, to fome of the lower clafs of that perfuafion.” That gentleman offered a reward for the difcovery of that wretch, but he could not obtain it..

The conduft of the united Iriflimen in the county of Wicklow, previous to the rebellion, was exadly fimilar to what took place in every other part of the kingdom; except that they murdered but few perfons in plundering houfes of arms.,

The firft perfon affaffinated in it, was an inofFenfive old gentleman of the name of Nickfon, on the feventh of November, 1797.

When the rebels went to his houfe for arms, he opened the door himfelf, informed them, that they ftiould have what arms he had, and faid, , they fhould alfo have fomething to drink, , if they went in.

One in the rear of the party cried out, “ Does the old rafcal prate? No. 4, fhoot him diredly.’* On which. No. 4 flepped forward, and fhot him through the body.

The popifh multitude in Wicklow, as well as in mofl other counties, previous to the rebellion, repaired to the magiftrates, fwore oaths of allegiance, and obtained proteftions, with no other view but to deceive them and the government.

R r 2 Even.. * It had not a finglc united Icifhman in it.

2oS MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Even fo late as the twentieth of May, great numbers of people went to Arklow, took oaths of allegiance, and furrendered pikes to the reverend Mr. Bayly of Lamberton, a magiftrate; but for no other purpofe than to delude the government and the loyal fubjedls.

Had protedions been withheld till the people had furrendered their arms, and had fncwn fome figns of returning obedience, this praftice would have been attended with the beft eflcds; but the general officers in their refpedive diftricts granted them indifcriminately, and without any condition. An artful rebel has obtained two proteftions for himfelf, from two different quarters, and had given one of them to a neighbour, who affumed his name.

D\yyer, the noted rebel leader, more cruel than Hackett or Holt,’-and who has been the occafion of many atrocious murders near Baltinglafs, obtained a protection from general Moore, in the year 1798, and remained fome time in his camp, corrupting his foldiers; and yet for near two years he bids defiance to the king’s troops, and keeps the inhabitants of a large trad of the county of Wicklow in terror and difmay.

I)our deferters from the Antrim militia, and another rebel, were taken at their harbour, at Aughavanagh, with their arms, and carried to the general’s camp; but having pretended that they were on their way to furrender, he gave them protections, and difcharged them. They were afterwards (except one who was Ihot,) the moft defperate robbing party in the country.

It is not to be fuppofed that the general would have treated them with fuch lenity, had he known that they were deferters. Had he confulted the yeomen, or the country gentlemen of the diftrift, he could not have been deceived; but at that time it was the falhion to abufe the yeomanry, and to treat the opinion of the country gentlemen with contempt, which was fatal to many parts of that county.

From the following extrafts, taken from informations fworn before the reverend Edward Bayly, of Lamberton, in that county, the reader may judge of the defigns of the rebels. Simon Beahy fwore the twenty-fifth of May, 1798, that the objeft of the rebels was, to affift the French, when they came to conquer the kingdom.

Owen Redmond depofed the twenty-third of May, that he was fworn to join the French, and affift themj and to kill all thofe who would not join them.

John

REBELLIONS IN TRELAND, 309

John Hall dcpofed the fame, the twenty-third of May.

John Bryan made the fame depofition, the twenty-feventh of May.

Patrick Myrna fwore the fame the tv/enty-third of May. Michael Stafford fwore the twenty-third of May, that all thofe who were not united would be murdered.

Terence Kinfley fwore, the twenty-third of May, that the united Irifhmen were to rife in rebellion againft the king and his government, and to deftroy all perfons who were not of the popifh religion.*

I have feen a great number of informations of the fame tenor, fworn ^y repentant rebels.

I did not hear of a fmgle inftance of difaffeclion among the proteftant yeomen in the county of Wicklow,! or that a perfon of that perfuafion was concerned in the confpiracy or rebellion.

Part of the Arklow corps quartered at Gorey, patroled the country on the night of the twenty-feventh of May, and in doing fo, took up a wounded rebel, whofe life they promifed to fpare, if he would difclofe what he knew of the united bufmefs; on which he freely and voluntarily confelfed, before many refpettable witneffes, “ That he had been fworn by his prieft, to fife againft the government, and to kill all the hereticks.”

Many rebels in the county of Wicklow enlifted in the king’s troops, while they were qnartered there, merely for the purpofe of obtaining arms and ammunition, and a knowledge of military difcipline. On the night of the twenty-firft of September, twenty-two of the king’s county militia, who had pradlifed this bafe artifice, deferted with their arms and ammunition. Some yeomen cavalry were fent in purfuit of them, but the deferters having lain in wait, fired on them when they were in a deep road, with high hedges on each fide, killed two of them, and wounded fome more. This method was univerfally adopted by the rebels, for the above purpofes, and to feduce the king’s troops from their allegiance.

On the thirteenth of May, 1 798, the magiftrates and yeomen officers for fome miles round Baltinglafs, publifhed | exhortations to the lower clafs of

people,

* Sec Appendix, No. XVI. a.

t Except Holt, a low fellow, without any kind of principle. i Plate I. 8.

\

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

people, recommending to them to furrender their arms, to make full confeflions of their guilt, to fwear oaths of allegiance, and to receive protections; and vaft multitudes’ of them continued to do fo, from morning till night, from the fifteenth to the twenty-fourth of May; and yet, on the morning of that day, the infurredion of the lower clafs of people was general; and they were all armed with pikes or mulkets, though, witli their ufual diffimulation, they had for fome days before put on the femblance of contrition.

On the nineteenth of May, a decent looking man went through the country contiguous to Baltinglafs, exhorting the people to be in readinefs to rife at a moment’s warning, as no excufe would be taken.

On the morning of the twenty-third of May, the following notice was put under the door of a yeoman of captain Saunders’s corps :

** This is to give you notice, that if you do not do as you are defired to do, you will be left defolate : and further, if you let any bad perfons know, you will be burnt in your houfe.”

Captain Saunders of the Saunders-grove corps, having received a hint that fome of its members were feduced by the united Irifhmen, called a full parade of them on the twentieth of May, and exhorted them, if any of them had been unfortunately tempted to fwerve from their allegiance, to. acknowledge it to him either publickly or privately; but his addrefs to them did not produce any effed.

Such of them as were difafFefted, had refolved that evening to difclofe their guilt to their captain, but that James Dunn, the corporal, who had feduced them, perfuaded them to adhere to the united caufe, and not to violate the oath of fecrefy which they had taken. Full information having been received of the guilt of Dunn, he was taken up on the twenty-firft of May, by the Wicklow militia, and on being arrefted, he impeached fome of the members of his own corps.

This difcovery induced captain Saunders to call a full parade the twentyfecond of May, when he announced it to his men, in prefence of a party of the Wicklow militia, and the Dunlavin cavalry; and having defired three or four of the moft guilty to come forward, no lefs than twenty of them, touched with the ftings of compunction, advanced, and confelTed that they had been fworn. They were immediately conveyed as prifoners to Dunlavin, where many of them were Ihot on the morning of the twentyfourth-^

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

fourth of May, when the general rifing took place. There was much difaffedion in the popifti members of all the yeomen corps in that part of the country; but I could not hear of a fmgle iuftance of treachery in a proteftant. There was a confpiracy formed to murder captain Saunders; but this is not furprifmg, as all the proteftant gentlemen of that county were to have been cut off by their popilh fervants or tenants. Thomas Kavanagh, a popifti member of lord Aldborough’s corps, was a leader of the rebels; and was afterwards hanged : and his head was amputated, and fixed on a may-pole at Baltinglafs.

Mrs. Saunders, with heroic fortitude, remained at Saunders-grove, with her fix children, during the whole of the rebellion, while the tempeit howled around her; and, confiding in the fidelity of a few proteftant yeomen, fhe bid defiance to many bands of traitors who often approached her houfe, which fhe humanely made the afylum of many loyal proteftants, who narrowly efcaped from the pikes of the affafTms in the adjacent country.

The rebels having affembled to the number of four or five hundeed, near Stratford upon Slaney, entered that town in order to pillage it. While they were proceeding to do fo, lieutenant Macauly, commanding thirty of the Antrim militia, and cornet Love, with twenty of the ninth dragoons, attacked them; and at the fame inftant, captain Stratford appeared at the other end of the town with a detachment of his corps. They attacked the rebels at the fame time, and completely routed them, having killed between one and two hundred; and many were wounded, wlio made their efcape. Thomas Kavanagh, who headed the rebels on that occafion, offered to mount guard next day at Baltinglafs, in order to betray it to the rebels, which he would have done, but that his treachery was difcovered.

Previous to relating the battle of Newtown-mount-kennedy, I fliall give an account of the progrefs of the rebellion in the adjacent country, and of the circumftances which immediately preceded it.

In the fpring and fummer of one thoufand feven hundred and ninetyfeven, ftrong fymptoms of difaffedion began to appear in it, fuch as cutting down trees to make pike handles, founding of horns, meetings of the people on moon-hght nights for the purpofe of exercifing, and firing fliots to intimidate and keep within their houfes the loyal inhabitants. Some vigilant and intelligent magiftrates, feeing that nothing but adive and feafonable exertions could fave the county from deftrudion, had the landholders

and

312 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

ind principal inhabitants convened, to take its alarming (late into confideration. Notwithftanding the mofl: indubitable proofs that treafon fermented, and had made a confiderable progrefs in the country, which was evinced by the fads which I have ftated, many noblemen and gentlemen were fo incredulous, in confequence of the artful conduct, and grofs mifreprefentation of the difaffeded, and of the readinefs of the multitude to take the oath of allegiance, as not to believe that they had treafonable defigns, and for that reafon, the meetings were frequently adjourned; and inftead of adopting vigorous meafures, the moft friendly and pacifick addreffes to the people were pubUfhed, inviting them to refpcft the laws, and to return to a fenfe of their duty.

The committees of the united Irifhmen regarded their patience and forbearance, as cowardice and pufillanimity; and the lower clafs of people became daring and infolent, pulling down the pacifick refolutions of the county meetings; and denouncing vengeance againft fuch magiftrates and loyal fubjefts, as exprefled a difapprobation of their feditious proceedings; cr had taken an adtive part againft them; and at length it became dangerous for perfons of that defcription to traverfe the country, for fear of being affaffinated.

At laft they were driven to the neceflity of proclaiming the whole county, as the infedion had fpread very widely. Some parts of it had been proclaimed the tenth of November, 1797The general meetings of the people, in their relpedive diftrids, on the eleventh of Odober, I have already mentioned. It had a moft terrifick appearance, in the country round Newtown-mount-kennedy. The people, in confiderable numbers, headed by their captains, and varioufly armed,’ paraded there. On being interrogated by the gentlemen of the country, who rernonftrated to them on the dangerous confequences of their condud, they feid, in excufe, that they aflembled in defence of their perfons and property, againft the orangemen, who, they faid, confpired againft them; and were to rife and cut off every perfon of their perfuafion without exception.

I have abeady mentioned, that fuch reports were framed for no other purpofe, but to kindle an inextinguiftiable hatred in the Roman catholicks againft the proteftants; and the effeds of it appeared afterwards in the malTacres which took place in the counties of Wicklow, Wexford, Car low, Meath, Dublin, and Kildare.

REBELLIONS IN IRELANt). 313.

l^alters remained in that ftate, till the fpring of 1798, when a paper containing the proceedings and refolutions of the county of Wicklow committee was obtained, and was afterwards proved upon oath before the fecret committee of the houfe of lords, which (hewed the extent and ma-’ lignity of the confpiracy.

Government ftilL defifous, if pofTible, to avoid harfli and coercive meafures, and to induce the people to return to their duty and their allegiance by mild and conciliating means, lieutenant-general Craig, by their orders, ifTued a proclamation, dated the eleventh of May, 1798, for that purpofe,. which fee in Appendix, No. XVI. 3 and major Hardy, a humane gentleman and a judicious officer, who then commanded in that county, ufedthe moft zealous endeavours to the fame end.

Early in the month of May, as the country was in fuch an alarming fliate, that no loyal fubjeds could with fafety remain in their houfes, the yeoimen cf the diftrid were ordered into garrifon at Newtown -raountkennedy.

Oh Tuefday the twenty-ninth of May, a party confiding of ten of the Ancient Britifh cavalry, commanded by lieutenant Edwards, and the fame number of the Newtown-mount-kennedy cavalry, under lieutenant Archer,were ordered to proceed to Roundwood, and to return by the Devil’sglynn, wherethe rebels were fuppofed to be encamped in confiderable force; and they were to reconnoitre them, and to afcertain their numbers and their pofition. As they approached Roundwood, they attacked and cut ofi fome fmall parties of the r^bels^

Soon after they were informed, by exprefs, that the rebels were proceeding to burn all the houfes of the proteftants, and that they had begun with that of Mr. Hugo,^ at Drummeen, about three miles off; the detach-ment arrived in time to fave the dwelling-houfe, but they found the offices in flames. They attacked and roiitedthe rebel paity, who committed that atrocity-,with confiderable fiaughter, and laid waile the village of Clohogue, in which they took refuge.

On the twenty-ninth of May, two dragoons, one a yeoman^ the other an Ancient Britifii fencible, v/ere fent from Dublin, vdth an exprefs to lord

S s Rofemore,

* He was lieutenant of the Wicklow cavalry^ and wag noted for hi « znl, his a^livity acdcourage.

3*4

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Rofsmore, at Newtown-mount^kennedy, who was to forward it to Wicklow. When they were within two miles of Newtowii’-mount-kennedy, fome rebels, who lined the hedges, fired on them, and killed the yeoman who carried the exprefs; and yet his comrade, though the traitors continued to fire at him, difmounted, and with great coolnefs took the exprefs <5ut of his pocket, and delivered it, all covered with theblood of the deceafed, to lord Rofsmore.

For fome days previous to the thirtieth of May, immenfe numbers of rebels were feen on the mountains which overlook the village of Newtownmount-kennedy, which gave ftrong reafons for fufpeding that they meant to attack it.

About one o’clock, on the morning of that day, the town was aflaulted by about one thoufand of them, varioufly armed, who began by fliouting and huzzaing for Napper Tandy, and then by fetting fire to feveral houfes, particularly to the liable of the Ancient Britons; but very fortunately the horfes had been removed the preceding day.

On their entering the town, they were oppofed by the fmall garrifon in it, confifting of forty Ancient Britons, twenty of the Antrim militia, forty of the Newtown-mount-kennedy cavalry, and forty difmounted men, who had only received their arms the preceding day.

Nothing could exceed the valour of this fmall force, in repelling fo fudden and violent an attack. In the firft onfet, captain Burgany of the Ancient Britons fell, covered with (hot and with pike wounds. Captain Gore of the Newtown-mount-kennedy cavalry, who bravely led the attack, was difmounted, and received fome dangerous pike wounds. Mr. Graves Archer, lieutenant of that corps, was feverely wounded in the charge, and his horfe was killed; and feveral of the yeomen received flight wounds.

No’twithflanding thefe difcouraging circumftances, the rebels were routed and purfued with much flaughter, the purfuit having continued for fome hours; and the rebels, to facilitate their efcape, dropped fome hundred pikes in their flight.

The condud of lieutenant Fergufon, and his detachment of the Antrim, was highly meritorious, not only for their courage and adivity in the town, but in diflodging and difperfing a party of rebels, headed by one Maguire, a noted leader, who were too late for the attack on the

village.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 3:5

sillage, but materially aflifted in covering the routed rebels in their retreat.

Holt, a famous rebel chieftain, who commanded at the attack on Mr. Hugo’s houfe, was to have aflifted io the affault on Newtown-mountkennedy, with fix hundred men; but could not arrive there before the main body was tiefeated.

The reader may conceive in what a dangerous and terrifick ftate this country was in, on the breaking-out of the rebellion, from the following circumftance : Captain Beauman, who commanded the Goolgreany corps, was at Arklow,* when that event took place; and though his houfe was but five miles diftant, he did not venture to go to it, nor could he learn, what was going forward there for three weeks; fo completely was all com■ mumcation cut off.

For fome months after the rebellion was faid to be extinguiflied in the county of Wicklow, the rebels continued to commit the moft (hocking atrocities, plundering and burning the houfes of proteftants, and murdering their inmates, though there were three camps ftationed there at that time, for the purpofe of preventing the commiflion of outrages.

In the parifh of Donoughmore, twenty-two of the principal proteftant houfes were burned, and no houfe of a Romanift, but one; and that, becaufe the woman of it lamented, that the houfe and property of her proteftant landlord had been deftroyed.

A htmdred proteftants of that parifh fled for proteftion to TulIow,t Dunlavin, and Baltinglafs;J and were afraid to return to their refpedive homes, in confequence of the threats and denunciations of their popifti neighbours.

All the proteftant houfes at each fide of the road from Baltinglafs to Hacketftown, from Hacketftown to Rathdrum, and from Rathdrum to Bleffington, were burnt; but the property of a Roman catholick did not . receive the fmalleft injury in that extenfive traft.  On Wednefday the • twenty-fifth of July, they burned all the proteftant houfes, fixty in number, between Rathvilly and Hacketftown.  This defolating fpirit was very much encouraged by the refufal of the general officers to affift the civil; magiftrates with troops to prevent it.

S s 2 Mr. .

♦^Piate ll, r. t Ibid.. II. >• + Ibid.. I. 8..

3i6 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Mr. Hume, member for the county, made fuch an application (rv general — —; but he openly and bluntly refufed h’m, having faid, that fuch outrages were occafioned by the burning of houfes, by country gentlemen.

The rebels, finding that they lan. no rifk of punidiment, proceeded in large feands and with cool deliberation to lay wade extenfive trads of country.

I lliali refer the reader to Appendix, No. XVI. 4, for fome fpecimen)» of their treafonable defigns, of their deftrudive fpirit, and of the coldblooded murders which they committed.

About three o’clock, on the morning of the twenty-fourth of June, two yeomen patroling near the meeting of the waters, a place between Arklow and Rathdrum, faw a well-drefled man, on a horfe covered with foam and fweat, from fevere riding; they feized him, and demanded who he was, and whence he came. He anfwered, that he was a gentleman, and had been riding abojut for pleafure, to fee the beauties of the country. Having conduced him to Rathdrum^ be was examined by the co.mmajnding officer there, but would?iot give an aqcount of himfelf.

A young gentleman of Progheda, a recruiting officer, who was prefent, recognifed the prifoner, ga,ve privately a brief hillory of him to captain Giffard, and requefted that he would keep it a profound fecret.

At that inflant an alarm having been given, that the rebels were advancing, the garrifon got under arms^ the canjion were drawn out, and the matches were lighted.

Captain Giffard Ihewed him tliefe preparations : Told him, he knew that he was father Martin, a prieft, of Drogheda : That he was afting as a fpy : That unlefs he made a full confeffion, he Ihould be put to death, as his Hfe was forfeited by the laws of war : That if he complied, he fhould be left at the difpofal of the viceroy, who was merciful; but if he hefitated, he ffiould be blown away at the mouth of a cannon.

He inftantly dropped on his knees, begged to be take;i into a private room^ where, he faid, he would make a full and candid confeffion.

At firft he began to trifle; but the captain having mentioned fome cir? cumftances, which convinced the prifoner that he knew more of him thaa he fuppofed, he made the following full and unreferved confeffion upon path, and afterwards figned it :

*’That

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

3’;

*’ That his name was Martin, that he had been a friar of Drogheda., ^nd that he recently officiated at Dunboyne : That he was early an united Irifliman, and very aftive in the caufe : That he preached up the mafTacrr of the proteftants at Dunboyne, which afterwards took place there : Thau he was in habits of intimacy with father Ledwich, parifh prieft of Rathfarnham, whofe nephew (Ledwich) and Wade, he excited to rebelHon, in confequence of which they were both hanged on the (^leen’s-bridge : That he was now come down to promote the caufe, and was in fearch of Byrne and Holt, who were at the head of a large body of rebels in the mountains, between Rathdrum and Hacketftown : That he had flept the preceding night at the houfe of a prieft at Roundwood.”

He alfo ftated, “ That there was a club of traitors at that time fitting in Dublin, and another in Drogheda,” moft of whom have been fmce taken up, and puniflied. He faid, “ That a large fum of money had been levied on the Roman catholicks in general, both clergy and laity, every perfon paying according to his wealth, fome an hundred pounds, others one fliilling : That he, though a poor prieft, was rated at a guinea : That the money fo levied, was to be applied to purchafe arms and ammunition, and to reward their friends both in and out of parliament.”

The practice of putting red tape on the necks of popifli children, a (hort time before the rebellion broke out, prevailed as much in the county of Wicklow as Wexford. It is certain, that the intent of it was, to diftinguifti the popifti from the proteftant children. The pretext was, to proteft them from the effeds of a contagious diforder which would foon appear in the country, and be fatal to many of its inhabitants; but experience has fmce taught us that it was to enable the rebels to difcriminate proteftants from popifti children in the maflacre which was intended of the former.

A court-martial was held at Arklow, the eighteenth of June, 1798, by orders of general Needham, for the trial of Matthew Waddock, a traitor, found in arms, and for being in the aftion of the ninth of June, at Arklow.

The prifoner acknowledged the crime, and that while he attended the rebel army, he confidered as chief commanders in it, Anthony Perry of Inch, father Francis Kavenagh, parifti prieft of Gorey, father Roche of the fame., •Bernard Murray, apothecary, and Matthew D’Arcy, both of the fame. .

James

3iS MJ-MOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

James Munigan, a prifoncr, taken in arms with Waddock, depofeJ^ that fathers Roche, Stafford, Kavanagh and Redmond,* four priefls, were always confidcrcd as commanders in the rebel army.

The death of captain Hume, member for the county of Wicklow, murdered by the rebels, happened in the following manner; which was proved on the trial of John Moore, the rebel who killed him :

John O’Neale fwore, that the party of rebels to which he belonged, wasclofely purfued by the king’s troops, through Glenmalier, into Aughavanagh, where they faw different parties of the king’s troops in purfuit of them. They had but fix horfemen of their party, three in red, and three in coloured clothes. Captain Flume, having miltaken them for a party of ytomen, advanced near them, and cried out, “ Is there not enough to mind that pofition?” Conway, one of the rebels, afked him, Who he was ^ to which he anfwered, *’ Captain of a corps of cavalry.” Conway then faid, “ Did you ever hear of the Ballynatrochin cavalry?” and then raifing his firelock, miffed fire at him. On which Moore fhot him, and mounted his horfe, and Conway took his fpurs. This gentleman, who was univerfally and defervedly efleemed in his country, had difplayed great courage and a£livity at the head of his corps, during the progrefs of the rebellion. This melancholy event happened in the month of Oclober, 1798.

REBELLION IN THE COUNTY OF WEXFORD.

The inhabitants of no part of Leinfter enjoyed fo equal a portion of fecial happinefs, as thofe of the county of Wexford, which arofe from the following eaufes : Many Englifh families who fettled there at, different periods, but particularly in the laft century, introduced that ceconomy, induftry,, and cleanlinefs, which are peculiar to the Britifh nation,, but in which the native Irifh are very deficient; and ftrong veftiges of thofe habits are ftill evident in the defcendants of the Britifli fettlers. There are fewer abfentee eftates in Wexford than in moft other counties, and more gentlemen refident in it, who maintain focial order, and difcharge the duties of hofpitality, charity and humanity; and as the leaves of a tree enrich the foil which nouriflies the parent trunk, fo the rents of an eftate fhould be expended in

rewarding

• The latter was hanged. H« was coadjutor to fath«r Kavenagh. pariQi prieft. of Gcrcy.

Tlacc JZ

^ BcM

2\ MAP

/u/J^f’ of //ley (Mll/ttu\) of’^ Carloir. Wexford, X’ WicMow .

CL ScaZe’  of Mvles

REBEILIONS IN IRELAND. 3,9

rewarding the labour of thofe, who, in producing them, contribute to th? eafe, the comfort, and convenience of the landlord. From its oblong and narrow form, and the fmuofity of its fea coaft, it enjoys a much greater length of it, in proportion to its quantity of fquare acres, than any other county a citcumftance favourable not only to commerce, but to agriculture, as the fea fand, and fea weed, form a very good manure for corn. It is abundantly fupplied with filh and fea fowl. It is bifected by the river Slaney, which is navigable to Ennifcorthy, fifteen miles from the fea : part of it is bounded on the weft by the rivers Nore and Sarrow, which unite a little above New Rofs, and proceed in a very copious ftream to Dunbrody, where being joined by the river Suir, they run in a fouth-eaft diredion, and, paffing by Paffage and Duncannon fort, difcharge themfelves into the ocean at Hook tower.*

The county of Wexford had been generally noted for the peaceable dhpofition of its inhabitants, and a chafte adminiftration of juftice, which might be juftly imputed to the comfort, and the conftant occupation, which its very extenfive and flourilhing agricuhure affords to the farmers and the peafantry, and to the number of gentlemen who refide on their eftates. While many counties in Ireland were difgraced by no£lurnal robbery and alTaflination, committed by defenders and united Iriflimen, for five years previous to 1797, it was the pride and the boaft of the Wexford gentlemen, that their county remained in perfeft tranquillity.! But in the autumn and winter of the year (797, and in the fpring of the enfuing year, as there were well grounded fufpicions that the mafs of the people began to be infeded by thofe baneful principles, which have fince proved fo fatal to the kingdom, that pikes had been manufafture.!, that clubs had been formed, in which illegal oaths had been adminifteied, meetings of the magiftrates were held in different parts of the county, to take into confideration the iieceffity of proclaiming thofe -diftrifts, where fymptoms of difturbance had appeared.

From the beginning of the year 1797, it was perceived by feme milgiftrates of ^lifcernment, that the lower clalfes of tlie people were very tinwilling to pay their debts, or to fulfil any engagements : That they ap^ peared furly when called on to do fo  and they were heard, when angry,

or

» See PlatcF, No. I. JI. HI.

t The only inftance to thecontrai’y that occurred there fonre years -ivere the \»hiteboy? in fheyear 1774, and tke defenders who appeared there in 1793 > but the iatt^r were foon fup

j26 MEMOIIiS OF THE DIFFERENt

or drunk, to hint on fuch occafions, that they “would foon have an opportunity of being revenged. They w^ere feen to remain later than ufual at fairs and markets, and in pubHck houfes, and to confer together in whifpers.

At a meeting of the magiftrates held at Gorey, the twentieth day of November, 1 797, fuch ftrong proofs appeared, that a fpirit of difaffedtion had exifted fome time in certain diflrids, that nineteen parilhes were proclaimed \ which circumftance alarmed the priefts of thofe pariftieSy and their congregations, as they found that the progrefs of their rebellious defigns would be impeded, if the civil magiftrate was empowered to a£l with additional energy under the infurredion law. They therefore alTembled at their refpeftive chapels, and in an addrefs, which they univerfally adopted, befought the earl of Mountnorris to avert that meafure, as it would cover them with a fufpicion of difloyalty and difaffeftion, which they by no means merited : And as his lordfhip, and feven more magiftrates of the county, fpoke and voted againft proclaiming thofe parifhes, they entreated him and them, to meet them at their refpedive chapels, that they might take the oath of allegiance, to clear themfelves from that imputation; and his lordfliip, and thofe magiftrates, having accordingly attended them, they all, at their refpeftive altars, fwore an oath of allegiance, agreeable to a form previoufly agreed upon.*

So deep was the difguife of the popifh multitude, and their priefts, that the proteftant minifters, churchwardens, and pariTnioners of fome parillies, were prevailed on by them, to fig-n certificates of their loyalty and peaceable deportment, in order to prevent the adoption of that falutary coercion, which would have checked their dangerous defigns; and yet thofe very priefts, and their flocks, difplayed the moft bitter and unrelenting enmity againft thofe minifters f and their congregations, in the month of May, and hunted them like wild beafts.

At the meeting held at Gorey, eight magiftrates, including Lord Mountnorris, voted and fpoke vehemently againft proclaiming the nineteen parifties, from a perfuafion that the popifti inhabitants and their priefts were

perfectly

* See in appendix, No. XVII. the addrefs to his lordfhip, and the oath of allegiance which they all adopted, and the names of the priefts and their refpedlive parilhes. \ Sec in appendix, No. XVII. the certificates of fome pariflies, which 1 happened to obtain.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

321

perfedlly innocent; and yet they were as obnoxious to that ferocious and fanguinary fpirit which broke forth in the month of May, as thofe who wifhed to enforce that meafure.

The fymptoms of rebellion were fo evident and alarming in the month of April, that twenty-feven magiftvates affcmbled at Ennifcorthy, on the twenty-fifth of that month, and agreed that the whole county fhould be proclaimed, and it accordingly, took place on the twenty-feventh; but Mr. Jofliua Pounden ilrenuoully urged an exemption from its operation for that town, from a conviction of the loyalty of its inhabitants; and Mr. Alcock of Wilton, from the fame motive;, folicited a fimilar privilegs for his tenants; though the fequel proved that they were deceived.

This procedure was adopted, in confequence of their having difcovered that great quantities of pikes had been made,, and of their having detefted blackfmiths in the aft of fabricating them.

Mr. Hawtrey White, captain of the Ballaghkeene yeomen cavalry, obtained the following information, and communicated it to government, fo early as the month of November, 1797: Their manner of affembling : Their frequent meetings : Their mode of colleding money in their refpedive parilhes : That it was to be applied to the purpofe of purchafing arms and ammunition, and of feducing the military : That an attack on the city of Dublin was meditated : That the popifti priefts were . deeply concerned in the rebellion; and that whenever it would break out, religion would have the chief influence.

Many other priefts and their congregations followed the example of thofe who took oaths of allegiance, on the twenty-fixth of November, 1797, having folicited the magiftrates to give them the fame opportunity of exculpating themfelves.

In the month of February, 1798, fome of the principal popifli farmers of the parifti of Kilrufti, folicited Charles Dawfon, efquire, of CharlesFort, near Ferns,* a magiftrate, to attend them at their chapel for that purpofe; and he complied with their wifhes, on the enfuing Sunday, when he was aflifted by the reverend Edanus Murphy, their parifli prieft, and his coadjutor. The latter in a long harangue from the altar, expatiated on the virtues of his prefent majefty, the wifdom and lenity of his

T t government,

• See Plate 11. 6.

322 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

government, and recommended to them a fteady and unfliaken fidelity to both. He at the fame time appointed three days for them to affemblc at different places in the parifli, to take and fubfcribe the oath of allegiance, before Mr. Dawfon, which they accordingly did; and father Myrphy was prefent at one of their meetings.

The fame pried and his flock affembled again on the twenty-eighth of January, 1798, in their chapel, expreffing their abhorrence of the barbarous outrages lately committed, and of the dangerous confpiracies formed by traitors and rebels, ftyling themfelves united Iriflimen; and declaring their unalterable attachment to their beloved fovereign, and to our happy conftitution. It was figned by Edanus Murphy, and five hundred and fourteen of his parifliioners, and publifhed in the Dublin Journal on the third day of March, 179S, after having b^^n prefented to the viceroy.

Notwithftanding fuch  unequivocal  teftimonies  of their loyalty, Mr. Dawfon had ftrong reafons for thinking that a ftormiwas gathering, as the people affembled privately, and many pikes had been manufadbured in the pariffi, fubfequent to the adminiftration of oaths at the chapel. He therefore prevailed on fome of his tenants, partly by threats, and partly by perfuafion, to make a full confeffion of their guilt, and to deliver up their arms, which they accordingly did; and next day, a great .number of people followed their example, in acknowledging their delufion, in furrendering pikes, and in foliciting protedions, which they obtained; though thefe very people had a few days before taken oaths of allegiance, and had figned an addrefs to the viceroy.

On this difcov€ry, Mr. Dawfon, alarmed at the perilous ftate of the •country, repaired on the twentieth of May to Wexford, where he and twenty-nine magiftrates affembled; and publifhed notices, exhorting all the people in general to come in, to take oaths of allegiance, to confefs their errors, and to accept the proteftion which they then offered them. This produced the defired effed; far the magiftrates continued the entire week to receive great numbers of people, who feemed very penitent, having confeffed their errors; the committees before whom they had been fworn; and the blackfiniths who had made their pikes, of which they fur-rendered great quantities.

The

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 323,

The fame protedions were granted in the parifhes of Ennifcorthy,Templefhambo. Ferns,* Newtown-Barryf and Camolin,| where the refpeftive parifli priefts attended, and exhorted their flocks to teflify their loyalty, and to renounce their errors; and this continued till the day before the rebellion broke out, and in moft’of the parifhes in that county they followed their example.

The priefls and their congregations in the parifli of Monomolin, tookoaths of allegiance, furrendered their arms, and received protedions, on the week preceding the rebellion, and fent a loyal addrefs to the viceroy.

Great numbers of people in the parifli of Kilfcoran, attfended by two prieflis, continued to take oaths of allegiance on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, previous to the thirtieth of May. Above one thoufand perfons did the like in the parifli of Taghmon, the week preceding the rebellion, and two hundred even fo late as the morning df Whitfunday.

The protedions granted to the perfons who took fuch oaths, were foundafterwards in the pockets of numbers of them who fell in the rebellioTi.

On the twelfth of April, 1797, many parifli priefl:s and their congregations addreffed lord Camden in terms flirongly expreflive of their loyalty, and on this occafion they all adopted one form of addrefs. |[

As the earl of Mountnorris ha,d always been peculiarly attentive to the intereft: of the Roman catholicks, and had endeavoured to awaken a fenfe of duty in them, at this alarming period,, they folicited him to prefent them to the viceroy, which he accordingly did.

The reverend Dudley Colclough, a magifl;rate, adminifliered oaths of allegiance in the parifli of Templefliambo, to fome hundreds of people,, who furrendered their pikes, and on doing fo received protedions.

Sir Frederick Flood and Henry Brownrigg, efquire, did the like in the ^rifli of Camolin, where the priefl:s attended^

The^ fbllowing letter § publiflied in the Dublin Journal of May twentyfixth, flbews how much the magift:rates were impofed on.

T t 2 It

• Plate H. 6. t Ibid. 5. t IWd.

II See in Appendix, No, XVII. i. the names of the priefts, thtirpariflies and their addrefs.

§ Camolin, May 24th. “ I have the fatisfadllon of informing you, that the meafures of government have been attanded with the happieft effects.  In this parifli, many hundred pikes have been given up

within

324 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENl’

It was obferved, that in the town of Camolin, a number of priefts ufed frequently to meet, dine together, and hold private conferences for fome months previous to the rebellion.

At Ennifcorthy, the two Mr. Poundens fat for an entire week, previous to Whitfunday, giving proteftions to the people, in confequence of their having taken the oaths, and furrendered their arms. Thefe proceedings took place in the prefence of three priefts,* who to give a greater appearance of fandtity to them, infifted that the people ftiould be fworn on a popifb manual; and yet fo little regard had their flock for the facred obligation of an oath, that fome of thefe protedions were found in the pockets of rebels, who were killed on the Monday following, when they attacked the town of Ennifcorthy.

In the parifh of Ferns, oaths were admmiftered to the inhabitants of it, by Ifaac Cornock, efquire, and the reverend Mr. Turner f of Ballingale, both magiftrates, until the evening before the rebellion broke out.

Some of them denied, that they had ever feen a pike, or taken the united Iriftiman’s oath; but on being refufed protections, and threatened with the feverity of the law, they acknowledged both; and faid, that they had procured thofe weapons to protect themfelves againft orangemen, who they heard would foon rife and exterminate the Roman catholicks. A few of them owned, that the purport of their oath was, to join the French, and to kill all loyal fubje£ts, and fuch perfons as would not join them; and on being urged to declare whom they meant by loyal perfons, they faid proteftants.

Mr. Hawtrey White of Peppard’s caftle,J in the parifh of Donoughmore, an aftive magiftrate, knowing that rebellious principles had been widely diffufed, and had taken deep root in the minds of the people, prevailed

within thefe few days to fir Frederick Flood and Henry Brownrigg, efquire, magiftrates; anJ the unfortunate people are crowding in with the fulicft confeflion, and throwing themfelves on the mercy of government. I have been myfelf an eye-witncfs to the fenfc of guilt and contrition in the deluded peafantry, againft whom fuch baneful arts have been exerted.”

• It was obferved, that a prieft retired with fome of the parifhioners, and whifpcrcd them fometimc before they took the oath.

t Mr. Turner, before whom they fwore thofe oaths on Saturday, was murdered by them next morning.

t Plate III. I.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 325

vailed on the following priefls, and the mod refpeftable farmers of their congregations, to affemble at his houfe, on Saturday, the nineteenth day of May, for the purpofe of admonifhing them, on the alarming ftate of the country : Father Nicholas Redmond, parifh prieft of Donoughmore, father Michael Murphy, of * Ballycanew, father Michael Lacy, of fKilmuckridge. He informed them of his having received certain intelligence, that fecret meetings of the people had been frequently held, in which treafonable oaths had been adminiftered, and that great quantities of pikes’ had been made in their parifhes, and in all the adjacent country; and he prefTed them to ufe their utmoft exertions, by exhortations from the altar, to check their deluded congregations, in their career to dedruction; but they, and their parifhioners, declared in the mofh folemn manner, that they were pofitively ignorant of the alarming circumftances which he ftated, and that they had never feen a pike; though Mr. White had pofitive information, that fome of the farmers who had made fuch declarations of their innocence, were poflelTed of confiderable quantities of thofc weapons. They all departed, making llrong profefiions of loyalty, and exprelling great furprife and concern at what they had heard. Next day thefe priefts exhorted their flocks from the altar, to condud themfelves peaceably, and to a6l with fidelity towards the government; and they, as if deeply imprefled with the admonitions of their fpiritual paftors, continued the entire week to furrender pikes, and to fwear oaths of allegiance before the magiftrates, and to receive protedions. But though the mafs of the people gave fuch unequivocal teftimonies of their fincere intention to preferve focial order, the following circumftance raifed many ominous doubts and conjedures in the minds of his majefty’s loyal fubjecls : That the popifli multitude reforted to their chapels, much oftener than ufuai, for fome weeks before the rebellion broke out, to exercife their devotions, and to confefs to their refpedive parifh priefts, not only in the county of Wexford, but in many other parts of the province of Leinfter.

For fome months previous to it, doctor Caulfield, the popifh bifhop, and a number of priefts, ufed frequently to meet, and dine at the houfe of Peter Redmond, at Ennifcorthy, where they held fecret conferences.

By

* Plate II. 6, t Plate III. 2.

I Mr. White had undoubted information at that time, that thefc priefts were deeply and aftively engaged inthccaufeof the union. Michael Murphy %vas killed at the battle ofArlflww.

326 MEMOIRS OF ITHE DIFFERENT

By fuch profound difTimulation, covered over with the broad mantleof religion, the priefts and their congregations lulled the government, and the magiftrates, intp a ftate of fupine and fatal fecurity; and prevented them from adopting fuch vigorous meafUres, and falutary precautions, as were neceflary to prevent the execution of their nefarious dfe■ figns. They therefore formed their deftruftive plans, with the filence and’ fecrefy of moles, and ftkrted forth, fuddenly, with the fury and fiercenefs of tygers. The ddufive ftillnefs that preceded the infUrredion in the county of Wexford^ refembled a calm in one of the tropical regions,, which is fuddenly fucceeded by a hurricane, that fpreads univerfal defolation.*

When, this dreadful volcano burft forth, which has brought irreparable calamities, and indelible difgrace on that once-happy and” opulent, portion of the kingdom of Ireland, there were no other troops in the: county of Wexford but the North Cork militia, confifting of but three hundred men; and they did not arrive there till the twenty’fixth ofi: April. Their head-quarters were in Wexford, where three companies of them were ftationed; the remainder were cantbned at Gorey, Ennif-^ corthy, and Ferns. Two thoufand troops, properly cantoned in it, would: have awed the rebels into obedience, and have prevented the poffibilityi of a rifing; but the folemnity and facrednefs of oaths, and the earnefthefs’ of proteftations, banifhed all fufpicion on the part of the government, the magiftrates, and the loyal fubj efts; thoughthe fubverfion of the former, and the extirpation of the latter, had been fome months c6iicerted.

The following reafon is to be afTigned, for the zeal which the leadera of rebellion in the county of Wexford difplayed, in organizing and arming the people, and in practifmg the arts of deception on the government : lord Edward Fitzgerald had laid a plan, that a few faft-failing French frigates, Ihould come to Wexford, filled with arms and ammunition,

with

* But, as we often fee, againft fome ftornti, A filence in the heavens, the rack ftand ftilli The bold winds fpcechlefs, and the orb below As hufli as death; anon, the dreadful thunder, Doth rend the region — ^ ShakSPEare, II Plate II. 4.

REBELLIONS IK IRELAND.

A\ith officers and Irhhmen, and perfons capable of drilling men.§ In confequence of this, their expedations of their arrival were fuch, that the Wexford rebels mifbook our frigates for French, when they appeared on their coaft.

It was the intention of the Irifli diredory, that the infurreOiion lliould take place at one and the fame time, all over Ireland; but the following circumftances difconcerted their fcheme, and prevented the accomplifhment of it : The arreft of the reprefentatives for the province of Leinfter, atOliver Bond’s, and afterwards of lord EdwardFitzgerald,the twoSheares, Neilfon, and fome other leaders; and as their fucceffors difagreed about the time of rifmg, it is certain that it was not determined on till a Ihort .time before it was to take place in Dublin and its vicinity.

It was not conimunicated to the Wexford leaders till the twenty-fifth ,of May, ^d,it required fome time to apprize the different captains of it, that they might prepare their corps to adl in concert. For thefe reafons, the general infurredion in that county did not take place till Whitfunday, the twenty-feventh day of May, 1798.

•  But the jeeal of father John Murphy,* of Boolavogue chapel, in the parifh of Kilcorraick, was fo intemperate, that he began his military career at fix o’clock on Saturday evening the twenty-fixth of May; and confidering the time of its duration, and the limits to which it was confined, we muft allow that it was as deftruftive as that of Attila, <Jengis Kan, or Tamerlane.  His father was a petty farmer at Tincurry, iin the parifh of Ferns, where he was educated at a hedge-fchool, kept by a man of the name of Gun.  It appears by his teflimonium and diploma,! ,that he received holy orders at Seville in Spain, in the year 1785; and, I prefum.e, that he graduated there as a doftor of divinity, as he afTumes that title in his ]ournal,| which he dropped in his retreat from Vinegarhill, and which was foymd by captain Hugh Moore of the 5th dragoons, jaid-de-camp to general Needham.

As one Webfler, a proteflant neighbour of doctor Murphy, was re.^qrjning frpm Gorey, he met him near Boolavogue, about four o’clock

on

§ Report of the fecret committee, Appendix, No. XVI.

• See the oath of allegiance which he took, and his addrefs to lord Mountnorris,’ witt other priefts, Appendix, No. XVII. t See Appendix, No. XVIII. i.; Ibid.

328

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

on Saturday the twenty-fixth of May, and was faluted by him with great cordiality; and yet, in about three hours after, the doftor was at the head of a numerous party of rebels, who burned the houfes of Webft;cr,§ and his brother, and many of his proteftant neighbours.

The doftor collefted his forces by lighting a fire on a hill called Corrigrua,* which fignal was anfwered by another fire on an eminence coritiguous to his own houfe, at Boolavogue; foon after which father Murphy fet out on his crufade, at the head of a numerous band of foUowets.t

I’hefe outrages, the firft fymptoms of open rebellion, were communicated to the garrifon of Ennifcorthy,| in the following manner : A party ot thefe rebels attacked the houfe of the widow Piper^ at Tincurry, four miles from that town, wounded her in a defperate manner, and murdered her fon-in-law, a young man of the name of Candy. Her daughter, having narrowly efcaped by leaping out of a window, mounted a horfe, and galloped off” to Ennifcorthy, and informed the garrifon quartered there of thefe atrocities, at feven o’clock in the evening.

About the hour of eleven o’clock that night, the Ennifcorthy and Healthfield yeomen cavalry, commanded by captain Richards and caprain Grogan, proceeded to Tincurry, to difperfe the rebels; and on their arrival there, found all the circumftances of atrocity related by the poor female fugitive to be ftritlly true; and they were alfo informed by her mother, that the affafTms principally concerned in them, were one Fitzpatrick, and the Boulgers, a popifh family, her near neighbours, with whom fhe had always lived in the clofeft friendlhip and that their enmity could have arifen from no other motive, but becaufe fhe was of the proteftant religion, and that her two fons were in the fervice as yeomen.

Soon after the yeomanry returned to Ennifcorthy, they were alarmed a fecond time, by the arrival of a young man of the name of Webfter, who informed them that his father’s houfe at Garrybritt, about five miles off, had been fet on fire by a party of rebels, and that he made his efcape after having rufhed through the flames. On this intelligence, captains Richards and Grogan fet out a fecond time with their corps of cavalry, in purfuit of the rebels; and on their arrival at Garrybritt, found the

houfe

§ See in Appendix, No. XVIII. a, the Affidavit of Samuel Whealey. * Plate II. 7.     [ Ibid.     t Plate III. a.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

329

houfe of the two Webfters, brothers, John and Robert, in flames, and the two daughters of one of them, both handfome and young, having narrowly efcaped, were fitting in their fhifts, in an orchard near the houfe, fhivering with cold. Their father, a man of confiderable fubftance, was in a moment reduced to poverty.

Captains Richards and Grogan faw all the proteftant houfes, as far as their fight could extend, in a ftate of conflagration; and having received undoubted information that father Murphy was at the head of the rebels who were thus fpreading devaftation, they, in the firft inftance, repaired to his houfe, where they difcovered that he, confcious that his nefarious conduft would provoke the vengeance of the magiftrates and the military, had concealed his furniture in a pit in an adjacent field, before he had fet out on his campaign; and all the rebels who attended him followed his example.

They therefore fet fire to father Murphy’s houfe, as a punifhment for the atrocities which he and his followers had perpetrated. Some perfons have aflerted that the yeomen were the aggrelTors on this occafion, and that father Murphy would not have embarked in the rebellion, if he had not been provoked by the burning of his houfe and his chapel; but the fafts which I have related are a fulEicient refutation of this; and the affidavits of two rebel leaders of the names of Roffiter and Crawley,* remove all doubts on it.

In juftice to captain Richards, I think it right to fay, that he would not fuffer any of his party to burn father Murphy’s chapel, or to infult his veftments, which were found in the pitj near his houfe; but that on the contrary, he infilled that nothing of the kind fhould be done, having faid, “ Punifh the man, but do not mock or infult; his religion.”

The yeomen cavalry, in their progrefs that night, overtook fome of the rebels in arms, whom they put to death, and burned fome of their houfes, which their inmates had deferted, and from which the furniture had been removed and concealed.

Many particulars of the deftrudive career of that facerdotal hero, during that night and next day, have been verified by the affidavit of Samuel

U u Whealey.

» See Appendix, No. XVIII. 3.

t They found there his teftimonium and diploma.

330 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Whealey, a farmer of that parifh.* Having burnt every proteftant houfa in the parifh of Kilcormick, and murdered fuch of their inmates as he could feize, he proceeded to a place called the Harrow^ where he engaged and defeated a party of the Camolin yeomen cavalry, having killed lieutenant Bookey, who commanded it, and Mr. John Donovan, one of the privates; after which he burned the houfe of Rockfpring,|j belonging to the former.

When lieutenant Bookey fet out with his troop, he left a guard in hi* houfe, confiding of five Roman catholick fervants, and two proteftants, Jacob Ward and Samuel Hawkins. Between twelve and one o’clock in the morning, about five hundred rebels, headed by father Murphy, furrounded the houfe of Rockfpring, on which the five papifts deferted, and the two proteftants were left alone, with four guns, to defend the houfe. The rebels called to them to deliver up their arms, which the two proteftants faid they would do, and immediately difcharged four guns at them; and they continued to load and fire at them with all poflible celerity. The rebels, incenfed at their fpirited conduft, threw ftones at the windows, fired into them with their mufkets, and at laft broke open the front door with a fledge. As fome of the aflfailants had fallen by the fire of the befieged, others, dreading the fame fate, were heard to cry out, “ Let us retreat, before more of us are killed.”

The rebels having entered the houfe, got lights, and aflembled in the hall; on which the two proteftants ceafed firing, and placed themfelvcs on the head of the ftairs, with their mulkets, to prevent their foes from afcending. Father Murphy ordered fome of his men to go up ftairs, and learn who the perfons were that had the audacity to oppofe him; but having hefitated to obey his commands, he drew his fword, and threatened them inftantly with death. Two of them having attempted to comply, were fliot before they proceeded far, and tumbled down among their comrades. As the laft refource, to be revenged of the befieged, they fet fire to the houfe; and yet the two proteftants, with the moft deliberate valour, continued to charge and fire, till the floor, a prey to the ■flames, began to crack under them; on which they repaired to the upper ftory, but even there they were much fcorched with the flames, and almoft

ftifled

■* See Appendix, No. XVIII. ». H Plate II. 7.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

ftifled with fmoke.  But as they ceafed to fire, the rebels imagined

they were fufFocated or confumed, and that they had obtained ample

revenge; and fearing that the dawn, which was not far diftant, would

expofe them to the yeomanry of Ennifcorthy who had been fcouring the *

country, they retreated, by which the lives of thefe two brave men were

preferved.

As the murder of the reverend doftor Burrowes, reftor of Kilfnuck-ridge, and the burning of his glebe-houfe at Kyle,* were marked with circumftances of peculiar atrocity, I fliall give a minute defcription of them, as related to me hyhis widow and children, jj Some of his proteftant parifhioners, dreading that they would fall a prey to the fanguinary rage of father Murphy, took refuge in the houfe of Kyle, on Saturday evening. One Murphy, though an united Irifhraan, had candour and humanity enough to inform Mr. Burrowes, about eleven o’clock that night, that his houfe would be attacked early next morning by a party of rebels. In confequence of this information, he, his family, and his parifliioners fat up all night, and barricadoed the lower part of the houfe, which was attacked at fun-rife by about five hundred rebels.

It was vigoroufly defended for fome time, many fliots having been fired by the alTailants and the befieged. At laft, the rebels fet fire to the outoffices, which were quickly confumed, and foon after to the dvi ellingboufe, which in a fhort time was in a ftate of conflagration. The rapid progrefs of the flames in the latter was imputed to fome unftious combuftible matter applied to the doors and windows of the houfe, which the rebels frequently ufed in the courfe of the rebellion.

The befieged, being in danger of fufFocation from the thicknefs of the fmoke, refolved to quit the houfe, however perilous it might be; and they were encouraged to do fo by dodtc«Murphy, who affured them, that they fhould not be injured, if they furrendered themfelves without any furfher refiftance. Relying on his promife, they quitted the houfe, < on which they treacheroully murdered Mr. Burrowes, and feven of his parifhioners; and gave his fon, a youth of fixteen years,| fo fevere a wound in the belly with a pike, that for fome time he lay motionlefs and

U u 2 apparently

♦ See Plate III. a.

The moft material of them ha-ve been Tcriflcd by the affidavit of his eW eft fon. See Appendix, No. XVIII. at Tlii8 amiable youth languiflied aijd died of that wound in the autumn of 1800.

MEMOIRS OF THE DimRENT

apparently dead. Mrs. Burrowes, her four children, and Mifs Clifford, her niece, continued for twelve hours to weep over the mangled bodies of her hulband and his feven pariftiioners, and to confole and admin’.fter relief to her fon, who was in excruciating agonies, and bleeding fo copioufly, that every moment fhe expedled his diffolution.

The horror of the fcene was heightened by the houfe in a ftate of confiagration, difcharging immenfe volumes of flame and fmoke, and emitting fuch heat, that the unfortunate fulferers could fcarce endure it. All her houlhold furniture, and her cloaths, except what fhe and her children wore, were deftroyed by the fire.

In the evening, fhe, her childreri, and niece, repaired to a wretched inn at Oulart, about half a mile off, with her fon, who was carried on a door. Thefe unfortunate fufferers remained there till Tuefday the twenty-ninth day of May, and during that time her fon did not receive any medical affiflance. They were efcorted by a party of rebels to Cafllcannefley, the feat of Mr. CUfford, above five miles off, where they were kept as prifoners, till the town of Wexford was taken from the rebels.*

While Mr. Burrowes’s houfe was in flames, Thomas Foxton, one of his proteftant parifhioners, who fought an afylum in his houfe, concealed himfelf in an oven, to efcape the fanguinary rage of the rebels, and he remained there till their departure. By fkulking in places of concealment, he contrived to evade their refearches, till after the king’s troops got pofleffion of Wexford; when he, half famifhed, and attended by his wife and three young children, was met between Inch and Gorey by a flying party of rebels, who put him to death. His afflicted wife carried his iDody, on her back, two miles, to the church of Inch, to be buried. An inftance of piety which deferves to be recorded! ||

Though the popifh inhabitants of Kilrufh had continued to take oaths of allegiance, and to furrender pikes to Mr. Dawfon, of Charles-fort, for a week preceding Whitfunday, he had fuch flrong doubts of their fincerity, that he kept in his houfe by night, ten of his proteftant parifhioners, well armed, for his protedion.  Having difmiffed them on that morning,

he

• See in Appendix, No. XVIII. 4. the affidavit of T. C. Burrowc*.

y Richard, the brother of Thomas Foxton, and William Edwards who efcaped, and who were examined as witnefles the fixteenth of November. 1798, on the trial of Peter Crowley, one of father Murphy’s gang, proved that they heard fome of the rebels fay, “That all proteftant? ought to be killed, as they were not chriftcncd.”

I

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

ke was preparing to attend his family to church, confifting of Mrs.Dawfon, two daughters, his fon of the age of fixteen, and a mifs Reade, when a man, who was under obhgations to him, arrived at his houfe, and informed him, that he had juft come from a large body of people, who had rifen the night before, had burned many houfes, and had committed many various enormities, which he enumerated, and that they were refolved to carry every thing before them; that they were determined to compel Mr. Dawfon to join them, and co-operate with them; and that they would murder him, and his family, if he refufed to comply. Mr. Dawfon boldly declared, that he would fubmit to die, fooner than violate his allegiance to his king.  He immediately fent a perfon to colled his proteftant guards, but, alas! no more than one of them, his gamekeeper, could be found j* and a few minutes after he arrived, a thoufand rebels furrounded his houfe, and fet fire to it and his out-offices, which were foon in flames.  Mrs. Dawfon, her daughter, and mifs Reade, in the greateft confternation, made their efcape out of a window.  Mr. Dawfon fled into his hall, as it was the moft defenfible part of his houfe. Soon after the front door fell in, and he received a mufliet ball in his bread. He could have fliot the man who fired at him; but perceiving his family in the hands of the rebels, he feared that they would inftantly have fallen a prey to their favage revenge.

As the flames began to rage in every part of his houfe, he fled into his lawn, where he was furrounded by a large body of them, who were proceeding to aflaflinate him; but fome of them interfered, and faid, it would anfwer their purpofe much better, to take him with them, and make him a£t as their commander. He fhewed them his wound, which bled copioufly, and aflured them it would foon occafion his diflfolution; and they feemed fo much convinced of it, that they left him. He then proceeded through a plantation of trees to a tenant’s houfe. His fon, of whofe fafety he had defpaired, arrived there foon after, breathlefs and faint from running. He had fallen into the hands of the rebels, who were on the point of murdering him. They procured horfes, and repaired to the town of Ferns, two miles off^.  In their way thither, they perceived

all

* This man’s name was John Willis, and he was murdered that morning by one Arthut Murphy, his neighbour, and apparently his friend.

^ H MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Jill the proteftant houfes on fire, in every dire£lion, as far as their fight could extend. The proteftant inhabitants of Ferns,* alarmed at fuch appearances, and expeding that the town would be attacked by a numerous body of rebels, who were aflembled in its vicinity, retreated to Ennifcorthy,t fix miles diftant, efcorted by a detachment of the North Cork militia, and the Scarawalfh yeomanry, commanded by captain Cornock; and Mr. Dawfon, and his fon joined them. Mrs. Dawfon and her family repaired to Newtownbarry,} five miles off, under the protedion of the yeomanry cavalry of that town; and next day, efcorted by them, they went to Ennifcorthy, which was nine miles off.

The houfes and property of all the inhabitants of the town of Ferns were plundered or deftroyed, when they fled to Ennifcorthy. The baffe ingratitude of the popifh multitude towards dodor Cleaver, bifhop of Ferns, deferves peculiar attention. That amiable prelate, as noted fbr his great piety and extenfive learning, as for his mildnefs and humility, refided conftantly in his diocefe, which was by far the beft regulated in the kingdom. In the courfe of a few years, he had provided for above twenty curates, without any other recommendation but their own merit; in confequence of which, his clergy were diftinguifhed for their unremitted pradice of every religious and moral duty.

His lordfhip and Mrs. Cleaver, were fingularly charitable and humane, to all the lower clafs of people in his neighbourhood. He paid an apothecary in Ferns 30 1. a-year, to attend his labourers; and he regularlyemployed a phyfician when they were afflided with maladies of a dangerous nature.

He fupplied them with clothes and blankets every winter; and with provifions at Chriftmas.

And yet, horrid to relate! thofe very labourers plundered his honfe of every valuable article in it, on the morning of Whitfunday, and openly avowed their thirft for the blood of him and Mrs. Cleaver. An orphan, whom he had found naked, and ftarving, at the age of feven years, and whom he had fed, clothed, and inftruded, for fiix years, in his pakcCj was the leader of thefe favages, Ihewed them every precious article of furniture; and aififted them in breaking open the cellar.  He ufed to

prefide

• See plate F. 6 and 7. f See plate III. 3.; See plate II. j.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 335

prefide at the head of the table, and his toaft was, “ Damnatian to all bifhops [“ Some of his lordfhip’s Englifli raaidfervants were eye-witneffe« of thefe fcenes of brutal ferocity.

A rebel, taken in arms, near Scarawallh-bridge,* in the month of June, was afked, Why they did not deftroy the bifliop’s palace, when they plundered it? and he anfwered, that father John Murphy, of Boolavogue, meant to keep it for himfelf.

Notwithftanding the affurances of father Michael Murphy, and father Michael Lacy, and their flock, on the nineteenth of May, to Mr. White, at Peppard’s caftle, of their fidelity to government, and their total ignoranee of a confpiracy; the infurredtion was as general, and as deftrufitive, in the parifh of Kilmuckridge,t near which it lies, on Whitfunday the twentyfeventh of May, as in the parifh of Kilcormuck. Mr. White’s houfe was plundered on that day by his own tenants and neighbours, who had a ihort time before furrendered their pikes, and taken oaths of allegiance, as a proof of their fincerity. Two of the former, for whom he had a ftrong prediledlion, were the firft who began to pillage. One of them, of the name of Brien, was fo great a favourite with him, that though he difcovered fometime before, that he was concerned in the confpiracy, he rebuked him privately, and would not proceed againfl; him with that rigour, which the law required; and yet, he frequently pierced the portrait of Mr. White with a pike, and lamented that he had not the original. He entered the apartment of Mrs. White, his filler, an aged lady, and told her, fhe muft quit the houfe; and he was foon after followed by a young woman, armed with a pike, who gave her the fame orders. Mr. White is captain of the Ballakeen cavalry; and it was very fortunate that he had aflembled his corps at Gorey, on Saturday the twenty-fixth of May; for it has been fince difcovered, that it was the intention of the ^ rebels, to have cut them off, fmgly, in their refpedtive houfes, tt at night.

In the parifh of Camolin, they had furrendered many hundred prices , and continued to confefs their guilt with apparent contrition, and to take oaths of allegiance in the prefence of their prieft, father Francis Kavanagh, • till the eve of the rebellion; but on Whitfunday they rofe in mafs, armed with pikes and guns, vowed vengeance againfl the proteflants as orange

men,

• Plate II. 8.

t Plate III. a.

J36 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

men, proceeded to plunder and demolifh their houfes, and to kill fome, and to take others prifoners.

The reverend Mr. Owen, the parifh minifter, having fled, was taken prifoner near Gorey, where he was confined ten days, during which time he was often urged to become a convert to popery; but having refufed, they knocked him down, dripped him of his clothes, and gave him fome ragged garments to hide his nakednefs, wounded him with pikes, and fent him barefooted to Wexford gaol, with fome other prifoners. Edward Fitzgerald, of Newpark, a popifh gentleman, was captain of the guard who conduced them, though he had taken the oath of allegiance, and had been a member of the Shelmalier yeomanry.

Early on the morning of Whitfunday, captain White, having been informed that the rebels had rifen the preceding night in great force, and were committing great outrages, proceeded to the place where they were faid to be alTembled, with his own corps, and that of lord Courtown’s. On his arrival there he found the intelligence which he had received to be true : He purfued the infurgents, which he could eafily do, as their deftrudive progrefs was marked by the houfes of proteftants in a ftate of conflagration. He ordered fome of the ftragglers whom he found in arms to be put to death. One of them, whofe life was faved, confeflTed to captain White, that the party whom they purfued was headed by the reverend John Murphy, of the parifli of Kilcormuck; that they were determined to burn the houfe, and take the life of every proteftant that came in their way; that the inhabitants of the country for fome miles round were to aflfemble that night at Oulart, and were to plunder and burn all the proteftant houfes that occurred in their way thither. Captain White’s party purfued the rebels within fix miles of Wexford, in hopes of being able to engage them; but when they were within a muflcet fliot of them they halted, and faced about to give them battle; at the fame time a party of them formed at each fide of the road, with a view of furrounding them. The rebels amounted, to about four th.oufand, and the yeomen cavalry, who were armed only with piftols and fabres, did not exceed eighty; and as they were enclofed in a narrow road, where they could not ad, captain White very prudently ordered them to retreat. He then recommended to his yeomen to get th^ir families into Gorey* as faft as poflible.

He

* Plate II.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

337

He accompanied Mr. D’Arcy, a member of his corps, within a mile of Ballynahown,* his country feat, and advifed him to fend his mother, a venerable old lady, into that town, to efcape the favage fury of the rebels; but before he could effeft it, he was fliot near his houfe, by a rebel of the name of Whelan, who was attached to father John Murphy, as his aidde camp.f This young gentleman was polfeffed of a large eftate, and had very honourable connections, as his mother is aunt to the earl of Ely, and filler to general Tottenham. From a defire to ferve his king and country, he entered as a private into the Ballaghkeene cavalry. Captain White then repaired to Ifland,J the feat of Mr. Bolton, within two miles of Kyle, and recommended to him to repair immediately to Gorey, for protedion. Mr. Bolton, and his family, confiding of Mrs. Bolton and ten children, fucceeded in efcaping to Gorey, but were flopped in their way by a party of rebels, who difarmed, and were on the point of murdering them and their fervants.§ On that morning the houfes of Mr. D’Arcy and Mr. Bolton were plundered and burnt. Captain White was induced to go to the houfe of Kyle, by the great volume of fmoke, which ilTued from it; and on his arrival there, he beheld that heart-rending fcene of mifery which I have already defcribed. At fome diflance from the houfe, he met William Edwards, one of Mr. Burrowes’s protellant guards, v/hom the rebels had left for dead; but as they had not touched any vital part, he rofe, as if from a trance, and through exceffive weaknefs, tottered every ilep in endeavouring to make his efcape. His arm was broke; he had many ghaftly wounds, and he was covered with blood.

On the fixteenth of November, 1798, Peter Crowley was tried and convifted at Wexford, of having been actively concerned in this woeful fcene, on the evidence of Richard Foxton and William Edwards; and they proved that fome of the rebels declared at Kyle, that all proteflants fhould be killed, as they were not chriftians; and that Mr. Burrowes cried out for mercy when he furrendered himfelf to father Murphy, but was immediately butchered.

X X Mr. White

* See Plate III. a.

t This was proved on the trial of the rebel general Roach, whick began the feventeenth of December, 1798, at Wexford. i Plate III. a.

§ See in Appendix,’ No. XVIII. 5. the affidavit of George Williams, giving an acco«nt of the deftruftivc rage of the rebelson the morning of Whitfunday.

338 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFEREKTr

Mp. White made many altem.pts to go to his own houfc; but as all the avenues to it were occupied by detachments of the rebels, who afters wards plundered it, he retreated to Gorey, and had many narrow, efcapeg in doing fo. In his way thither, he beheld the houfes of proteftants on fire, in every diredlion. I fhall refer the reader to the affidavit of George and Elizabeth Williams, for the fcene of defolation which the country, for many miles round, exhibited on Whitfunday.* Mr. ferjeant Stanley arrived at Gorey, from Dublin, on Saturday the twenty-fixth day of May, in his way to Cork, where he was to hold a fpecial commiffion. Captain White fent fix yeomen cavalry to efcort him as far as Ennifcorthy. Two of them, George Greenly and James Shaw, flopped, on their return, at their own houfes, where they were murdered. Margaret Greenly, the filler of the former, on hearing that her brother had fallen into the hands of the rebels, fled to his affiftance, in hopes of deprecating their anger, but they barbaroufly murdered her. Shaw was defperately wounded, and carried to his bed, with a profpeft of his recovery; but the rebels returned in a fortnight, and butchered him with ferocious cruelty; but fpared the houfe, becaufe his mother was a papift.f

As father Michael Murphy, who afted with fuch profound diffimulation, made a confpicuous figure in the rebellion, I lhall fay a few words on his origin and progrefs through life. He was born at Killnew, near Kilmuckridge,J of mean parents, and was bred at a hedge fchool at, Oulart, by one Prendergaft, an itinerant pedagogue; and having received holy orders, he went to Bourdeaux, recommended to the Abbe Glynn, prefident of the Irifh college there, by the reverend James Caulfield, then parifh prieft of New Rofs, but now popilh bifhop of Ferns, which appears by the following letter :

“ Reverend Sir, Rofs, Odober 23d, 1785,

“ The reverend Michael Murphy, a fubjeft of the diocefe, and ordained a prieft laft Whitfuntide, now bound for your city, for the purpofe of profecuting his ftudies of philofophy and theology, craves a line from me

in

* Appendix, No. XVIII. 5.

■\ Michael Fitzpatrick, who headed the gang of afTanTins that murdered him, was convitfted of that crime at Wexford, the twenty-eighth of September, 1799, ^”d banged, i See Plate III. a.

REBELLIONS iN IRELAND, 339

In his favour to you; I can only fay, he is well recommended to me, as a fober, regular, well-behaved man; and if it is convenient to you, I (hall eflieem your accommodating him for the above end. I believe he is the lafl of the fet that applied to me, wherefore I hope I fliall not have occafion to trouble you again for fome years.

I have the honour to be, kc.

JAMES CAULFIELD.”

, At his return from France, he became an officiating priefl at Ballycanew, and behaved himfelf there with very great propriety, till the rebellion broke out; but, under the veil of fandity, he concealed a furious and fanguinaryfpirit, which difplayed itfelf on the morning ofWhitfundayj when, at the hfead of a numerous party of his parifhioners, whom his evangelical inftrudions had converted into robbers and affaffins, he proceeded towards Oulart, burning the houfes of proteflants, and murdering fuch of their inhabitants as could not efcape.

I have been well affured, that he narrowly efcaped from the deftruftive fpirit of French republicanifm, when his order was on the point of being annihilated in France; and yet he manifefted a flrong predileftion for the principles of that nation, and a defire to join them, fliould they land in Ireland.

The moft m.emorable event occafioned by the fanatical rage of the rebels on Whitfunday, was the defeat of a detachment of the North Cork regiment at Oulart, near Kilmuckridge,* of v/hich the afflifted family of the reverend Mr. Burrowes were eye-witneffes, a few hours after their own cataftrophe happened; and as it was in a great ineafure the caufe of the dreadful fcenes of carnage and plunder which foon after happened in the county of Wexford, I think it right to give the reader a circumftantial account of it.

On the morning of Whitfunday the twenty-feventh of May, 1798, at an early hour, the town of Wexford was alarmed by the arrival of Edward Turner of Newfort,t efquire, a magiftrate, who informed the officer commanding the garrifon, that his houfe had been befet that morning by a Large body of infurgents, who had feized the pikes which they had fur

X X 2 rendered

* Plate III. J. t Ibid. III. 4

340

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

rendered to him a few days before, after having taken oaths of allegiance, and that they were a{rembling in great numbers.

The garrifon confifted of part of the North Cork militia, captain Boyd’s yeomen cavalry, and dodor Jacob’s yeomen infantry. A detachment of the cavalry was ordered to fcour the country; and about the hour of eleven in the morning, one hundred and nine picked men of the North Cork, under the command of lieutenant-colonel Foote, marched out to attack the infurgents; and on their march towards Oulart,* they were joined by colonel Lehunte’s yeomen cavalry. From that time the fituation of the town was truly diftreffing : The rebels were underftood to be in confiderable force; and the anxiety of the inhabitants for the fate of the brave men who marched out to oppofe them, was aggravated by the reports of the horrid atrocities they had committed in their progrefs through the country; for between two and three o’clock they had received Intelligence at Wexford, of the murder of Mr. D’Arcy, the reverendi Mr. Burrowes, and the reverend Mr. Turner; and the fuppofed. murder of Mr. Dawfon, and the burning of their refpeftive houfes.

All was folemn filence and anxious expe£tation! but ftill encouraging accounts were received of the North Cork militia, before whom the re^ bels were faid to be flying in every direftion. But this delufive hope was of fhort duration; for about the hour of four o’clock, Mr. Perceval, the high fherilf, rode into town, with the melancholy account of their totiii defeat and deftruftion; and foon after lieutenant-colonel Foote, and ons ferjeant, the wretched remains of that fine and valiant body> of men, were feen penfively riding over the bridge, and: approaching the town : And now the folemn filence of that awful morning was fucceeded by a truly heart-rending fcene. Moft of the North Cork, who fell” in the action at Oulart, were married men; and as foon as their fate was known, their widows and orphans ran into the ftreets, filling the air with their cries, difmaying every heart, and piercing every foul with fnrieks of anguifhand defpair.

This fatal affair took place at Oulart, about eight miles off, where the rebels, to the number of five thoufand, were polled on the fide of a hilL A detachment of them defcended from it, apparently with a defign to engage the king’s troops; though this turned out in the event to be but a

ftratagem,

* Plate HI. ».

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. .

f^ratagem, for the purpofe of furrounding and furprifing them. The rebels, having been broken and difperfed by a general volley, fled up the hill towards the main body, and were purfued by the North Cork militia, who were broken into fmall parties during the purfuit, from the number of hedges which they had to clamber over. In the mean time, father John Murphy, who commanded the rebels, fent numbers of them circuitoufly under cover of the hedges, to attack the militia on either flank, and in the rear, whilethe main body charged them in front. This artifice fucceeded; for they were furrounded, overpowered by numbers, and the entire party was cut to pieces, except the lieutenant-colonel,’ a ferjeant, and three privates^ They were 2. ttended by colonel Lehunte’s corps of yeomen cavalry, in which there were twfcnty-four Roman catholicks; and of thefe, twenty deferted to the rebels on that morning before the aftion began, which contributed to their fuccefs.

This aftion was thus defcribed to me by perfons of veracity, who were’ fpeclators of it.  Lieutenant-colonel Foote has given the following relation of it in a letter to a friend :  “ I marched to a hill called Oulart, where between four and five thoufand rebels were pofl:ed.  From their great fuperiority of numbers, it was not my intention to have attacked them, unlefs fome unforefeen favourable circumftances would warrant that meafure; hov/ever, my officers were of a contrary opinion.  I met here part of a yeoman cavalry corps, about fixteen; the remainder, with their ferjeant,having that morning joined the rebels.  I halted with this corps, while I fent a note by their trumpeter to Wexford, with order^j for two officers and forty men to march thence to us to fupport our detachment; apprehending that the rebels, from their numbers, might intercept our retreat, ^fterwards, when 1 joined the party, I found that they were moved forward by the officer next in command; and the fjldiers cried out, that they would beat the rebels out of the field.  By this movement we were immediately engaged with the rebels, who fired from behind the hedges, without fliewing any regular front.  We beat their advanced party from one hedge to another, which they had fucceffively occupied, and fired from on us, killing great numbers of them, till they retreated in much diforder to the main body, which confifted moftly of pikemen.  I confidered this a favourable opportunity of forming the detachment, for the purpofe of retreating, or of receiving the enemy in a good pofition; and

I ufed

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

I ufed every exertion to effed it; but unfortunately the too great ardour of the men and. officers could not be reftrained. They rufhed forward, were furrounded, and overpowered by numbers. They difplayed great valour and intrepidity, and killed a great number of the rebels.* Of this detachment, none have as yet returned to Wexford, but myfelf, aferjeant, and three privates. I received a wound from a pike in my bread, a llight one in my arm, and feveral bruifes and contufions.”

The colonel had a faithful fervant, who had lived eighteen years with him; and who, regardlefs of his own danger, remained clofe to him during the adlion, and often warned him that the rebels were taking aim at him, but he was foon fhot himfelf.

It appears, that the rebels were rendered bold and defperate by intoxication; and that from twelve to fifteen of them fingled out and attacked each of the foldiers, who did not refign their lives but at a dear rate to their affailants.

Lieutenant Ware, nephew to lieutenant-colonel Foote, a young gentleman juft of age, and poffefled of a good landed property, was on the point of making his efcape on horfeback, after the difperfion of his party; when a fmall boy, one of the band of mufick, who had been wounded, called out to him, and implored him to fave his life; on which Mr. Ware flopped his horfe, and humanely endeavoured to raife him on his faddle, and to carry him off; but before he could accompHfli his benevolent defign, he was dragged from his horfe by a rebel, with a hook annexed to his pike, and was immediately butchered.

The officers who fell in this unfortunate affair were, major Lombard, the honourable captain De Courcy, lieutenants Williams, Ware, Barry, and enfign Keogh.

Whitfunday, the day after this defeat, the fervant of one of the officers who fell, having been warmly attached to his mafter, went to Oulart, to have his body interred; but tlie rebels murdered him, as foon as they difcovered his generous defign. The fubfequent fuccefs of the rebels in the county of Wexford, arofe, in a great meafure, from the arms and ammunition which they obtained, and the confidence with v/hich they were infpired by this viftory over the king’s troops, whom they had hitherto confidered as invincible, however inferior their numbers might have been. , AH the night after this aftion, the rebels continued to burn the houfes,

and

• The rebels have faid, that they loft but feven men killed.

/

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 343

■ and deftroy the property of proteftants, and to murder fach of them as fell into their hands.*

The day after the a£lion atOuIart, orders, written in red ink, were ilTued by father John Murphy, and difperfed over all the adjacent country, commanding, at the peril of their lives, all perfons capable of bearing arms, to join his army forthwith, for the purpofe of attacking Ennifcorthy; at the fame time, the old men were ordered to bury the dead.

Two perfons, employed in that tafk, found fome remains of life in one of the Cork foldiers, and one of them conveyed him to his pig-fcye, with the humane intention of refloring him, if poffible. By fupplying him with nourifhment, he recovered the ufe of his fpeech, and had every fymptom of convalefcence : He faid that his name was Sullivan. The merit of his preferver was the greater, as the crime of refcuing a foldief or a yeoman from deftruftion, if known, would inevitably have occafioned his own.

A ruffian of the name of Rofterfon, having heard of this aft of humanity, repaired to the houfe of the perfon who performed it, and cen, fured him for it as a criminal act. He faid in his defence, “ That the poor patient was a good Roman cathoHck but the favage retorted, “ That his religion was no excufe, as he was a foidier j” and he inftantly plunged his pike into his body.

As foon as the garrifon of Gorey heard of the defeat of the North Cork at Oulart, and of the immenfe numbers who were flocking to the flandard of father John Murphy, they, defpairing of being able to maintain their pofition againft fo great a fu.periority of numbers, retreated to Arklow, and were followed by all the proteftants of the town, and the adjacent country, who dreaded the fanguinary rage of the rebels. They, with infancy and decrepitude in their train, and with little or no means of fubfiftence, prefented a woeful fpedlacle; and as all the houfes at Arklovv^ Avere occupied by the military and yeomen, thefe poor fugitives fuffered very great diftrefs, fleeping in barns and out-offices, and even in ditches.

On Tuefday the twenty-niitth of May, major Hardy, who commanded at Arklow, ordered the garrifon to return to Gorey-, by which they gained

fome

* For a defc’ipticn of their atrocities, fee Samuel Whealey’s affidavit in Appendix, No. XVIII. a.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

fome fame, and rendered the moft important fervice, in repulfing a numerous body of rebels who attacked that town on the thirtieth of May.

The murder of the reverend Francis Turner of Ballingale,* about three miles from Ferns, and reftor of Edermine, was attended with circumftances of peculiar atrocity. On the morning of Whitfunday, a party of about three hundred affaiTms, headed by Denis Carthy and James Maher, fet out from the houfe of William Carthy of Ballycarney,! uncle of the former, and declared their intention of putting him to death in the prefcnce of Mrs. Carthy, who endeavoured to difluade them from it, affirming that Mr. Turner was univerfaily efteemed and refpedled. The houfc was defended for fome time by him, and eight of his proteftant parifliioners, who had fought an afylum in it. Mr. Turner, foon after the attack was made, received a fhot in his jaw, which entirely difabled him from attending to the defence of his houfe. As it was double, and the aflailants feemed to diredt all their fury againfl its front, the befieged, after the death of Mr. Turner, paid no attention to the rear, into which the rebels en. tered, having been admitted (it is faid) by the treachery of the butler.

After having murdered Mr. Turner, and five of his proteftant parifliioners, they fet fire to his dwelling-houfe and out-offices, in which the bodies of the deceafed were confumed. An affaffin of the name of William Beaghan, infultingly flouriflied the blade of a fcythe over the dead body of Mr. Turner, and uttered fome exprefiions indicative of favage joy.

In front of the houfe, they ran a pike through the neck of William Chrillian, one of Mr. Turner’s proteftant guards; and while the weapon was infixed in the wound, they Ihook his head very violently, to increafe the agony of his pain; and when his body fell on the ground, they raifed it up on their pikes, and toffed it in the air, to extinguifh any remains of life which might have been in it.

After the perpetration of this horrid deed, Denis Carthy and James Maher, boafted at their return to the houfe of William Carthy, of having executed it; and the latter openly declared, that a quantity of blood which appeared on his breeches, was that of the reverend Mr. Turner.

Thus this worthy gentleman, whofe benevolence and amiable manners had juftly entitled him to univerfal love and efleem, and whofe mind was highly adorned with profound and elegant learning, fell a prey to the

fanatical

• Plate 11. 7t Ibid,

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. *

345

fanatical rage of a popifh rabble, headed by his tenants and neighbours, whom he had never failed to treat with kindnefs and beneficence.

The principal leader in this atrocious a£t was Michael Keogh, Mr. Turner’s prodor, who was raifed to a (late of comfort and affluence from downright poverty, by his kindnefs and generofity.

The circumftances attending this tragical affair were related to me by his two nephews, and a fervant of the late Mr. Turner, who were eyewitnelfes of them; and moft of them were verified by affidavit.*

One of the former, of the age of twelve years, foinetime after this melancholy event, went to the garden of his deceafed uncle to pull fome fruit, when he was infulted by a rebel boy about fifteen years old, who attempted to expel him from it; having declared, that he had no right to be there, as his family had informed him that the garden v^^as his property.

The mafs of the people mufi: have been univerfally filled with an idea of exterminating all thofe who were connefted with England by religion, intereft, or confanguinity, and of appropriating this ifland exclufively to themfelves, when a child of that age made fo open and prompt an avowal of it.

The fmgular fortitude and integrity of ISIrs. Gambia Carthy, wife of William Carthy, in profecuting James Maher and Denis Carthy, her hufband’s nephew, juftly entitle her to univerfal efteem and admiration. She is daughter of furgeon Maw of Gorey, and of the proteftant religion. When thefe ruffians deliberately exprelTed their defign of murdering Mr. Turner, on the morning of Whitfunday, fhe endeavoured to dilTuade them from it, and afterwards, fhe appeared as a witnefs againft them on their trial; though, by doing fo, fhe was fure of provoking the vengeance of all her hufband’s relations, who were of the popifb perfuafion, and mofl of whom were deeply and adively concerned in the rebellion.

On the murder of the reverend Mr. Burrowes at Kyle, his widow and her family were conveyed to Oulart, and afterwards to Caftle-annefley,t the feat of Mr. Clifford, who was her brother 5 and Mrs. D’Arcy, his

Y y mother

• See in Appendix, No. XVIII. 6. the affidavit of John Ilorton, James Doyle, 4nd Cambia Carthy. i Plate III. J.

346 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

mother-in-law, repaired there alfo, expeding to find fecurity and fome confolation under the roof of fo near a relation; but, alas! they foon difcovercd that it was as much the houfe of woe as their own manfions.

Having heard of the calamities which had befallen his filter’s family, Mr. Clifford went to Oulart, on the twenty-feventh of May, to relieve them^ but finding that the irebels were in pofTeflion of it, he endeavoured to make his efcape; and in doing fo. one of the rebels fired a piftol at him, and wounded him in theihoulder.

On Wednefday the thirtieth of May, he refolved to ^o to Kyle, to fe-cure fuch part of his fifter’s property as had not been plmidered; but thinking that the protection of the parilh priefl would be necelTary for his fafety, he repaired to the houfe of father Michael Lacy* for that purpofe. As foon as he arrived there, another man of the name of Lacy fired four fliots at him with a mulket, but fortunately .milTed him; and yet Mr. Clifford continued all the time on his knees^ imploring mercy from the favage. Lacy then gave the muiket to a man of the name of Boulger, whom he knew to be a better markfman than himfelf, and he fired, and gave him a defperate wound in -the head, as the charge confided of flugs and horfe-nails. On faUing to the ground, the rebels beat him in a moft cruel manner, and diflocated his Ihoulder, fo that they left him for dead. They then Ihot his faithful attendant, a proteftant fervant, who had lived twenty-five years in his family.

As this amiable gentleman was diftinguifhed for general benevolence, and every good quality that could endear, it was beheved that he had not an enemy on earth-; but liis religion was his only crime. Mr. Clifford, who might have foothed the anguilh of his aged mother-in-law Mrs. D’Arcy, and Mrs. Burrowes and her five orphans, was conveyed, with his poor fervant, on a car to his houfe, where he continued delirious, and in convulfions for a month; during which time his afflided wife and fix children daily expedted his diffolution; and to heighten their diftrefs, the houfe was occupied by a party of rebel guards, who were daily relieved from a neighbouring camp at Upton, || the feat of

Mr.

‘ Fathc r Lacy, tlK pricft, might have faved his life by the turn of his finger. II See Plate III. i, i.

IV

6

Gen. Sir iVa fDu^ii^Loftuj’ a^i^nred t/t^^emjBoa// zr/zen the Latter tu7v/cr/ te> t/te left at K.lyt/ie Hood to t^jfiele/fP B . lite D otter/ /i f?e /v^n^ej-e-nfj’ t/te ae/va fiee of t/ie Re/e/s Cl/ie /ici/tt at u’/iic/i Lieu f Gen f La^e le^a/i t/te attae/f .

T   ‘‘^ *F ^°  p** J*rT’r’Jiej’

• the ReM,r were /imted/?7vyit>itj’ tf tkcActttfn on f/ie s/Ho/iftmc //r)<f .

Alex*’ Tayloi’ fry/A” f// -y/f.j’ f/ff/ej/f/’.j ///e^fz/ /’//y/.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND: 547

Mr. James White.  While they continued prifoncrs at Caftle-annefley, their food was fo bad, that they were often on the point of ftarving.

The inhabitants of the country contiguous to Carnew,* nine miles from Gorey, coUeded in fuch numbers on the twenty-feventh of May, under the aufpices of father Michael Murphy, that they had the confidence to attack that town. ‘

On that morning, the garrifon confifting of a company of the Antrim militia, commanded by captain Rowan, two corps of yeomen infantry, and one of caivalry, making in the whole about two hundred men, having received intelligence that they were approaching the town, marched out, met, and engaged them,, at a place called BuUinrufti, killed nine,, and took two prifoners, and difperfed the remainder, who fled to Ferns,J poffefled at that time by the rebels.The garrifon had the mortification to behold all the loyalifts houfes. in flames, as far as they couJd fee.

While the infantry were refling themfelves, a detachment of captain Wainright’s troop, who had been on an out-poft, were driven in about four o’clock in the evening, by the main body of the rebels from Ferns,., who were advancing to renew the engagement.

The little garrifon formed and. marched to attack them on Kitthom.ashill,t where they were judicioufly ported. The rebels having been broken in about a quarter of an hour by the fire of the infantry, were charged by the cavalry,§ though up a fteep hill, and difperfed ia all direftion?. In the purfuit, about one hundred and fifty of them were killed; and of; he garrifon but one man was flightly wounded. They took a great number of horfes,. fome of vv^hich had belonged to the unfortunate Mr. Turner, who was that day murdered at Ballingale. There were three priefis. in that adion, one of whom was the famous father Michael Murphy, killed at the battle of Arklow on the ninth of June.

On Friday following, the firfl of June, the unfortunate colonel Wal-pole marched into Carne:.v, and reconnoitred the rebels, ported on Ballymore-hills, twice before the fatal fourth of June.

The rebellious inhabitants of the country, encouraged by the fuccefs of father John Murphy againrt the North Cork regiment, flocked to his , rtandard at Oulart in fuch numbers, that he refolved to attack the towjL.

Y y 2 of

* See Plate n. 4. t Ibid. 7.     f Near Sllevebuoy mountain, Plate If. 5.

§ The Shilela cavalry, commanded by captain Wainright, earl Fitzwilliam’s agajit, who in vajuous actions fliewed great valour an; gojd fenfe.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

of Ennifcorthy,* about fix miles diftant, on Monday morning the twentyeighth day of May; but firfl: I think it right to give the reader an account of the garrifon which defended it.

Captains. Subalterns. Serjeants. Drummers. Rank and file.’

North Cork miUtia.

Captain Snowe’s company,

I

I

3

m

Z

5°

Captain De Courcy’s company,

I

2

I

Total of the North Cork,

I

2

5

3

8o

Ennifcorthy infantry.

Captain Founden,

I

2

2

I

50

Do. fupplementary,

I

3

57

Scarawalfli infantry.

Captain Cornock,

I

2

3

I

60

Ennifcorthy cavalry.

Trumpeter.

Captain Richards,

I

5

2

I

50

Total

4

9

IS

6

297

Officers names.

Noifth Cork, captain Snowe, lieutenant Bo wen, enfign Harman. Ennifcorthy, infantry, captain Founden, lieutenants Drury and Hunt. Supplementary, lieutenant Founden.

Scarawalfli infantry, captain Cornock, lieutenants Carden and Rudd.

Lieutenant Spring on half-pay, and formerly lieutenant of the 63d regiment, joined the troops as a volunteer.

Ennifcorthyt is a market, a port, and a borough town, which returned two members to parliament. It is divided into two parts by the river Slaney, over which there is a fl:one.bridge.| The market-houfe, the court-houfe, and the principal flreets are on the fouth fide of it. Two fuburbs called Templelhannon || and Drumgoold § lie on the north fide, and at the foot of Vinegar-hill, a mountain which is quite clofe to the town. It is about twelve miles from the town of Wexford, fixteen from Rofs, eighteen from Gorey, eight from Taghmon, fix from Ferns, and nine and three quarters from Newtown-barry.  As the tide ebbs and

flows

♦ Plate HI. i.     t Ibid. IV.     1 Ibid.     i| Ibid. 5. § Ibid. 6.

REBELLIONS tN IRELAND.

flowis to It, which makes the river navigable for barges of fome Biirden^ it was a place of confiderable trade; and the inhabitants were between four and five thoufand, before the defolating fpirit of rebellion banilhed or deftroyed a great portion of them.

Information having been received that James Lacy, a fliopkeeper, wast at the head of a traitorous confpiracy, he fuddenly difappeared. On fearching his houfe, fome treafonable papers were found in it; which exafperated the yeomen fo much, that fome of them ruihed into it and deftroyed a great part of the furniture. This man was afterwards commilTary general of the rebel army, on Vinegar-hill; and his brother, a prieft, frequently attended the camp there, and faid mafs for the rebels.

On Saturday evening, the twenty-fixth of May, capcain Pounden and the reverend Mr. Handcock, both magiftrates, agreed on the expediency of feizing and laying under requlfition all the gunpowder to be found in the (hops; not only to prevent its falling into the hands of the rebels, but to fupply the loyalifts, fliould there be a deficiency of it. That night the garrifon lay under arms in the ftreets, and the neceffary guards and patroles were eftablifhed.

From Saturday evening till Monday morning, proteftant families, in great numbers, were coming into the town, flying from the fanatical vengeance of the rebels, and bringing their children, their baggage, and their furniture on cars.

On that evening a handfome young woman, of the name of Piper, came galloping at full fpeed into the town, with horror and fright in her countenance, and crying out, “ Murder I Murder 1” and faying, that the maflacre had begun. I have already related the cruelty of the rebek towards her family at Tincurry.

About feven o’clock on Monday morning, the twenty-eighth day of May, a man arrived there, and informed the garrifon, that they would be attacked before three o’clock in the afternoon; and at that time the troops were much exhaufted in mind and body, from being conftantly under arms, from fupplying patroles and videttes, and from fcouring the country; andfoon after captain Snowe received a letter from lieutenants colonel Foote, v/ith an account of the defeat of the North Cork ai^ Oulart.  Captain Ogle, of BtlvieWj* new member for the city of Dublin,

‘ mar<:be i

•Plate III. 4,

MEMjOiRS OF THE DIFFERENT

marched to the relief of the garrifon on Sunday morning,’ with a numerous corps, of infantry but having received intelligence that his own country was difturbed, he was imder the neceflity of returning to it, accompanied by the Plealthfield corps of cavalry, commanded by captain John Grogan.

On Monday morning the twenty-eighth day of May, about nine o’clock, the drums beat to arms, as a report was fpread, that the rebels were advancing towards the town in great force. The different pofitions. and rallying pofts were immediately afligned to the garrifon. The North Cork occupied the bridge, the Ennifcorthy cavalry the ftreet leading to it from the town, the Ennifcorthy and Scarawallh infantry the DufFrep gate-hill, at the Newtown-barry road. A confiderable guard was pofted in the market houfe, where the arms and ammunition were fiodged, and’ Tome fufpicious pcrfons were confined; and another in the caftle, where feme notorious rebels were in ftrift cuftody..

About half an hour before the enemy appeared, a rebel fpy, with a white cotton jacket, and a white hat with a broad green band, was feized iiear the town, and as a rebel commiffion was found in his pocket, he was iianged. .”^ • f-^ •

At length, about eleven o’clock in the forenoon, the videttes at the Dulfrey-gate* came galloping in, and aimounced, that the rebels who had affembled at Bally-orle hill, which is on the rior th eaft fide of the town, and about tv.o miles diflant from it, were advancing on the Newtown-barry road, in an immenfe column, which extended a mile -in length, and was fo thick, as to fill up the road.     i ■ ‘

Some officers in the garrifon, who had feen a great deal of aftual ftrvice, declared that their number was between five and fix thoufand;. They ftaid at Bally-orle bill till fathe? John Murphy faid mafs for them., ‘

In the courfe of the morning they fet fire to fome hoiifes,.’ in. hopes of drawing the garrifon out of the town. :

As many avenues led into the town, it would have been irapoflible foP the yeomanry to occupy them for its defence, from the paucity of their numbers, ihould the rebels be allowed to approach it. For this reafon, captains Cornock and Pouiiden led their corps forward^ in a line about four hundred’ yards from the Duffrey-gate  on which the rebel column

halted:

• Plate IV. a, J.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

35«

halted about the fame diftance frorti them. Soon after, three rebel leaders* who were on horfeback, with drawn fwordi, began to move among them, and to give orders; on which great numbers of the rebels filed off” in the fields on the right and left, to the diftance of about half j.a mile from the main body; which they did with a defign of outflanking the yeomen, of cutting them off from the town, and of entering it by the different avenues which led into it. After this movement, having advanced a little, they drove a number of horfes on the road againft the loyalifts for the purpofe of throwing them into confufion. They then ‘fired a general volley, both from the main body, and the flanks; by Avhich lieutenants Hunt and Pounden were mortally, and captain Cornock flightly wounded, and fome of the privates were killed and wounded. ‘One Thompfon, who had volunteered among the fupplementary yeomen, received a fpent ball in the neck, which he extracted, and fired at the enemy.f The yeomen returned the fire, with confiderable effeft. The rebels ftill advanced, firing at the fame time from, behind the hedges, with fuch fteadinefs and celerity, that captain Brury, who had ferved the whole of the American war, and who volunteered that day, declared, he had never experienced a heavier or better-direfted fire. As the county of Wexford abounds with water-fowl, the occupation of a fowler is fo profitable, that numbers of the lower clafs of people are not only expert in the ufe of fire-arms, ‘but excellent markfmen.

As the rebels ftill continued to advance, and “to extend their wings, for the piirpofe of furrounding the yeomen, the latter retreated near the •town, and fent to captain Snowe, who guarded the bridge, where he was Supported by the cavalry commanded by captain Richards, to requell he would reinforce them with the “North -Cork, and he accordingly repaired to the Duffrey.gate, attended by the cavalry, to fupport the yeomanry,; but as a detachment of them were between him and the enemy, and exadtly in his line of ‘fire, he cwdd not do any material fervice, witliour running a rifque of injuring the loyalifts; and, as apprehenfions were entertained that the rebels would crofs the river to attack Temple Shannon, he repaired to Ms fosmer ,poft .at the bridge, and at the fame time, 02

dered

■♦ Two of thefe were father John, .^Iijrphy, and Roach, colonel Le.hun.te’s .perftiiBert ferjeant. ‘ • •

t An officer, who aflifted him in cxtra<fling it, aflured rac of thij.

35^

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

<lered the cavalry to cover his retreat, as a large body of the enemy had come near his laft pofition.  Captain Richards then charged and dilperfed them, but in effeftinjr it, nine of his men were killed, and three wounded; and fixteen of his horfes were either killed or fo feverely wounded, as to be unfit for fervice.

The high clay banks, improperly called in Ireland hedges, formed the fences of the town-fields round Eniiifcorthy, and afforded breaft-works to the rebel markfmen, behind which they fired with fecurity and deliberation on the loyalifts.

At laft, the yeoman infantry, perceiving that they muft foon be furrounded, and cut off by the long extended wings of the enemy, while the main body engaged them, divided themfelves into fmall parties, and occupied the different avenues which led into the town, where they made a moft gallant defence, having killed great numbers of the rebels; though they, fuffered much from the treachery of the difloyal inhabitants, who not only fired at them from the windows, but their fanaticifm was fuch, that they fet fire to their own houfes, to annoy the yeomen; for, in a fhort time, three large fuburbs, called Guttle-ftreet, Drumgoold, and Irifhftreet,* and two lanes in the centre of the town, were in flames; yet the loyalifts were fo confident of fuccefs, from having completely repulfed the rebels, that they gave three cheers. The enemy, defeated in the many attempts which they made on the north and weft fide of the town, made an effort to crofs the river, about a quarter of a mile above the bridge, where there is an ifland, in which they fucceeded; but were foon repulfed by captain Richard’s corps, part of whom fired at them Vfith carbines, from a place about one hundred yards above the glebe houfe, and killed great numbers; at the fame time they were feverely galled by the Nork Cork on the bridge.

They then attempted to crofs the river higher up, out of the reach of the fire of the North Cork. On this, captain Snowe detached lieutenant Prior, with a ferjeant and fixteen men of his corps, to oppofe them, which they did moft eftedtually; for having taken poft behind a hedge, they continued to kill great numbers of them, till their ammunition was expended. Soon after captain Cornock came to captain Siiowe at the bridge, bleeding copioufly, from a pike wound he had received in the neck, having the crown of his hat cleft from a blow of a pike, and demanded a rienforcement, as the rebels, under cever of

the

• See Plate IV. 3.

REBELLIONS IN IRELiVND.

tlie fmoke, had forced into the town in confiderable numbers, at the Duffrey-gate and Irifli-ftreet. At the fame time the difaffefted inhabitants fired on the yeomen from their windows. One column of them attacked captain Pounden’s, the other captain Cornock’s corps, which had fuffered materially. The flreets were entirely involved in fmoke, fo that the yeomen could not perceive the rebels till they were charged by their pikes. The flames from the houfes at each fide of the ftrcet were fo great, as to unite over their heads, and to form an arch. Their hair was fmged; the bear ikin in their caps was burnt. The loyalifts, bravely difputing every inch of ground, retreated to the market-houfe,* an open fpace, like a fquare, where they made a determined (land, and killed great numbers of the enemy. By this effort the loyalifls turned the fcale, and drove the rebels com.pletely out of the tovt^n, the flreets of which at each fide of the river prefenting an awful fcene of conflagration. While the troops were thus engaged in the fouth fide of the town, another body of the rebels croffed the river, about three quarters of a mile , above the bridge, but were foon routed by captain Snowe, on which occafion his men fhewed great dexterity, as markfmen, having feldom failed to bring down fuch individual rebels as they aimed at. Captain Snowe then ordered captain Richards to charge them, which he did niofl eftedually, but with the lofs of two men killed, and fome wounded.

As a party of the rebels which came from Vinegar-hill towards the glebe ftill remained unaffailed, and their numbers feemed to increafe, they were attacked by captain Drury, with half a company of the North Cork, and he difperfed them with confiderable llaughter. Thus ended an aftion which lafted more than three hours, fought on a very hot day, and in the midft of a burning town, the difaffccted inhabitants of which fet fire to their own houfes, to annoy the loyalifts, and fired on them from their windows. In this the yeomen and proteftant inhabitants performed prodigies of valour, in fupport of the coiiflitution in church and flate, and in defence of their property and their families. They lofl near one third of their number, which did not exceed three hundred, and the rebels whom they encountered, were faid by fome to amour t to five thoufand, by others to fix thoufand.

Z z A return

• See plate IV. 4.

354

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

A return of the killed and wounded in defence of the town of Ennif

Woundcd. .  Officers. PriT,

3

» 3 4

6

I i6

corthy, on Monday the

twenty-eighth day of May,

1798.

Killed.

Officers. Serjeants.

Privates.

North Cork militia,

I

3

Scarawalfh infantry,

I 2

17

Ennifcorthy infantry.

I

6

Supplementary infantry,

I

30

Ennifcorthy cavalry

i 1

Total, I captain,

3 fubalterns 3   I drum.

67

Captain John Pounden who commanded the fupplementary yeomen, lieutenant Hunt of the Ennifcorthy infantry, and lieutenant Carden of the Scarawalfli infantry, were killed. The latter, who had ferved with reputation as an officer during the whole of the American war, was {hot from the window of one Denny an apothecary, it is faid, by one Barnet his fervant. In the number of the killed and wounded, I have not inferted a great many proteftants who fuddenly joined the troops with guns, piftols, pikes or fwords, and of whom many fell in the action.

Of the garrifon eighty-eight were lulled and wounded; and dedudbing feven of the North Cork, there remain eighty-one loyal proteftants who bled that day in defence of the conftitution in church and ftate.

It was generally beheved, that not lefs than five hundred of the rebels were killed or wounded. The banks of the river, and the illand in it were ftrewed with their dead bodies, and numbers of them fell in the ftreets; but it was obferved that the difaffedled inhabitants were always ready to drag them into their houfes, whenever they could get a fafe opportunity, that the fight of them might not difcourage their furviving friends. To keep up their courage, every artifice was ufed; for even women, as if infenfible of their danger, were feen in the midft of the carnage, adminiftering whifkey to their rebel friends.

“When the aftion terminated, the rebels were completely routed and expelled from the town; however, the loyalifts did not think it tenable for the following reafons : It was in a Hate of conflagration; and the rebels, who continued to hover round if, would have attacked it in the night, and would have been affifted by the Roman catholick inhabitants, who were very numerous;  As there were many avenues leading to the

town.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 355

town, and as the loyalifls, under arms, had loft near one third of their number, which did not originally exceed three hundred, they muft have been overpowered and mafl’acred in the night. The officers therefore, after mature dehberation, refolved to abandon tlie town, and to march to Wexford, on the eaft fide of the river by St. John’s; but, from the fuddennefs of the retreat, only a few of the pioteftant inhabitants could attend them; and they could carry with them no other comforts or nccefTarics but the wearing apparel which they wore. Imagination cannot form a more tragical fcene than the melancholy train of loyal fugitives, of whom fome were fo feeble from their wounds, from ficknefs, the tendernefs of old age, or infancy, that they could not have efFeded their efcape, had not the yeomen cavalry mounted them on their horfes. Some parents were reduced to the dreadful neceflity of leaving their infants in cottages, on the road fide, having, at the fame time, but a faint hope of ever feeing them again.

As they travelled to Wexford, the rebels fired at them from the oppofite fide of the river, wherever they could get an opening.

Such of the loyal inhabitants as were unable to join their departing friends, took a melancholy farewel of them, and waited the fatal hour, when they were to fall vidlims to the fanatical vengeance of the rebels, who, when they got poffeffion of the town, proceeded with favage delight, to commit unbounded carnage and plunder. The following extraO: of a letter written by a very refpecbable beneficed clergyman, the reverend Mr. Handcock, redor of Kilcormick, who fought with the king’s troops in defence of the town, will give the reader a perfect idea of the fufferings of the proteftant inhabitants on that day :

“ Finding that we could no longer keep our ground, I rulhed fingly through the ftreets, with a blunderbufs cocked, and prefenting it at every perfon who looked at me, running for my life, but without the fainteft hope of faving it, or that of my family, yet determined to fhare their fate, and with great difficulty getting into my houfe, locked and barricadoed by the frighted inmates, I dragged my wife down ftairs with my children, juft as they fat in her fick room jf and obferving which way the fugitives were moving out of the town, I forced them along with the

2. z 2 tragical

* Plate IV. 4.

t She lay in but two days before.

35^

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

tragical cavalcade, until my wife, overpowered with terror and the heat of the flames, fell on a burning pile of rubbifh, where, unable myfelf from fatigue to raife her, flie would have been fuffocated or trampled to death, had not a gallant fellow of the North Cork militia, wounded, and fcarce able to drag his legs after him, aflifted me, fwearing the Muniicr oath, “ By; — s, you did not forfake us, and I will not defert you.” The poor fellow accordingly (luck by us till we arrived at Wexford.

In return for this, having got my wife and children behind or before mounted yeomen,* I procured a horfe for his wife, and carried his mufket as far as 1 was able. When we came within three or four miles of Wexford, we were met by the yeomen cavalry of it, who turned out, on hearing our difafler, to cover our retreat.

The rebel army having got pofleffion of the town, broke open the gaol and libeiated all the prifoners. They then proceeded to burn and deftroy every houfe belonging to a proteftant of any diftinction. Before fdn-fet the principal part of the town was in flames; and, late in the evening, a great number of old men, women and children, of the proteftant religion, fled into the adjoining woods, left they (hould perifli in the flames, or by the fanguinary rage of the rebels. Such of them as were Mot fortunate enough to make their efcape, were maflacred. The rebels having broke open the cellars, continued to commit every wanton cruelty and barbarous excefs, which favage ferocity, heightened by fanaticifm and ebriety, could didlate.

When they entered the town, fome ladies of diflinguiflied beauty, wild with horror and affright, waded over the river Slaney at the rifle of their lives, with one child on their back, and another in their arms. Numbers of both fexes fled to the wood of St. John’s,! better known by the name of Ring-wood, where they paffed the whole night, petrified ‘ with horror, at hearing fliots conftantly fired, the fhouts of the rebels, and the groans of the dying. They kept a gloomy filence, not venturing to fpeak to each other, left they fhould be difcovered.

The rebels having heard next day, that a number of proteftants were in the wood.^ fent a party, well armed, to fcour it; and they killed fuch

of

‘ * Many of the mounted yeomen, though overcome. with fatigue, walked the whole \v»y» and gave their horfes to the fugitives, t Plate III. a.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 357

©f them as were not fortunate enough to make their efcape. They continued for fome days after, to beat it as clofely as a pack of fox-hounds would.

A party of ladies who fled towards the river, when the rebels entered the town, informed me,, that feveral Ihots were fired at them; and that in their retreat, they met a boy about fixteen years old, armed with a pike, who approached them with a flern air; on which they afked him, if he was going to kill them? and he faid, “ No; but it is no matter where you go, for you will all be killed.”

As foon as the rebels began to enter the town, many of the Roman cathoHck inhabitants fiequently exclaimed, particularly the women, *’ That they would have no herefy amongft them; that they would put an end to hei-eticks; and that they would have all or none.’*

They murdered Richard Whaley, a lockfmith, near one hundred years old, as foon as they entered the town; and Edward Sly, a proteftant, was jfhot by his neighbour William Lee, when he was kindly reaching him a quart of beer. Numbers were dragged from their houfes, and barbaroufly maffacred in the prefence of their wives and children.

The town, the morning after the rebels got poifeffion of it, prefented a dreadful fcene of carnage and conflagration; many bodies were lying d6ad in the ftreets, and others groaning in the agonies of death; fome parts of the town were entirely confumed, and in others the flames continued to rage with inextinguifliable fury; no lefs than four hundred and feventy-eight dwelling -houfes and cabins were burned in the town and its fuburbs, befides a great number of ftores, malt-houfes, and out-offices.

Early next morning, the rebels formed a camp on Vinegar -hill, made entrenchments round it, and placed fome batteries in them. They then ftationed a large garrifon in the town, which was relieved every day by an officer’s guard from the camp. Such great numbers of the lo^^er clafs of people from the adjacent country flocked to their camp, that it foon confided of at leafl ten thoufand men. They pofl:ed fl:rong picquet guards, centinels, and videts, in all the avenues leading to the town^^ and for fome miles round it.

They then proceeded to defl:roy the church of Ennifcorthy, and hav• ing pulled down the organ, the pews, the communion table, and reading defli, they burned them to aflies before the church-door, where they,

tore

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

tore the bibles and the prayer-books; and then proceeded to demolifli the remainder of the infide part, leaving nothing but the roof and the bare walls. They took down the bell, and mounted it between two beams on Vinegar-hill, for the purpofe of marking the progrefs of time, and of alarming the camp in cafe of furprife.

They committed fuch proteflants as were not fortunate enough to retreat to Wexford with the loyalifts, or to efcape into the woods, to a prifon on the hill, formed by the walls of an old wind-mill, and then proceeded to try them by a court-martial, which fat conftantly for that purpofe. The only charge againft them was, their being orangemen, which was fynonimous with protellant.*

^ On the morning of Tuefday the twenty-ninth of May, they put to death twenty-four perfons of the eftablifhed church, by (hooting fome, and piking others in front of the rebel line, of whom one was Mr. Henry Hatton, portrieve of the town of Ennifcorthy, an innocent unoffending gentleman. § They burned the glebe-houfe of Ennifcorthy to aflies; but converted the out-offices into (lores for holding provifions and arms for the camp.

A committee of twelve, confifting of fome rebel officers and three priefts; viz. fathers Roche, Kearns and Clinch, and at times father John Murphy, continued conftantly to fit, and to fuperintend and regulate the concerns of the camp, and the newly-eftabliflied repubhck. When the bufmefs of the day was over, they dined together at a table, regularly furnilhed with the beft viands which the country could affiard, and with delicious wines taken from the cellars of the neighbouring gentlemen.

They fent gangs of affaffins round all the adjacent country, commanded by rebel officers, in quefl of proteflants, who feized fuch of them as could not make their efcape, and committed them to prifons at the foot of the hill, or in the town. I fhall refer the reader to Appendix, No. XIX. |j for the mode in which this infamous bufmefs was conducted, and for fome

of

* See in Appendix, No. XIX. 8. the confeflion of James Bcaghan.

§ For a defcription of this horrid fcene, fee Appendix, No. XIX. in the affidavits of Catherine Heydon, Benjamin Warren, Richard Sterne, Robert Whitney, Margaret Hunt, Edward Stacey, and Ann Piper.

!1 See extracts from the trials of Thomas Clooney, James Bcaghan, William Fenlon, Ancjrcw Farrell, and Nicholas Walfh.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 359

of the atrocities which were perpetrated by the rebels while they continued in poffeflion of Vinegar-hill.

The walls of the old windmill on the top of the hill ferved as a fold to contain the viftims who fupplied the facrifice of the day; and v/hen the rebel ranks were on parade, they were led forth and butchered in their prefence, and as a regale to them; and what was very frngular, the executioners often knelt down, crofled themfelves, and faid a prayer, before they immolated the viftims, who were frequently almoft famifhed before they were led to execution, from the bad and fcanty food with which they were fupplied.

The camp was conftantly attended by from ten to twenty priefts, who daily faid mafs at the head of each rebel column, and afterwards pronounced an exhortation to animate them in the extirpation of herefy, znd in the exclufive eflablifliment of their own, the only true orthodox faith.

Mr. Stephen* Ram, of Ramsfort, in the county of Wexford, brotherin-law to lord Courtown, who is defervedly loved and revered by his tenants, informed me, that fuch of them as were of the Roman catholick religion, and had been unfortunately concerned in the rebellion, were very communicative to him, and informed him, that they entered into it at the inftigation of their priefts; that it was ufual in the rebel camp, for the prieft of each parifh to call over the names of his own parifhioners; and that his coadjutor did fo, if he was prevented from age, infirmity, or any other caufe.

Commiflaries were appointed in every parifh, to provide provifion for the camp, according to the diredions of the committee, or the commander in chief, and each of the commiiTaries had a certain number of pikemen under his command.

The commander in chief, at each camp, gave written orders to the commiiTaries to fupply the different rebel corps or individuals with proviiions, of which I give the reader copies of fome originals which fell into my hands.

“ The commander in chief requefts commifTary Brennan to give bread for forty men to captain Devereux’s corps.

June 15th, 1798. ROCHE.”* Lacken-hill.

* This was father Philip Roche. Mr.

36o MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

“  Mr. John Brennan,

Pleafe to fend dinner for twelve men belonging to Jeremiah Fit zhenr)\ 1 8th June, 1798, ■’■ ROCHE.”

*’ Permit Tom Harper and another man to pafs for food for eight men to commlflary Brennan.

June 19th, 1798, ROCHE.” Whenever any of the country commiffaries fent provifions or cattle into one of the camps, they obtained receipts for them from the commiffary general, as appears by the follovi^ing :

“ Received from Mr. John Brennan,* feventeen bullocks, to keep at grafs till called for.  June 18th, 1798, firft year of liberty.

STEPHEN MYLER.” General Roche received the following prefent from a man of the name of Murphy, who adled as fteward in the camp, and wiflied to ingratiate himfelf with the commander in chief, as appears by the following letter : “ Sir,

“ I have fent you a calk of wine, a barrel of beer, eighteen loaves of bread, two flieep of the beft fort, one loaf of bread, and two fowl for your own ufe; from your friend and humble fervant,

PATRICK MURPHY, fteward.”

This camp, which was the grand rendezvous of the rebels, fent large detachments to thofe who fought the different battles in the county of Wexford. Their tents were formed of carpets, quilts, flieets, blankets, window curtains, and various articles of furniture which they had feized in proteftant houfes.

Mrs. M.J a refpedable gentlewoman, who remained the entire night of Monday the twenty-eighth of May, 1798, in Ringwood, gave me the following relation of the dangers and diftreffes Avhich fhe and her huf^ band fuffered. It will ferve to fhew the favage and fanguinary difpofition of the rebels.

Mr. Bennett, of Birmount,§ lay concealed in the wood that night. Next morning, about feven o’clock, when we were almoft fmking with

cold

* He had been a member of the Healthfield cavalry, and in violation of his oath of allegiance dcfertcd and joined the rebels.

\ This is not really the initial letter of her name, which I conceal, left it might cxpofo h«r tc rebel vengeance.

4 Plate III. 3,

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 3^1

cold and hunger, he kindly invited us to his houfe, which lay clofe to the river Slaney, at the oppofite fide of it. Having gone there, about feven o’clock in the evening, a w^oman came to us, trembling with fear, and faid, “ That the rebels were approaching in all directions to burn the houfe, and to murder us.” Mr. Bennett hid himfelf in his garden. We were advifed to get fome green boughs, as the emblem of rebellion, and to go out to meet them; and having accordingly done fo, they defired us not to be frightened, as they never injured women; and they alked us if we were chriftians, (meaning Roman catholicks,) and very fortunately we told them we were. They informed us, that they had juft killed Mr. Edward White * of Roxana, and his fon, who lived near Vinegar-hill; having, as they faid, fearched his houfe for arms and Orangemen. Having found Mr. M. in the garden, they prefented their firelocks, and were on the point of fhooting him; but faid they mufl fufpend his execution till their officer, who was abfent, arrived. They took him off, mounted behind one of them; when they fortunately met a rebel, who had a particular regard for Mr. M,, and who galloped off fpeedily to Vinegar-hill camp, and procured him a protedion from father John Murphy, who was then commander in chief there.

“ OnThurfday I went to Vinegar-hill, in hopes of getting a protedion from father Philip Roche,! a rebel chieftain, and in our way thither, we faw the bodies of Mr. White and his fon, lying dead and naked in the lawn before his houfe; for the rebels would not fuffer them to be buried.

** In our way to Ennifcorthy, v/e faw twelve dead bodies lying on the road; and on entering the town, we were filled with horror at beholding a great number of them in the ftreets.

“ The camp at Vinegar-hill prefented a dreadful fcene of confufion and uproar. A number of female rebels, more vehement than the nrale, were marching out to meet the army from Newtown-barry. This was s. large body which father Roche led from Vinegar-hill to the attack of that tovm, which took place the firfl of June.  Great numbers of womeu

3 were

* This aged gentleman was a magiftrate, anJ had been always friendly to the Rociaii catholicks. His fon was almoft an ideot. The rebels made them kntd in a potatoe trench, jTiot them, and fome days after covered them lightly with earth. They murdered on Vinegar-hill his brother, Mr. John White, of VVhitcficldj a magiilrate, and very far advanced in years.

t Edward Ro<;he was the lay-general.

362 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

were in the camp. Some men were employed in killing cattle, and in boiling them in pieces in large copper brewing pans; others were drinking, curfing, and fwearing; many of them were playing on various mufical inftruments, which they had acquired by plunder in the adjacent proteflant houfes; and this produced a moll dilagreeable and barbarous; diflbnance.

“At laft I met father Roche in Ennifcorthy, and he gave me a protection, not only for Mr. M. but one for Mr. Bennett’s houfe, in the following words, which was polled up in the hall : “ No man to moleil this houfe, or its inhabitants, on pain of death I”

“ However, next day, a rebel guard came to Mr. Bennett’s, and compelled him and Mr. M. to go before the parifli priefl of Bree, in order to fend them to the attack on Rofs; but Mr. John Devereux, a rebel captain, on feeing Roche’s protection difcharged him; and foon after father John Sutton of Ennifcorthy, and a Mr. William Barker, a rebel general, gave them protedlions, and certified that they had been tried by a court-martial, and acquitted.

“ We then repaired to Mr. Jofhua Lett’s, a mile beyond Ennifcorthy, where we (laid fome days. During our refidence there, we daily faw great crowds of rebels, who often boafled of the number of proteftants they had put to death, and even in what manner they had piked them. They faid, “ That Cork and Limerick had capitulated to them : That Dublin was furrounded by forty thoufand united Iriflimen : That the whole kingdom would be foon in their pofleffion; and that there fhould be no other religion but ^he Roman catholick.” They compelled us to go to mafs, which we did, to preferve our lives.

“ At laft, the rebels, having difcovered that Mr. M. v/as concealed in Mr. Jofhua Lett’s houfe, threatened to demohfh it, unlefs he was inflantly difmiffed. As Mr. Lett was obliged to comply with this mandate, we repaired to Mr. Fitzhenry’s of Ballymacus,! about five miles off. In our way thither, we met many parties of rebels, who would have put Mr. M. to death, but for the prieft’s protedion; for which they fliewed the utmofl refpeft. This fliews the great iniluence of the facerdotal order, and how eafily they might have prevented the maifacres of proteftants.

« We

t Plate III, 3.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 3^3

*’ We were there but a few hours, when a rebel guard arrived, and carried us back to Ennifcorthy, where Mr. M. was put into a guard-houlc, containing about a dozen unfortunate proteftants, who were fliot or piked next day in the camp.  I was then defired to apply to one of their officers, named Morgan Byrne, whom I found fitting in their committee-room, at a long table, with many books and papers before him.  Father Kearns was at the head of the table, round which all the members of the committee fat. On reprefenting my fituation^ and that of Mr. M. Mr. Patrick Sutton, who was a general among them, faid, “ He would do hisutmoft to ferve Mr.M. and me   and Mr. Morgan Byrne* faid, “He would fpare his life, provided he would join and fight with them; but on no other condition.

*’ Unheard-of barbarities were committed at Ennifcorthy, Vinegar-hill, End in all the adjacent country, before the rebels were fubdued and driven from them.

*’ The pikemen would often fhew us their pike s all ftained with bloody and boaft of having murdered our friends and neighbours.”

Every morning when the rebels paraded on Vinegar-hill, they put to death from fifteen to thirty proteftants in their prefence, and as a regale to them; and this was done with the folemnity of an execution under a judicial fentence.

Samuel Goodifon, a farmer, worth 400 1. a-year, of the proteftant religion, was univerfally efteemed for his good moral charafter.  He and his family, confifting of a wife and nine children, remained in Ringwood on the night of the twenty-eighth of May, to efcape the fanatical rage of the rebels.  On Tuefday morning, they repaired to St. John’s,! the feat of Dodlor Hill, on the Slaney, who offered to let them remain there; but Goodifon faid, he had fuch warm friends among the Roman cathoHcks, that he was fure of getting a protedion from them, if he could arrive with fafety at Ennifcorthy.  He left his family at a mill, within a quarter of a mile of the town; and having advanced a Ihort way, he was overwhelmed with joy at meeting his neighbour and particular friend, Luke Byrne; but that fanguinary ruffian (hot him inftantly, inftead of affiarding him that proteflion which he folicited.  A refpeftable gentlewoman of Ennif

3 A 2 corthy

• The loyAl fubjeds called this fdlow Santerre, and his father Luke Byrne, who was more fanguinary, Marat, t See Plate III. s.

5^4

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

corthy heard him boafl afterwards, that he never ate fo fweet a breakfaft, as he had that morning, for that he had killed Samuel Goodifon and William Carroll.

John Stilh-nan, eighty years old, who had fcrvcd as a foldier the greater part of his life, and George Saunders, feventy years old, fiept all Monday night in Ringwood; and having come out of it about twelve o’clock, next morning, they were fhot on the road leading to Ennifcorthy. Saunders died inftantly. Stillman continued alive till next day, and was able to fit up. A rebel out-poft, of about twenty men, amufed themfelves with ridiculing, infulting, and torturing him. They often alked him in irony, (as he was a proteftant) Whether he would have a prieft? They had but one ball among them, and they fired it five or fix times through his body, while proftrate on the ground; and yet he was alive next day. He had but one eye, which they put out with a pike. At length they put him to death. Afterwards the rebels were known to call him their plaything, in converfation at Ennifcorthy; and to declare, he was fo tough an old fellow, that they had great difficulty in putting him to death.

I lhall refer the reader to Appendix, No. XIX. i. for the fufFerings of Benjamin Warren, a proteftant yeoman, and the fcene of carnage which he beheld on Vinegar-hill. I faw his wounds in Auguft, 1 798. His body had been perforated with pikes in many places.

When the town was evacuated on Monday the twenty-eighth of May, Richard Sterne, a fickly old man, his wife, his fon far gone in a confumption, and a grandchild, five years old, on his back, endeavoured to retreat to Wexford with the proteftant fugitives, but being unable to accompany them, they concealed themfelves in a wood, where they remained four days and four nights, and muft have ftarved, but that they received a few potatoes and about a pint of milk from a fifherman.

I ftiall refer the reader to his affidavit. Appendix, No. XIX. 2. for an account of his fuffisrings, and of fome of the horrors pradlifed at Vinegarhill.

In Appendix, No. XIX. 3. the reader will fee an account of the murder of the reverend Mr. Heydon, in the ftreets of Ennifcorthy, who was venerable for his piety and his years, being near eighty years old.

I have

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 365

I have been afliired that the rebels would not fuffer his body to be mterred for fome days, and that a great p?Tt of it was devoured by pigs,

Richard Sterne was a prifoner in Mr. Beale’s barn, at the foot of Vinegar-hill, where he faw numbers of his fellow-prifoners tried and condemned by a rebel court-martial (at which one Lawrence Power was prefident) for being orangemen, or proteftants, which were fynonimous. Lawrence Power was afterwards taken in Dublin, tried, convicled, and hanged. Richard Sterne, being examined on his trial, depofed, that he faw many perfons led to execution under the judgment of that court; and that he faw one Murtagh Keane fhoot Thomas Simpfon and Jeremiah Smyth, foon after Lawrence Power had pronounced the fentence.

I fhall refer the reader to Appendix, No. XIX. 4. for the barbarous treatment which Edward Stacey, a proteftant farmer, of Tomgar, received from four ruffians, who were fent from the camp in queft of proteftants. I faw the wound which he received, foon after it was healed.

The gangs of pikemen who were fent to roam the country in queft of proteftants, to fupply the grand flaughter-houfe at Vinegar-hill, could not reftrain their thirftfor blood, and often killed their prifoners on the fpot where they feized them, though contrary to the orders of their leaders.

For the fufferings of lieutenant Hunt, of the Ennifcorthy yeomen infantry, fee Appendix, No. XIX. 5.

On the thirtieth day of May, William Neal, Henry and Bryan, his fons, v/ere feized at their houfe at Ballybrennan, by a band of aflaftins, who were fent from the camp in fearch of proteftants, and were conveyed to Vinegar -hill camp. Michael Maddock and Jofeph Murphy were leaders of the party. The former called them orangemen, meaning proteftants, and wanted to kill them as fuch, but was over-ruled by fome others of the band. Bryan Neal offered them his horfe and cow to liberate them; but Maddock faid, “ That the cattle of all orangemen belonged to them already.”

When they arrived on Vinegar-hill, Murphy faid he would not bring them any more orangemen, unlefs they put them to death direftly : On which a conference was held, when the father and the two fons were immediately condemned. They firft led out to execution Bryan, who begged they would ftioot him, inftead of torturing him with pikes.

One

366* MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

One of the rebels faid he fliould jiot die fo eafy a death, and inftantly ftruck him on the head with a carpenter’s adz, which made him ftagger a few yards; but he was foon brought back, when one of them Itabbed him in the fide with a fpear, another in the neck, and a third flioved them afide and (hot him. William, the father, who was then brought forth, foiicited to be Ihot; and having complied with his requell, they put him on his knees. The executioner miffed fire at him three times; on which father Roche, the general, who attended the execution, defired him to try whether his firelock would go off in the air. He accordingly tried, and it fucceeded. Father Roche then gave him a proteftion, and ordered him to be difcharged; having imputed his efcape to divine Providence. Murphy and Maddock were near neighbours, and fuppofed to be the intimate friends of the Neal family, who had no fufpicion that they had harboured fuch fanguinary hatred againft them, on account of their being of the proteftant perfuafion.* William Neal had another fon burnt at the barn of Scullabogue.

Charles Davis, a glazier of Ennifcorthy, and of the proteftant religion, fought againfl; the rebels in defence of that town; but was afterwards made a prifoner, and conveyed to Vinegar-hill by a party of rebels, who informed him, that, as he was an orangeman, he would be put to death. On his arrival in the camp, he faw about forty bodies lying dead, quite naked, and very much mangled with pikes; among which he perceived the body of Mr. Henry Katton, portrieve of the town of Ennifcoithy.

The rebels defired him, infultingly, to lay his hand on his deceafed friends, whom they called hereticks; and told him, that all the hereticks in the kingdom fliould fhare the fame fate. They then put him on his knees, in the midft of the dead bodies, and fhot him through the body and the arm, and gave him feveral pike wounds; after vfhich they buried him, covering his body lightly with fods. He lay in that fituation from feven o’clock in the evening till five next morning, when he found a dog, who had fcraped away the fods, licking his wounds. A party of rebels, who were near the grave, perceivmg the motion of his

body,

* Thefc fafts were verified by oath, on the trials of Murphy and Maddock, held at Rofs, the thirteenth and twenty-fourth of Auguft, 1798, by order of lieutenant-general Hulfe; alfo, by affidavit, fworn before D. Colclough, efquire, by William Neal, twentyfourth July, 1798

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

367

body, 6fc claimed, The dead is coming to life; and that Davis fhould have a prieft, as he could not obtain falvation without one.” Father Sutton, of Ennifcorthy,! who was in the camp, adminiftered the rites of his church to him, and told him he was forry to fee him in that fituation; but as there was no profpeft of his recovery, he was glad that he was to die under his hands. He was then delivered to his wife, who conveyed him to his own houfe; where, with the aid of medical affiftance, he recovered. Thefe fafts have been verified by affidavit, and are univerfally known. Charles Davis, who is now living, fhewed me his wounds.

John Mooney, fervant to doftor Hill, and a proteftant, w^as taken prifouer, and conduced to the wind-mill prifon, on the top of Vinegarhill, the thirty-firft day of May; and found there fixteen proteftant prifoners, with fome of whom he had been long acquainted. They were defired to prepare for death; and foon after a ruffian entered the prifon with a drawn hanger, and began to torture the prifoners by way of amufement; but the rebel centinel ftopped him, and faid, that as they were to die foon, it was cruel to torment them. In a few minutes one of the prifoners was dragged out of the mill door, and fliot; and foon after the remainder were executed in the fame manner. Amon«

o

them there was a well-dreffed refpedable looking man, and his fon, a boy about thirteen years old. The father feemed to bear his approaching dilTolution with great fortitude, fuppofmg that they would not injure his fon, on account of his tender age; but what agonizing pangs muft he have felt, when his child was butchered in his prefence! and he, when led out to execution, was obliged to ftep over his bleeding corpfe, which fell acrofs the door.

Mooney, the laft perfon taken out, was placed by the fixteen dead todies; and the executioner, whofe name was Byrne, defired him to turn his back to him, (whish the viftims were often compelled to do;) but Mooney refufed to do fo, having faid, that he was not afraid to face a bullet. The executioner, who was very ragged, advanced, with his piulket prefented, within twelve paces of him, when Mooney defired him to ftop; and taking off his coat, waiftcoat and hat, which were

new,

i This prieft might have faved any perfon he chcfc, aijti was daily attending the camp.

368 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

new, threw them to him, defired him to take them for his trouble; and requefted he would approach nearer to him, and do his bufmefs properly. The executioner, (truck with his fortitude, faid it was an undoubted proof of his innocence; and declared he would have nothing to do with him. On this, one Murtagh Brien, alias Kane, a fanguinary monfter, and the common executioner, rofe from his knees, (for the rebels commonly knelt and prayed before or during the execution,) and infilled on putting’Mooney to death, and prefented a blunderbufs for that purpofe; but Byrne interfered, and fwore he would blow out the brains of any perfon who would attempt to injure him; and he immediately difmiffed him.

Papifls of the meanefl: fituation, even beggars, have been known to fave proteftants when they chofe.

Mooney was feized by a party of rebels two or three days after, and they were on the point of putting him to death, for having, as they faid, often enquired for and opened the letters of father Sutton at Ennifcorthy, before the infurredion took place, in order to obtain information relative to the rebellion; but that prieft, who happened to come up when the charge was made, acquitted him of it.

The rebels made a conftant pradlice of violating women who fell into their hands. In confequence of which, a rebel general, Patrick Sutton, ilTued the following proclamation :

PROCLAMATION.

“ Whereas information has been received that many outrages are committing through the country on the wives and daughters of feveral people : This is therefore to defire and command all officers to ufe every exertion to apprehend and bring into Vinegar-hill camp each and every perfon who ftiall be found guilty of fuch offences, that they may be dealt with accordingly.

Given under my hand at Vinegar-hill camp, this 17th day of June, 1798, the firft year of liberty.

PATRICK SUTTON, commander in chief.”

Patrick Conners was peculiarly the objed of popifh vengeance, for the following reafons : Having married a proteflant wife, he was conftantly urged by his popiili neighbours and his parlHi prieft, to make her change

her

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 369

lier religion; but he refufed to interfere about her mode of worfhip. At laft, he was fo much difgufted and fliocked at their bitter and unremitting reproaches^ that he became a convert to the proteftant faith. In confequence of this, he was denounced by his parifh prieft, who laid his flock under a prohibition not to deal with him. This hiterdid reduced him to poverty, from having obtained a good liveUhood as a fliopkeeper in the town of Ennifcorthy.

On the thirtieth of May, 1798, he, his wife and daughter, were taken to the camp of Vinegar-hill, where the rebel troops were drawn up at parade in the form of a half moon. Conners, John Plunket, and James Rigley, two more proteftants, were led out in front of them to be executed. James D’Arcy, a corn-fa£tor, in good circumflances, who volunteered in this bloody hufmefs, ftept forward from the line, with a horfe piftol, and fhot them one after another, charging the piflol with great deliberation, and faying between each murder, “ I will now do your bufmefs.” His daughter, Mary Conners, was offered ten guineas if fhe would not profecute; but fbe declared, that .flie would not fell the blood, of her father.

The poor old widow of Conners was holding him by the arm when tfiey fhot him; and, on falling, he pulled her to the ground.  On rifmg, fhe exclaimed, “ You had now better put me to death!’* and the brutal favage was on the point of doing fo, but other rebels, more humane, . prevented him.

Thefe fads were proved at Wexford, on the trial of D’Arcy, the fixteenth of November, 1798, wh^n he was convided and hanged.

D’Arcy bore a very good charafter previous to this atrocious aft.

It appears that many Roman cathoUcks, who had led irreproachable lives, and were efteemed for their moral condu£l prior to the rebellion, tmbrued their hands in human blood, without any horror or remorfe during the courfe of it, as their feelings had been blunted by fanaticifm.

Edward St. Leger, a proteftant, was taken prifoner and condudled to the old mill on Vinegar-hill, by a party of rebels, on the firfl day of June, 1798, but was releafed foon after at the interceffion of one Fenlon. As h€ was leaving the prifon, he faw a man fitting on the ground, with no other clothes than a piece of a ragged blanket thrown over him. He prefented a moil ghaftly appearance, as his eyes were out, his

3 B head i

37P MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT ‘

head and body were much fwollen, and his cheeks were covered with ulcers. On St. Leger’s exclaiming, “ What a miferable objeft!” he attempted to fpeak, but uttered fome inarticulate founds, which he could not underftand; for which reafon, he believed, that his tongue had been cut out. An armed rebel who was near, and feemed to be guarding him, told St. Leger, that he was under punilhment, and fpoke fomething of flow death; meaning, as he verily beheved, that the unfortunate wretch was condemned to fuffer a flow death.*

Unwilling to difguft the reader, I will give him a circumftantial account of but a few of the various cruelties practifed on the victims who were immolated on Vinegar-hill by thefe ferocious fanaticks; had they been perpetrated by the dregs of the people, fome allowance might have been made for the force of religious bigotry on the minds of the vulgar herd; but we have to lament, that many perfons whofe birth, education, or opulence, raifed them far above that defcription, were prefent at, or were confenting to, the perpetration of thefe atrocities; for we find that they were conflantly in the rebel camps where they daily took place, and that they could have prevented them is unqueftionable; for no inftance that I could difcover ever occurred, that the perfonal interference or the written protection of a rebel officer, or one of their priefls, did not fave the life of a perfon deftined for deftrudion.

Mr. William Barker, a brewer and a merchant of Ennifcorthy, was z general in the camp : Mr. Patrick Sutton, formerly a merchant, and well educated, held that rank; and his two fons, one of whom was educated for the bar, were officers there : One Kelly, an opulent farmer near that town, a rebel officer, who has been hanged : The bloody Luke Byrne, a maltfter, and his two fons, in opulent circumftances : Meflrs. Codd|| and Wah’h, fliopkeepers, and reputed rich : Marineth, a farmer, was weaUhy: Andrew Farrell was in good circumftances, and yet he was aftive in promoting the maflacres : Jeremiah Fitzhenry, married to John Colclough’s fiiler, was of the ancient family of the Fitzhenrys, in the county of Wexford : John Colclough, of a family highly refpcdablc, who often reprefented the county, was well educated and in good circumftanccti,

difgraced

* See Appenilx, No. XIX. 6.

Y Francis Codd, another pci fi.n of il c fame nair.c, was very loyal.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND,

‘ difgraced himfelf by yielding to the influence of fanaticifm. He was the only papift that I could learn of his family. Meffrs. Garret and WJIiam Byrne were rebel chieftains, and attended the camps.

The reverend Mr. Pentland and Mr. Trocke were put to death on Vinegar-hill, on Tuefday the twenty-ninth of May, with about thirty proteftants more.

Luke Byrne, an opulent farmer and brewer of Ennifcorthy, though

advanced in years, was remarkably cruel and fanguinary; and his two

fons, Morgan and Mogue, were little lefs fo.  His brother frequently

aded the part of executioner on Vinegar-hill.

WiUiam Carroll, a tanner, of the proteftant perfuafion, who had always

lived on terms of the warmeft friendfliip with Luke Byrne, accofled him

in the ftreet of Ennifcorthy, when he was at the head of a party of rebels;

but Byrne drew his fword, proftrated him with a blow of it, and ordered

the pikemen, whom he commanded, to difpatch him; and they inftantly

perforated his body with pikes.  This honeft and induflrious man left a

widow and eight children.

It is furprifmg how wanton the rebels were in committing cruelties.

On Thurfday the thirty-firft of May, John Doyle faw a wounded man

lying in the ftreet s at Ennifcorthy, and approaching him, faid, in a ftrain

of irony, mingled with cruelty, “ What a pity it is you are not more

alive!” and then ftabbed him feveral times with a pike, and turned over

his body.  Doyle was convidted of that crime before a court-martial,

on the twentieth of July, 1799.

Thomas Clooney, a farmer, was worth feveral thoufand pounds. His

fon was aid-de-camp to the rebel general at Rofs, and was fhot there.

Fenlon, a fchoolmafter, a young man of pleafing manners, and a genteel

appearance, a captain in the rebel army, was hanged  in Wexford.

Furlong, a rich farmer, was a rebel captain,  Robert, John and Denis

Carthy, very opulent farmers, and well educated, were deeply concerned

in the rebellion.  Their nephew Denis was ftained with the bloT)d of the

reverend Mr. Turner, murdered on Whitfunday.  William Lacy, a fliop

keeper at Ennifcorthy, and brother to father Michael Lacy, (who ufed to

fay mafs there,) was commiffary general in the camp on Vinegar-hill.

William Devereux of Taghmon, was in opulent circumftances. Meffrs.

John and Edward Hay, aftively concerned in the rebellion, were of an

ancient popilh family, and were extremely well educated.

3 B 2 A barbarous

/

372 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

A barbarous murder committed by the former, with all the coolnefs of deliberation, proves how far fanaticifm can extinguifh all religious and moral principle. A proteftant boy, known by the name of Grey Thomas, who lived at Newcaftle, near the houfe of Mr. John Hay, was murdered by him on Vinegar-hill.*

Mr. Hay was thoroughly convinced that every true proteftant was fmcerely attached to the conftitutlon in church and ftate, and would oppofe the views of the united Irilhmen, who were defirous of feparating Ireland from England; of forming in it a republick under the aufpices of France^ and of totally extinguilhing the proteftant religion, v/hich they regarded as a peftilent herefy.

Thomas Smythfon, verified upon oath, on the trial of Edward Roche, a rebel general, at Wexford, the circumftances attending the death of Grey Thomas; and that he heard John Hay declare, in the rebel camp^ “ That they never could have luck while there were proteftants among them.”

On the fame trial, which began the feventeenth of December, 1798, Thomas Hatchell proved, that Mr. John Hay propofed on Vinegar-hill the maffacre of all proteftants; and both thefe witnelTes proved that Edward Roche oppofed his fanguinary propofal.

There were commonly twenty priefts in the camp,J and they never interfered for the prefervation of proteftant lives, except in behalf of a perfon who happened to be the peculiar objed of their regard, or in whofe fafety they were deeply interefted. On the contrary, it appears that numbers of them daily faid mais at the head of the rebel lines, and exhorted the rebe’ls to extirpate hereticks or orangemen, which appellations they gave to proteftants. II Someperfons have endeavoured to palliate the atrocities committed by the rebels, by faying, ** That their fanguinary rage was not direded againft proteftants as fuch, but merely againft a political feci of them called orangemen.” This plea could be urged with much lefs colour in the county of Wexford than elfewhere; becaufe there were no orangemen there;, nor was there .even an attempt to infticute an

Orange

I ♦ See Appendix, No. XIX. 7.

\ The reader will find this verified by different affidavits in the Appendix.

I See the affidavits of Wchard Sterne, Richard Grandy, William Fleming, and Andrew Skeppard, in Appendixes, No. XIX. and XX,

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 373

Orange lodge in it till the North Cork came into it, and they did not arrive there till the twenty-fixth of April.

A few days after, a ferjeant Jeffars attempted to make a few orangemen, among the lowefl: mechanicks at Ennifcorthy; but as foon as captain Snowe discovered it, he checked and prevented him. The truth is, that the appellation of orangemen was adopted to difguifc the fanguinary and intolerant principles of popery, againfl: every other fedt of chriftians,* and which has on moft occafions charaderized it; but this thin difguife was feen through; for on many occafions, not only the infuriate favages, but even their priefts denounced them as proteftants, and the carnage of them was indifcriminate. Not only thofe of fuperior rank, whofe elevated fituation might have excited their envy, and whofe wealth might have tempted their rapacity, fell a prey to their fanatical fury; but the inhabitants of the humble abodes of induflry were equally obnoxious to it; though they had never heard the word orangemen.. till they were denounced as fuch by their alTaflins.

I could not afcertain the number of proteftants who were maifacred in the rebel camp on Vinegar-hill and its vicinity; but I hav£ been affured that they exceeded five hundred. Among thefe there were men of landed property, magiftrates, clergymen, merchants, farmers, labourers and mechanicks. I have obtained the names of as many as I could of the proteftants, who were murdered in the county of Wexford, at large, but I could not procure the whole. It will be found with the parifhes or townlands to which they belonged in Appendix, No. XIX. 9.

The doctrine of exclufive falvation in the Romifh church, frjom which this fanguinary fpirit flows, is inculcated in the koran of Mahomet. Ockley, in his hiftory of the Saracens,! tells us, that the Turks fay, agreeable to this dodtrine, that every perfon who is not of their religion, is an enemy to God; and that when they are fighting againft fuch, they are fighting in the caufe of God.

The favage delight which the rebels took in the effufion of human blood on Vinegar-hill, refembles the condud of Mahomet, when he conquered, and took .pofTefTion of Conftantinople, in the year 1452, as

related

* S« James Beaghan’s confcflion, Appendix, No. XIX. 8. t Vol. I. p^es 198, aaS.

374 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

related by Knowles, in the following words of his celebrated hiftory of the Turks :

“ That he, as a proud conqueror, with great triumph, entered the city

of Conftantinople, then defolated, and void of -all chriftian inhabitants;

and there, after the manner of the Turkifli kings, made a fumptuous “ and royal fcaft, unto his bafliaws and great captains; when, after he “ had furcharged himfelf with excefs of meat and drink, he caufed divers “ of the chief chriftian captives, both men and women, (of whom many “ were of the late emperor*s line and race) to be in his prefence put to “ death, as he with his Turks fat banqueting, deeming his feaft much “ more ftately, by fuch effufion of chriftian blood; which manner of ex” ceeding cruelty, he daily ufed, until fuch time as he had deftroyed all “ the Grecian nobility, that were in his power, with the chief of the “ late Conftantinopolitan citizens.”

The Celts, who covered a great part of the European continent, immolated human vidims to the Deity; and the Irilh, who are of that race, follow the fame pradice, and both on the fcore of religion; but the former did fo as Pagans, the latter as Roman catholicks. The Auto da Fes, which continued till within a few years in Spain and Portugal, were iilfo regarded as offerings to the Deity.

The fufFerings of Mr. George Horneck and his family, a very refpeftable farmer, of Girrane, in the county of Wexford, merit a circumftantial relation. From confiderable opulence, he was reduced to very great indigence by the rebellion. He had three fons, remarkably handfome, and efteemed for their good deportment. One of the name of George, had been bred in the univerfity of Dublin, and was enrolled in Mr. Ogle’s corps; another, called Robert, was bound to an apothecary, in Ennifcorthy. They fhewed great valour in defence of that town, but were overtaken and feized in their retreat towards Wexford, by a party of rebels commanded by Robert Carthy, of Ballyhogue,* who put George to a cruel death. They conduced Robert to the camp at Vinegar-hill, as a prifoner. The rebels thenfent to his father, who, vdth other proteftants, was keeping garrifon at the houfe of the reverend John Richards, of Grange,! a clergyman of the eftabliftifed religion, to inform him, that, if he

would

* A family diftinguiflied for their rebellious principles.

t See plate III. a.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 37,

would furrender his arms, they would fave the life of his fon, who would be permitted to ferve in their army. But the father refufed to comply; having given as a reafon, that he had taken an oath of allegiance, and fwore not to furrender them to any perfon, but to the government. At the fame time he implored them to be merciful to his fon. Next day the rebels ftripped him naked, and Ihot him in their camp. As he betrayed fome fymptoms of life, after he fell, they knocked him in the head, with the butt-end of a firelock; and yet this unfortunate young man recovered about midnight, and though quite naked, and covered with blood, and ghaftly wounds, he crept to the foot of Vinegar-hill, waded over the river Slaney; and, though much exhaufted, he walked to his father’s houfe, which was feven miles off; on approaching it, he was buoyed up with the fond hope of finding an afylum there from the rebel blood-hounds; but, alas! how fevere was his difappointment, on finding it deferted by his family, who had fled for protection to Rofs, whither he endeavoured to follow them; but was intercepted by a party of rebels, who murdered him, and threw his body into a gravel pit.

Mr. Charles Cooper, fon-in-law of George Horneck, who, as a yeoman, had affifted in the defence of Ennifcorthy, was feized with three other loyal fugitives, at Caftle-bridge, and maffacred. As many victims, whom the rebels apparently put to death, had afterwards recovered, and made their efcape, they tied together with a rope the bodies of thefe four men. Philip Horneck, the brother of George, fell into the hands of the rebels at Alderftown, the houfe of Mr. John Glafcott, whence they conveyed him to their camp at Carrickbyrne, where they murdered him, and then quartered and burned his body. In his laft moments they infultingly alked him, whether he remembered the white-boys, on the ninth of June, 1775? That banditti infefted that year, not only tile county of Wexford, but many other parts of Leinfter and Munfter.

On the night of the above day, a party of them attacked, and attempted to enter the houfe of George Horneck; when he and his brother Philip bravely defended it, repulfed the banditti, and killed one of them. That event excited the moft implacable vengeance in the breafts of thofe ferocious fanaticks, againft this loyal but unfortunate family.*

John

* Thcfe fads relative to the Horneck family are fubftantiated by affidavit, fworn by George Horneck, before Standilh Lowcay, amagiftrate, the third of Oi-’lober, 1798.

376 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

John Coffey, an old, fickly man, was taken in a chaife, near Vinegarhill, and led as a prifoner to the rebel camp. On being alked, whether he was a Roman catholick? he anfwered in the affirmative; but he was alfo required to prove himfelf fuch by croffing himfelf, and faying fomc popifh prayers, which very fortunately for him he could do, though a proteflant : for they would have put him to death if he had failed.

Two or three days before the rebellion broke out, father Roche, the prieft, who became afterwards a general, waited on the reverend Mr. Richards, of Grange, his neighbour, gave him fome arms which he faid had been furrendered to him; and at the fame time affured him, that nothing was to be feared, as the people were loyal and peaceable. When the infurreQion took place, fixteen proteftant families fled to the houfe of Grange,* and kept garrifon there. Father Roche, in two or three days after his pacifick aflTurances to Mr. Richards, went to his houfe, with two men more, and promifcd him, that neither his perfon or property Ihould be injured, provided he delivered to him the Horneck family, and the protefl:ant tenants of captain Blacker; but if he refufed, that his houfe would be immediately attacked by five thoufand men, with two pieces of cannon; but Mr. Richards reje£ted his infamous propofal with laudable fortitude, and in about ten minutes after, he and his little garrifon, on lixteen cars fet out for Rofs,t where they arrived with fafety; though they had a narrow efcape from a body of rebels polled on a neighbouring hill.J

I ftiall refer the reader to Appendix, No. XIX. lo, for the fufFerings of George Piper, and his family, and his aflaffination on Vinegar-hill, and the abominable condudt of father Redmond, of the parifli of Ferns, who not only refufed him a proteftion, when in the hands of the affaffins, or to refcue him from them, which he might eafily have done-; but, according to his wife’s affidavit, he was inftrumental in fending him there.

It often happened that one proteftant was compelled to kill another : Thus George Walker, parifh clerk of Ballycanew church, was compelled t(B flioot John Cobourne, a butcher,, of the proteftant religion, and of

the

• Plate III. 2. + Plate III. 5.

% Verified by Horneck’ s affidavit before quoted.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 377

fj^e fame parifh, on Vinegar-hill.* It is furprifmg how adive and unremitting the popifti priefts are, in reprefenting the proteftant religion as an abominable herefy, which, they fay, never fails to bring the divine anger on its profeffors.

Samuel Hendrick was married to a popifh wife by the reverend Mr. Handcock, reftor of the parifli of Kilcormuck, in which th€ nuptials were celebrated. On the twenty-ninth of May, having been taken prifoner by a party of affaffins who were fent from Vinegar-hill in queil of proteftants, he prevailed on them to conduft him to the reverend father Patrick Quigley, parifh prieft of Clone, hoping that he would fave his life by giving him a protedtion; but he informed him, that his marriage was null and void; that it only ferved the purpofe of gratifying a brutal pafTion; and he refufed to grant him a protedion, until he was married by a prieft. To preferve his life then, he was under the neceflity of being married a fecond time by father Quigley, and of paying him one guinea for celebrating the marriage rites.f

The reader will fee fome fhocking inftances of rebel atrocity in the affidavit of Robert Whitrey, in Appendix, No. XIX. 11.

I fhall refer him alfo, for fpecimens of cruelty pradifed on Vinegarhill, to extrads from the trials of Thomas Clooney, William Fenlon, Andrew Farrel, Nicholas Wal/li, and James Beaghan, in the fame Appendix, and No. 13, 14, 15,16, and 17,

I fhall now proceed to give an account of two attacks which were made by the garrifon of Vinegar-hill, on Borris, the feat of Mr. Kavenagh,| in the county of Car low,

ATTACK ON BORRIS,

Mr. Kavenagh,}] of Borris, having been diftinguiftied for his loyalty, and his adivity as a magiftrate, was peculiarly the objed of rebel vengeance; and as his beautiful feat was but fourteen miles from Vinegarhill, but ten miles from Lackan, and not far diftant from the Roar,§ a

3 C populous

* Tlfls was verified by the affidavit of Cobom ne’s widow, in No. 390 of the archives of the houfe of commons, and quoted in Appendix, No. XIX. 9.

t Verified by affidavit fworn the zjth day of March, 1799, before A. Jacob.

i Plate II. 6, 7. ^

R A gentleman lineally defcendcd from the kings of Ireland, and firft coufin to the earl of Ormond.

S Plate VII. 3.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

populous and rebellious dillrift in the county of Kilkenny, his fituatioe was ferions and alarming.

The fyftem of free quarters had been enforced with confiderable ftridnefs in the county of Kilkenny, in the month of May; and, by the orders of general fir Charles Afgill, it was foon to be extended to the county of Carlow, unlefs the deluded inhabitants precluded the neceflity of it, by a fpeedy furrender of their arms, of which they w^ere well known to poffefe iarge quantities. The general’s orders, and the exertions of the gentlemen of that county, had made the furrender of pikes rather general; but it was checked by an order from the direftory in Dublin, which was printed and circulated by their captains and ferjeants. It exhorted them, by no means to give up their arms, as an infurreftion was immediately to take place.

It providentially happened, that Mr. Kavenagh’s corps of yeomanry, though not on permanent duty, was aflembled early in the morning of the twenty.fifth of May, for the purpofe of arrefting all the difaffeded blackfmiths in their diftrift; and as their exertions in that fervice was attended with confiderable fuccefs, it occafioned a general fpirit of commotion in the neighbourhood; which induced captain Kavenagh to keep his corps together, as he had every reafon to think that his poft would be attacked that night; and which the rebellious inhabitants were induced to undertake from the following motives : The orders of their diredory for a general infurredtion : The great quantity of pikes and pike-handles furrendered to the captain, and known to be in their poflefiion r The plunder of his houfe, and the hopes with which the leaders infpired their deluded followers, that they would not meet with refiftance.

The houfe of Borris was attacked on the night of the twenty-fifth of May, by a party of about five thoufand rebels, who were received with very great fpirit by the Borris corps, who repulfed them; but not until they had broke open the lowier windows of the houfe, which were but flightly barred, and refcued the blackfmiths who were confined in it. It was believed that not lefs than fifty rebels were killed and wounded on * that occafion.

The exertions of the yeomanry corps of the neighbourhood, for three f)T four days, completely cleared the country of the moft adive rebels,

and

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

379

and their leaders, who joined their aflbciates in the county of Wexford, where they carried every thing before them.

The pofl of Borris having been reinforced with thirty of the 9th dragoons, and twenty-four of the Donegal militia, and as captain Kavenagh’s corps confided of thirty-five mounted, and twenty -two difmounted cavalry, the garrifon remained unmolefted till the twelfth of June, though not far diftant from fome of the ftrong rebel camps.

On the day before, fir Charles Afgill, by concerted movements of the troops in his diftrift, furrounded the rebel camp formed in that difaffefted diftri£t, the Roar, oppofite to Rofs, after having fliot many of the alfaflins who compofed it.

The events of that day, and the fubmiflion of the adjoining diftrift, had lulled the garrifon of Borris into a fecurity, which was near proving fatal to them; for about one o’clock on the next day, they received an^ account, that great multitudes of rebels were pouring down from the different palfes through the mountains, which feparated that poft from, their camps in the county of Wexford.

At that time the fmall garrifon was weakened by the abfence of every officer but one, as they were engaged with feveral of their men in different duties in the adjacent country. The rapid movements of the enemy allowed no time for calling them in; for in lefs than two hours after the notice of their approach, they filled the town of Borris, and fet fire to all the houfes in it belonging to Mr. Kavenagh and his yeomen; they, however, met with a gallant refiftance at the manfion-houfe of Borris, though its garrifon was reduced to twenty of the Donegal, and feventeen of the yeomanry, including their ferjeants, who commanded them. The rebels had a howitzer, which they brought to bear upon the houfe, but were unable to batter it. They were commanded by father Kearns, a prieft, and a noted rebel leader, who was afterwards hanged at Edenderry. Seven rebels were found dead on the Ipot; but it has been fince learned, that they carried off many of their killed and wounded on cars, and that they threw many of the former into the burning houfes; only one of the garrifon^ a Donegal foldier, was killed, and two were wounded,

One of the rebels who was wounded, and could not retreat, proved to be a tenant of Mr. Kavenagh, who lived clofe to his houfe, and to whom

3^C2 he

38© MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

he had been fmgularly kind. On being alked why he embarked in this treafonable enterprife, he confefled, that he was tempted to do fo, by a promife of obtaining a portion of his eftate.*

Several perfons who were engaged in this attack, afligned the following reafons for it : That it was partly undertaken at the inftigation of the rebels of the neighbourhood, who breathed revenge in confequence of having been driven from their homes, and had fled to the Wexford camps : They had earneft hopes alfo of feizing a large quantity of ammunition; for they had heard, that it was a depot, in confequence of fome artillery chefts which had been left there by a regiment who had marched through it; and it was their intention on feizing it, and the arms of the garrifon, to have proceeded ^icrofs the rivers Barrow and Nore, at Ennifteague, and to have aflifted iji the projeded renewal of an attack on Rofs, by advancing againft it from the Kilkenny fide, on Rofsbercon; a march in which they had little reafon to doubt of being joined by the whole country through which they pziiXed. From that day, the operations of the rebels were confined to the county of Wexford,

. About the fixteenth of June, a detachment of the garrifon of Rofs, proceeded by a circuitous march to Graignemanagh, in the county of Kilkenny, a moft rebellious diftrift, and blew up the bridge there.

The day after the rebels got poffeffion of Ennifcorthy, they formed a camp on the mountain of Forth, commonly called the Three Rock moun.. tain, with a view of attacking Wexford, which is within three miles of it,

I have already delineated the proceffion of a body of rebels from Ennifcorthy to that mountain, headed by father John Murphy, with a large crucifix in his arms.|

But previous to my entering on a defcription of the events which took place at Wexford, I think it right to give the reader a fhort hiftorical and geographical account of that town.

Wexford || is a fea-port, borough, market, and corporate town, and rather populous for its fize. It is the chief in the county of the fame name, and the third largefl; in the province of Leinfter.  It is governed

by

• See the affidavit of John Semple on this affair, in Appendix, No. XIX, i8. i See Richard Sterne’s affidavit, in Appendix, No. XIX> a. fi Plate III. 6. and Plate VI.

E.ct’erence to the

Houses destroyed by the .H’ebels  m June \79^

1 T?ie Czistoin Scuye.

2 (hp^Ja^. JBcryd.

4 iC’John Culhfnove .

5 The nn’^M^Mil/er-.

6 2^± Edu^ardf.

7 lufti^hs Eouse

8 Market Ebuse.

9 The Goal.

10 WSatckeUs Mouse ■ SL The TrisonSMp

l^J lord Km^SioroiJffs leii^rn^

WFarsonei$e ^ouse

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 381

by a mayor, recorder, and bailiffs. It is the fhire and affizes town, and gives the title of earl, as does Waterford alfo, to the noble family of Talbot, who are earls of Shrewsbury in England. It returned two members to parliament. It is feated on a bay in the Irifti channel, at the mouth of the river Slaney. The harbour, though capacious, is Ihallow. It is formed by two necks of land, with an entrance half a mile broad, and was formerly defended by two forts, one at the extremity of each ifthmus, called fort Marget, and fort Rofslare; but as its entrance is obftruded by fand banks, fhips drawing more than ten feet water feldom enter it. Ships of greater magnitude load and unload three miles from the town, near the fouth fide of the haven, where there is fufEcient depth of water, but no flielter from the fouth winds. Wexford was originally fortified by the Danes, and improved and enlarged by the firft Englifli fettlers in the twelfth century, who took it from the Eafterlings, after a fiege of four days, on the fourth of May, 1 1 70. It was befieged by Cromwell, the firft of Odlober, 1649, and having been betrayed by captain James Stafford, commandant of the caftle, it was taken by ftorm, and fir Edward Butler, the governor, and two thoufand Ibldiers, were put to the fword.

Large veftiges of the town-walls are ftill vifible, and the four gates which led to it remained, until lately, almoft perfed. The town is irregularly built, and the ftreets are narrow. There is a large and elegant new church m it. Four religious houfes were eredted there at a very early period. Firft, a priory of regular canons, fuppofed to have been founded by the Danes, and is called the priory of St. Peter, and feint Paul of Sellker. Its prior fat in parliament, as a baron. The church ftill remains, with a large fteeple in the centre.

Second, the priory of St. John and St. Bridget, for knights hofpitallers, founded in the twelfth century, by William Marftiall, earl of Pembroke. There remains yet part of the old church, without the walls, which has been fince converted into a Roman catholick chapel.

Third, the grey friars had a convent there, in the thirteenth century, buih in the reign of Henry III.

Fourth, St. Mary Magdalen, a leper hofpital, ereded in the year 1408, the tenth of Henry IV.

The

<i82 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

The trade of Wexford is not very extenfive. It confiils chiefly in barley and malt, of w hich it exports large quantities; and in beer, beeft hides, tallow and butter. In 1 763 it contained one thoufand three hundred houfes, of which fix hundred and fifty wereflated. In 1788, it had one thoufand four hundred and twelve. But its chief boafl: and ornament is a magnificent wooden bridge, over the river Slaney, which was built by Mr. Samuel Cox, an American, who erected thofe of Derry, Waterford, Portumna, and Rofs. It is one thoufand five hundred and fift)’four feet long, and thirty-four broad, ftanding on feventy-five piers of piles, of fix uprights each, with a portcullis, or draw-bridge, for veffels to pafs through. It was begun June the twelfth, 1794, and was finifhed in February 1795; and flands in twenty feet water. This magnificent bridge was built by a fubfcription of 1 4,000 1.

The general rifing of the rebels, the defeat of the North Cork detachment at Oulart, and the taking of Ennifcorthy, had fpread fo great an alarm, that two hundred of the Donegal regiment, commanded by lieutenant-colonel Maxwell, arrived at Wexford, on the twenty-feventh day of May, to ftrengthen the garrifon there, confifting of the remainder of the North Cork, which did not amount to three hundred effeftive men : the Healthfield and Ennifcorthy cavalry, captain Ogle’s infantry, the Ennifcorthy infantry, and the Wexford infantry, commanded by doftor Jacob, and the Scarawalfh infantry, the Wexford and Taghmon cavalry. As an additional reinforcement to the garrifon, a detachment of the Meath regiment and four officers, under the command of captain Adams, and one corporal and feventeen gunners of the royal artillery^ with two howitzers, commanded by lieutenant Birch, marched from Duncannon-fort for Wexford, on Tuefday the twenty-ninth day of May.

The firft night they arrived at Taghmon,* where they expefted to be reinforced by eighty of the thirteenth regiment, under major Scott^ and four companies of the Meath regiment, commanded by the earl of Bedlive. Though thefe troops did not arrive in time to join them, the Meath detachment fet out on their march, near two hours before day, having been encouraged to do fo by the country people, who gave them

the

* See Phtc III. 6.

•

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 383

the moft folemn aflurances that they would not be moleflcd on their march; though in doing fo, they had no other defign, but to expofe them to a numerous body of rebels who lay in ambufli for them.

When they arrived within four miles of Wexford, having feen ten or twelve men on an eminence near the road, they prepared for adion; but after fome time, not perceiving an enemy, they renewed their march. Having arrived near the mountain of Forth,J three miles from Wexford, where the rebel camp was formed, they were furrounded on all fides by a great number of rebels, who raifed a white flag, and foon after began a very fevere fire, accompanied by the moft dreadful yells.

The militia, panick ftruck by the numbers of the enemy, and the darknefs of the night, betook themfelves to flight; in confequence of which, eighty-nine of the privates, and three officers, including captain Adams, who commanded, were cut to pieces; and of the artillery, four gunners were killed; a corporal and eleven men were taken prifoners, and the howitzers and ammunition fell into the hands of the rebels. As foon as they had taken the artillery men, they were proceeding to put them to death; but a rebel having aflced them of what religion they were, a gunner of the name of Dungannon, anfwered, that they were Roman catholicks, which faved their fives; though in fad, fix of them were prot^ftants. Dungannon being a papift, knew the objed of the queftion. jj

Lieutenant Birch, of the Royal Irifti artillery, who commanded a detachment of that corps, gave an account of that difafirous affair, in the following letter to major Stewart of his own regiment :

“ Sir, Duncannon-fort. 23d of July, 1798.

“ Some time fince I related to fieutenant-general Stratton the circumfiances which produced the lofs of the hov/itzers, under my command, in the moft colleded manner I could.

“ On Tuefday the twenty-ninth of May, I left this, with two hoAvitzers, one corporal and feventeen gurmers, fixty-fix privates of the Meath regiment, and four officers, under the command of captain Adams. At Taghmon we underftood we were to be reinforced by eighty of the thirteenth regiment, under major Scott, and four companies of the Meath, ixndcr lord Bedive, from Waterford.  Major-general Fawcett joined us,

but

t Plate III. 6, 7 .

>j See Andrew Sheppard’» affidavit in Appendix, No. XX. i.

384

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

but the otter troops not arriving, we proceeded on our march to Wexford. We were given to underftand by every one we met on our march that we fhould meet with no oppofition between us and W exford; and having no fufpicion that the rebels were affembled lb near us, we were not ordered to take any caution againft a furprife.  Within four miles of W exford we perceived about ten or twelve men affembled on a hill, near the road, on which we prepared for adion; but after remaining in that, fituation fome time, perceiving no further appearance of oppofition, we were ordered to limber up and proceed.  Having proceeded fome diftance, at the foot of a high mountain,  we were fuddenly attacked by feveral thoufands of the rebels, who fupported a fliarp fire, with loud fliouts, on all fides againft us; before they opened their fire, tlicy hoifted a white flag, and two or three hats on very long poles, for a fdw feconds.  After the firft fire the militia betook themfelves to flight, haV’ ing thrown down moft of their arms.  We in vain attempted to prepare again for aftion, but dur horfes, which were not trained to fire, grew furious and unmanageable, fo that it was impolfible to do any thing; and they threw us into fuch inftant confufion, that, with the fudden flight of the infantry, we found it utterly impoflible to fpike the howitzers. Three of the Mealh officers, with moft of their men, were killed, and one taken.  On our part, befides the howitzers, four gunners killed; one corporal, eleven gunners taken, two of whom were afterwards killed at Rofs, the reft have arrived here fafe; two gunners and myfelf efcaped.”

This vidtory, an4 the acquifition of fo large a quantity of arms and ammunition, infpired the rebels with boldnefs, and induced great numbers to flock to their ftandard; but nothing contributed fo much to this, as the fanaticifm which the priefts kindled in the ignorant multitude, by aflTuring them in their fernions and exhortations which they conftantly preached in their camps, that it was the will of God to root out herefy; and to give their holy religion an afcendancy, was manifeft, by his enabhng them, who were unprovided with arms, and ignorant of the ufe of them, to overthrow the foldiers of an heretical government, who were well-armed and difciplined; and they frequently took muflcetballs out of their pockets, and aflfured them that they had been hit by them in battle; but that the balls of hereticks could make no imprelfion

on

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 385

on them, nor upon any true Roman catholick, wiio was fortified by faith. At the fame time, they affured the mifguided multitude, that they could difcomfit and difperfe the heretick troops, by throMdng chaff or fand at them.* The gunners, whom the rebels took prifoners, were compelled to ferve in their army.

Major-general Fawcett marched from Duncannon-fortf to Taghmon,J with eighty of the thirteenth regiment, and a party of the Meath, to fupport the detachment under captain Adams; but on hearing of their defeat, he returned. As foon as lieutenant-colonel Maxwell was informed of that event, he marched out with two hundred of the Donegal regiment, and about one hundred and fifty yeomen cavalry, to fupport the thirteenth regiment, who were expected that morning at Wexford. When he arrived at the foot of the Forth || mountain, near the place where the detachment of the Meath regiment was cut to pieces, he was attacked by a numerous body of rebels, who maintained a heavy fire ou his party, from behind rocks, hedges and houfes, which lay at the foot of the mountain; and they difcharged fome fliots at them from the howitzers, which they had taken that morning. For the purpofe of embarralfmg our troops, they drove a number of horfes along the road, amongft them, which, in fome meafure, produced the defired effed; and the confufion was very much encreafed by the precipitate retreat of the cavalry, who, pent up in a narrow road, where they could not form or render any poffible fervice, and at the fame time, expofed to the enemy’s fire, found it necelTary, for their fafety, to fly to Wexford. On this a great body of the rebels rulhed down from the mountain, with a view of cutting oflf the retreat of the remainder of the troops, and which they would have effected, but that the Donegal regiment repulfed them by a heavy and well-dire£led fire. At laft, colonel Maxwell perceiving that he would rifk much, and that no pofllble advantage could be derived from maintaining his poft againft fo great a fuperiority of numbers, ordered a retreat. In this a£tion, lieutenant-colonel Watfon, formerly of the fixty-fifth regiment, who had retired to Wexford, and who volunteered on this occafion, loft his life, and fome privates of the Donegal were killed and wounded.

3D On

* Appendix, No. XX. See the affidavits of Fleming, Sheppard, Grundy, and Sterne, t Plate III. 9. t Ibid. 6. H Ibid. 6, 7.

386

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Oil Monday the twenty-eighth day of May, the military, and loyal inhabitants of Wexford, began to put it in a ftate of defence, by forming barriers at the different avenues leading to it, through which no perfon was allowed to go, without a pafs obtained from the chief magiftrate of the town, or one of the oflScers on guard. The barriers confided of walls rudely made of large ftones, M’ith an interval in the centre, which was filled up with large blocks of timber, occafionally removed, to let the cavalry, patroles and videttes, pafs and repafs. On Tuefday the twenty-ninth of May, a detachment of the Donegal regiment, and fome yeomen corps, marched in. On Wednefday the thirtieth of May, about four o’clock in the morning, the drums beat to arms, on receiving intelligence, that a detachment of the Meath regiment had been cut off; at which the people, being much alarmed, ran about the town in great confufion, and numbers of them went on board veflels in the river, failed out of gun-fhot, and remained at anchor, waiting the event of an attack, which they expeded would be made on the town. The confternation was much increafed by the following circumftances : At a very early hour they beheld the remote end of the wooden ^^bridge in a ftate of conflagration, and the flames advanced fo rapidly, that it would have been foon confumed, if the inhabitants of Wexford had not extinguiflied them. It was fet on fire by a body of rebels, whofe defign in deftroying it was, to prevent the garrifon from receiving a reinforcement of troops, and to cut off” their retreat, when they fhould be attacked by the rebel army encamped on the mountain of Forth.

Lieutenant-colonel Maxwell, after he returned, held a council of war, when it was refolved to evacuate the town, as not tenable, for the following reafons : The rebels encamped on the Three Rock mountain, not!efs in number than ten thoufand, and emboldened by their recent viftories, and the large quantity of arms and ammunition which they had acquired, meditated an immediate attack on Wexford, and had even put themfelves in motion for that purpofe; and it was well known, that its rebellious inhabitants, who had been fometime organized, and were well fupplied with arms and ammunition, would have fired on the garrifon from the windows, while they were defending themfelves from the rebels outfide; of which they had fome convincing proofs.

Two

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 387

Two perfons were difcovered with arms and ammunition in a houfe near one of the barriers, where a cannon was planted, ready to fire on the gunners. A perfon who was fent out of town to reconnoitre, the evening before it was evacuated, was fired at from a houfe in John-Rreet, as he was returning. The garrifon were fo much afraid, that the difloyal inhabitants, following the example of thofe at Ennifcorthy, would fet fire to the town, while they were engaged in its defence, that the mayor would not permit the bakers to heat their ovens, in confequence of which the troops were in the utmoft diftrefs for want of bread : Provifions were apparently fo fcarce, that the king’s troops were almofl ftarved; and yet as foon as the rebels entered the town, long tables, well ferved with food, were laid for them in the ftreets.

Many of the foldiers, who compofed the garrifon, were difpirited by the repeated advantages obtained by the rebels, particularly over the Meath regiment, and by the retreat of the Donegal regiment that morning from the mountain of Forth. Some of them were mutinous, and refiifed to do duty. The confternation began to grow general through the gairifon.

Some gentlemen of confequence went to the gaol to liberate Mr. Bagenal Harvey; but he, perceiving that the rebels, whofe caufe he had efpoufed, were on the point of gaining the town, refufed to accept their olfer.

On the evacuation of the town by our troops, and before Bagenal Harvey had quitted the gaol, or had taken an open and decided part in fupporting the rebellion, he confulted Gladwin the gaoler, wliom he confideied a man of integrity, what hne of conducl he would advife him to purfue; and he propofed, that they fhould both Ileal privatelv out of town, and go to Duncannon fort; and ai the fame time he alfured him, that if he would furrender himfelf to the general officer vvlio commanded there, and make a complete and unequivocal renunciation oi his errors, it would remove every ftain and fufpicion which his former conduft had brought upon his charafter •, but unfortunately for him, Mrs. Dixon entering the gaol at that moment, he related to her what Gladwin had faid; on which fhe declared, “ That as he had begun the bufmefs with them, he muft go through with it;’* which induced him, v/avering at that moment, to preponderate on the fide of rebellion.

3 D 2 As

388 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

As this gentleman made a confpicuous figure in the rebellion, in confequence of which his life and property were forfeited to the laws of his country, I (hall fay fomething of his charafter and fituation in life.

He was of a very refpedable proteftant family in the county of Wexford, and inherited an eftate of above 2000I. a year from his father, which he had increased confiderably by his oeconomy. He received the rudiments of his education in Trinity College, Dublin, and was afterwards called to the Irifh bar, which he attended during his father’s life. His figure was fmall, and his countenance, though ugly and rather mean, was expreflive. He was univerfally allowed to be a man of humanity, and of the ftrideft honour and integrity. His firft coufin was married to general Keugh, another rebel chieftain, whofe friendfliip he warmly cultivated, and to whofe houfe he reforted whenever he went to Wexford. His political opinions, like thofe of his friend, were founded on principles of metaphyfical abftradion, which often end in the deftruftion of thofe who cherilh them, in the fubverfion of all focial order, the degradation of greatnefs, and the plunder of wealth. He naturally had a difcontent and a gloominefs of mind, which made him prone to find fault with the forms of our excellent conftitution, which he wifhed to reform. Conftantly alTociating with men who openly profelTed fimilar principles, but who, different from him, were a£luated by the malignant hope of rifing to wealth and confideration, from obfcurity and poverty, during a feafon of general confufion; from a moderate reformift, he gradually became an inveterate anarchift and a rebel.

In confequence of information given by Anthony Perry, of Inch, to the magiftrates at Gorey, on the twenty-third of May, Mr. Harvey was taken and committed to the gaol of Wexford, on the Saturday night following, at eleven o’clock; and in confequence of charges made by the fame perfon, Mr. James Boyd arrefted at day-break, on Whitfunday, Edward Fitzgerald, of Newpark,* eight miles from Wexford, and lodged him in the county gaol.

When Mr. Boyd firfl; appeared, Fitzgerald laid his hand on his breaft, and made the moft folemn affurance of unfeigned loyalty; yet a great quantity of pikes were found in his parlour, ready mounted, and fit for fervice.  Edward Hay flept in the fame bed-chamber with him.

After

• Plate III. 4.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

\

3S9

After his arreft, he affefted many delays, in hopes of being refcued by the rebels, who had rifen, and were approaching his houfe in great numbers; but Mr. Boyd compelled him by menaces to fet out for Wexford.

On the fame day Mr. Boyd arrefted and committed Mr. John Colclough, of Ballyteigue,* in the barony of Forth, eleven miles from Wexford. They were all bailed the day before the evacuation of that town; but it was at the fame time agreed, that one of them (hould remain in prifon, as a hoftage for the reft, and that fell to the lot of Mr. Harvey.

But to return to the evacuation of Wexford, which took place the thirtieth of May. The neceflity of that meafure was fully proved by the following circumftance : That all the popifh inhabitants of Wexford^ with but few exceptions, difplayed their rebellious principles in the mod fanguine manner, as foon as the king’s troops left it, and produced great quantities of arms, which they would have turned againft them, if the town had been attacked.

Such was the zeal of the rebels, that fome of them endeavoured to feduce the foldiers of the Donegal regiment, during the Ihort time they were in Wexford;t and one of them in the fuburb through which they retreated, brought to his door two loaded mulkets, to fire at the column when they were at fome diftance; but a Donegal foldier, whom he did not perceive, happened to be near, and fhot him.

The evacuation of the town, which for prudential reafons was not announced till the troops began their march, threw its loyal inhabitants into the utmoft confternation. Thofe who forefaw that the event muft have taken place, embarked a day or two before, in fuch velTels as they could procure; but thofe who had no intimation of it till the retreat began, got on board, precipitately, any vefTels, even without decks, which happened to be near the fhore. Some proteftants, of adive and approved loyalty, dreading the immediate vengeance, of the rebels, waded up to their middle, to fmall boats, in which they were to be carried to fhips or floops; and the boatmen, in many inftances, exafted three or four guineas, for conveying them but one or two hundred yards.  Thofe whom

infirmity

* Plate III. 10.

f Matthew Murphy, and others, were tried by a court-martial the 31ft of March, 1800, for having tried to feduce the Donegal regiment at Wexford.

390 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

infirmity or the want of money precluded from the hope of efcaping by fea, abandoned themfelves to defpair, dreading the fate of the Ennifcorthy loyalifts.

Part of the garrifon marched out of the barrier rather irregularly, and with precipitation, about an hour before the main body, confiding of the following troops : The Scarawalfti infantry, commanded by captain Cornock; the Ennifcorthy, by captain Pounden; and fome lo)’aH{ls in coloured clothes. Part of the North Cork who were at the barrier, perceiving them, exclaimed, “ What! the yeomanry and loyalifts, who fought with us at Ennifcorthy, are retreating; and fome of the yeomen of this town have united with the rebels : We won’t ftay here to be facrificed on that they fuddenly joined them. Captain Snowe, of the North Cork, endeavoured to make them return; but finding that he could not influence them, thought it his duty to head them, not only to prevent them from committing outrages, but for their own prefervation, to keep them in a ftate of fubordination.

This party amounted to about two hundred, including the foldiers of the North Cork. The main body of the garrifon, confifting of the Donegal militia, part of the North Cork, and many corps of yeoman infantry and cavalry, followed in about an hour after, under the command of lieutenant-colonel Maxwell.

When the firft party had advanced about four miles, they were informed that a large body of rebels lay in wait for them, at a fmall village called Mayglafs,* in the barony of Forth, about two miles further on. They, therefore, by the advice of captain Cornock, took a circuitous road towards the fea, and avoided them, which was very fortunate, as they might have been overpowered by the fuperiority of their numbers.

Difappointed of their objeft, the greater part of the rebels difperfed; however, about five hundred of them, who remained in a ftrong pofition at Mayglafs, attempted to oppofe colonel Maxwell’s party, who routed and killed a good many of them.

About feven miles from Wexford, captain Snowe overtook Mr. John Colclough and his wife in a phaeton; and as he, from refiding in that country, and from being a rebel chieftain, had great influence there, the captain refolved to detain him as a hoftage, to prevent any attack

from

* Plate III. 8.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

39’

from being made on his detachment in their retreat. During their march, large bodies of rebels frequently appeared behind the hedges, ready to oppofe them; and whenever that happened, captain Snowe obliged Mr. Colclough to ftand up in his phaeton, as a token of amity; at other times, Mr, Colclough waved his hat in the air; on which the rebels difperfed, which evinced the great refpecl they bore him.

He had been liberated the day before at Wexford, and faid, he was going to his houfe at Ballyteigue, in the barony of Forth; though in fad, he was proceeding to join the rebels; yet, with fmgular diflimulation, he, (landing in his phaeton, drank the king’s health, and faid.

Captain Snowe, remember that I am a loyal fubject : I was committed on a charge grounded on the malicious information of a villain.”

Next day Mrs. Colclough triumphantly entered Wexford, which was in pofTeffion of the rebels, in her phaeton, adorned with green emblemso

They compelled Mr. Colclough to accompany them to the river Scar,* where the tide being full, which made it impaflable, they were under the neceffity of making a detour of at leaft ten miles.f

About fix miles from Duncannon fort, when it was extremely dark, they were attacked and fired on in the rear, by a body of rebel horfe, commanded by John Murphy, of Loughnageer, who afterwards headed the Rofsgarland corps of rebels, and was concerned in burning the barn at Scullabogue. The foldiers, after firing a few random fliots, were panick ftruck, and fled to Taylor’s-town bridge; on which having thronged in great numbers, they were very much expofed to a heavy fire from the rebels, who were polled in an adjacent furze brake on a hill.

Many perfons were killed on the bridge, and among them two women, one a foldier’s wife, the other a beautiful young girl, extremely well drelTed, who was the daughter of an Ennifcorthy loyalift, and had retreated with them from that town.

About fifty of the North Cork, and the yeomanry, were taken prifoners, and a good many were killed. James Neale, one of the band of mufick, his wife, and another woman, who became their prifoners, were perforated with pikes in a moft barbarous manner. After having ftripped them of the principal part of their clothes, their bodies were conveyed to a newly-ploughed field, and covered lightly with fods.

Neale’s

• Plate III. 8. 9.

t Thfy retreated by Bridgetown, BaWwinflown, and Dunarmuck, Plate III. 9.

392 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Neale’s wife, in whom life was not quite extinguilhed, recovered in the night, and removed the fods; and finding her hufband’s bloody fliirt and waiftcoat, ihe covered herfelf with thera, and crept to Tintern, from whence flie was fent on a car to Duncannon-fort, and from thence to Waterford, where fhe wa-s completely cured in the hofpital. Her legs, thighs and arms had many pike wounds; and her head was fwoUen and ulcerated with them.;

As captain Snowe’s party, attacked in a ftrange country, and during a dark night, were panick-ftruck and difperfed, he was left quite alone, and arrived at Duncannon-fort about feven in the morning, after having experienced various dangers and diftrelTes, and overcome with fatigue and hunger. Lieutenant-colonel Maxwell’s party retreated by Mayglafs, Bridgetown, Baldinftown, and Dunarmuck, and the pafs of the river Scar, at Barry’s-town; where, having been obftruded by the tide, they halted fome time to refrefh the troops; and thence to Duncannon-fort, by Foulkes’s mill. Thus the retreat of the garrifon of Wexford was in a great meafure performed, during a dark night, in a country whofe inhabitants were hoftile, and in a flate of infurredion; yet in the courfe of their march of eighteen hours, they had not received any nourifliment.

Before I proceed to give the reader a defcription of the entry of the rebels into the town of Wexford, of which they got poITeffion the thirtieth of May, and of the events which occurred there, I fhall endeavour to give him an idea of their different ftrong polls and encampments, an.d of the objects which they were defirous of attaining; and in this, their plans appear to have been fyftematick, and guided by pohcy and fore

Confident of fuccefs, from their recent vidories, and the numerous hordes aflembled on the mountain of Forth and Vinegar-hill; and as nmltitudes were hourly flocking to their ftandard, they divided their army into three divifions.*

One

^ She was far gone with child; yet fiie was delivered at the ufual time, and the child is living.

* The zeal and policy, with which the rebellion in the county of Wexford was condu(5led, arofe from a plan, which lord Edward Fitzgerald had formed, of landing there a few troops from France, with a number of good officers, and a large quantity of arms and aminuuition, in a few remarkably falt-failing frigates.

Report of the Secret Cpmmittee, Appendix, XVI. p. 136.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

393

One under the command of Bagenal Harvey, and father Philip Roche, of Poulpearfy, in the parilh of Killan, was to form a camp on Carrick’ byrne-hill,* for the purpofe of attacking the town of New Rofs. Another, under father Kearns, captain Doyle, and captain Redmond, nephew of father Redmond, parilh priefl of Ferns, marched to Vinegar-hill, from whence they were to proceed to take Newtown-barry.f The third, commanded by Anthony Perry of Inch, father Michael Murphy of Ballycano:, and father John Murphy of Boolavogue, was deftined to attack Gorey; and having taken it, to march to Dublin.

By taking Newtown-barry, they would completely command the riSrer Slaney, having previoufly gained Ennifcorthy and Wexford, fituated on it; befides the advantage of polTeffing the harbour of the latter.

Newtown-barry is in a defile furrounded with very high and fleep mountains; and, being on the principal road which leads to the counties of Carlow and Kildare, it would open a communication, and aiFord a perfeft co-operation with the rebels in thofe counties, and enable them to prevent the arrival of reinforcements, or the conveyance of ammunition to the king’s troops from that quarter. The acquifition of Old Rofs,]; would give them the command of a very fine navigable river, and open a commuaication with the county of Kilkenny rebels; befides, it is now well known, that moft of the difaffefted inhabitants of Munfter would have rifen in mafs, as foon as that town had fallen into their hands.

The towns of Gorey, ||Arklow,§ and Wicklow, were fo thinly garrifoned, that the leaders of the third column were confident of proceeding toDublin, without any material impediment. They knew alfo that immenfe numbers would flock to their ftandard in their progrefs; and that the rebels in the metropolis, (with whom they held a conftant communication) bold, numerous, well-armed, and organized, would rife on their approach.

Government having received intelligence of the intended attack on Newtown-barry, colonel L’Eftrange was fent to defend it on the thirtieth of May, with a detachment of the King’s-county militia, a few dragoons, and two battalion guns; the whole, including two corps of yeomen, one infantry, the other cavalry, amounting to about three hundred and fixty. As the inhabitants had been in conftant expeftation for fome days of an attack from the rebels encamped on Vinegar-hill, all the avenues to the town had been occupied by patroles, both day and

3 E night, •Plate III. 5.    t Plate II. j,     ] Plate VII. 5.    II Plate II. 4.    § Ibid, i.

394 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

night, to prevent a furprife. On the evening of the thirty-firfl: of May, they were fuddenly alarmed by the arrival of a young woman in the town, with the utmoft precipitation, and crying out, *’ Here they are! here they are!” She had been a prifoner to the rebels on Vinegar-hill, where fhe was fo unfortunate as to fee her two brothers put to death, with extreme torture. In the frenzy of grief, fhe, at the rifk of her life, feized and mounted a horfe, and was fo lucky as to make her efcape, though clofely purfued.

Next day, the firfl: of June, colonel L’Eflrange went out with a party of dragoons to reconnoitre, in the direction of Vinegar-hill. When he advanced about three miles, he perceived the rebels advancing in great force, and fo concealed by a thick wood, aiid large hedge-rows, that he fuddenly found himfelf in the midft of them. After exchanging a few ihots, he returned to the town, and made the bed difpofition he could for its defence. Soon after the enemy began to advance in two large columns, one at each fide of the river, and under cover of very thick woods, which are on high hills that furround the town. As they approached, they communicated with each other, by loud fhouts and yells, which ferved as fignals to announce the moment of attack.

About three o’clock, the rebels fired fomc round and fome cannifter fliot into the town, which obliged the out-pofts to retreat into it. As colonel L’Eflrange perceived a defign in the rebel column at the oppofite fide of the river to get on his rear, and to furround him; and as his fmall force would be infufficient to guard the different avenues leading to the town, after confulting with his officers, he refolved to abandon it, and to take pofTefTion of a rifing ground, which commanded it; and by doing fo, he flrengthened his force by its concentration.

The rebels, imagining that the king’s troops, intimidated by their numbers, had fled, rufhed into the town, and proceeded to plunder and burn it.. The yeomen, enraged at feeing their families and their property in fuch imminent danger, applied to captain Kerr, who commanded the yeomen cavalry, to lead them on; faying, that they would conquer 6r die.  He afked permifTion to do fo, and obtained it.

Affifled by lieutenant-colonel Weftenra, and major Marley, they imj, mediately advanced into the town, which was full of rebels, who ^^e^e plundering and burning it; and who would have completely dcmbU/hed

it.

4

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 395

it, but that a few loyal fubjefts, by keeping up a conftant fire from their houfes, retarded and checked their deftruftive progrefs. While the rebels were thus engaged, our troops attacked them with a heavy fire of grapejfHot and mufketry, which routed them fo completely, that they fled in every diredion; on which the cavalry charged, and killed great numbers of them; having purfued them about three miles on the Ennifcorthy road. Another large body of them, who took a different diredion, re-affembled on a hill over the town, but were charged and routed by the cavalry, who cut down great numbers of them in the fields adjacent to it. On that occafion the yeomen a£led with fingular valour. The number killed was about four hundred, and among them two priefts, who were drelTed in their veftments. This defeat was peculiarly mortifying to the rebels, from the great numbers which they had in the adion;

•for father Roche, the general, who commanded there, owned afterwards, when a prifoner at Wexford, that mofl: of the men encamped at Vinegar-hill were engaged in the attack on New town-bar ry.

Father Redmond, parifh-prieft of Ferns, led his parifhioners to that aftion, in which numbers of them were killed. He was tried for it, but acquitted, becaufe people were afraid to profecute; of which colonel St. Leger, prefident of the court martial, alTured me; and fome , perfons, who faw him at their head, informed me of it.

An immenfe body of rebels marched from the camp on the mountain of Forth, near Wexford, on the thirtieth of May, to alfifl thofe who were in the vicinity o£ Gorey,* in attacking it. They encamped the firft night at Oulart,t with an intent the next day to take poft in two divifions, one on Ballymore[| mountain; the other, on Ballymenane-hill;\ and after

, having formed a junftion, to have attacked that town. Captain White, of the Ballaghkeene cavalry, who commanded the garrifon of Gorey, having heard of their approach, marched out on the morning of the firft day of June, with twenty -five of the Antrim, twenty-fiv^ of the North Cork, twenty difmounted yeomen of the Gorey corps, and detachments of the Ballaghkeene, Gorey, and Camohn cavalry, and attacked the Ballymenane divifion, about three miles from Gorey, on the Ballycanoe

jroad.§  After fuftaining^the fire of the infantry for about a quarter of

3 E 2 an

• See Plate II. 4.   t Ibid. Ill, a.   8 Ibid. ,11. 6, 7.   \ Ibid. II. 5.   § Ibid, IT. 6,

596 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

an hour, they were broken and fled; on which the cavalry charged and killed about two hundred of them.

It was very fortunate, that the aflion took place before a junftion could be formed. As foon as it began, Fitzgerald, Perry, and Roche, rebel generals, who commanded the Ballymenane divifion, rode off to call up the other; but the deroute took place before it could arrive. On being difperfed, they joined the other party on Ballymore-hills, meditating an attack on Gorey.

On Whitfunday, a horfe patrole from Gorey took three rebels in arms in the adjacent country, and hanged them in the town. They owned in their laft moments, that they were incited by their prieft to enter into the rebellion.

Intelligence having been communicated to government, that the fame body of rebels, with a large reinforcement from Vinegar-hill, meditated another attack on Gorey, to oppofe them, general Loftus was ordered to proceed from Dublin to Rathdrum, in the county of Wicklow, the twenty-ninth of May, with two hundred of the Dunbarton fencible infantry, and fifty of the 5th dragoon guards, which detachment was commanded by lieutenant-colonel Scott, who, on the following day, cleared the woods of Donane and the Devil’s-glynn, of the banditti which had attacked Newtown-mount-kennedy the preceding day.

General Loftus, after having made fuch arrangements as the nature of the circumftances would admit, for the defence of Wicklow and Rathdrum, proceeded to Arklow, agreeably to fubfequent orders received from general Lake.

On the fecond of June, he was informed by letter from general Lake, that general Euftace and colonel Walpole would join him with fome troops for the purpofe of co-operating with him.

On the evening of the fecond of June, general Loftus, having been informed that colonel Walpole was actually arrived it Carnew,* fent an exprefs to him with orders to join him next morning at Gorey.

I think it right to inform the reader, that lieutenant-colonel Walpole was fent from Dublin with orders to join general Loftus with what troops he could procure from general Dundas at Naas, Kilcullen, and Baltinglafs; and that he marched vinlth eight hundred men obtained from

him,

* Plate ir. 4.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

397

film, with two fix-pounders and a howitzer, by BaUinglafs and Tinahely,* to Carnew. He was not vefted with any command, and received no other orders but to march the troops to Gorey, and to leave them under the command of general Loftus.

When colonel Seott’s detachment, confifting of two hundred fencible infantry, fifty dragoons, one hundred men drawn from the Antrim regiment, and two curricle guns, were moving from Arklow on the morning of the third of June, general Loftus received a letter from colonel Walpole, dating, that he thought Carnew a much better place to attack the rebels, polled on Ballymore-hill, from, than Gorey;; that he had reconnoitred them twice, and had got the befl: information of their defigns; that his force was able to beat the whole rebel army; and that therefore he would not move his troops from Carnew, but that he would himfelf meet general Loftus at Wicklow.

The general having confulted with colonel Scott and captain Ormfby, it was agreed, that he muft have meant Arklow. Colonel Scott therefore moved forward with his detachment towards Gorey; general Loftus having fent an exprefs to colonel Walpole to meet him at that town, leaving Arklow in charge of the yeomen.

General Loftus received a fecond letter from colonel Walpole, excufing himfelf for not coming, and faying, that he had received the beft information concerning the rebels, and had reconnoitred them himfelf; however, on the evening of the third of June, colonel Walpole arrived at Gorey, with part of his troops; for, notwithftanding the peremptory orders he had received to bring the whole of them, he left two companies of infantry at Carnew.

Colonel Walpole, though not vefted with any command, being too eager for fame, and defirous of enjoying the principal merit of any a£lion that might be achieved, was rather forward and decided in giving his opinion; and though the officers who were his fuperior, not only in rank and authority, but in knowledge and experience, did not implicitly yield to it, they paid fome deference to him, on account of his confidential fituation in the caftle of Dublin, and the opportunity it afforded him of acquiring the beft information. He faid, he had obtained orders to collea

♦ Plate II. I. i Ibid. 4.

MEMOIRS OF im DIFFERENT

le£l the troops which he had under his command, and to proceed to the county of Wexford, to co-operate with him, and general Euftace, who, he faid, was in the front of Gorey, towards We?Lford; but unfortunately for general Loftus, it happened that general Johnfon, finding himfclf in an alarming and critical fituation at Rofs, detained general Euftace there, for the purpofe of availing himfelf of his affiftance.

At their firfl interview, colonel Walpole faid, that he fuppofed general Loftus would attack the rebels next morning; and that he hoped he would afterwards march, or permit him to march, to Ennifcorthy; and after having taken that town, to proceed to Wexford.

In confequence of this extraordinary converfation, general Loftus took colonel Scott and captain Ormfby of the Wexford regiment afide, and •lamented to them, that fuch a man as colonel Walpole was fent to 2i&. with him, as he was known to polTefs the confidence of the lord lieutenant, but fliewed a downright unwillingnefs to obey general Loftus’s orders. It was then fettled, that colonel Walpole fliould not be permittcjd to march to Ennifcorthy, until they had received fome information itojp. general Euftace; but that, as colonel Walpole feemed fo decided ojn attacking the rebels on Ballymore-hill, from his knowledge of their pofition, he agreed, that they ftiould do fo in conjundlion next morryng, ‘provided it appeared feafible on reconnoitring them. ^

General Loftus then made the following arrangements for that purpofe:

•At nine o’clock on the morning of the fourth of June, lieutenant’ colonel Walpole was to march with the main body of the troops, two fix-pounders and a howitzer, towards Ballymore, by Clough-,* where he was to be joined by one hundred men whom he had left at Carnew, The , garrifon of that town were to take poft at Camolin,t, jhree miles from -Gorey, and to wait for further orders.

Lord Ancram’ was directed to march from Newtownbarry, fifteen miles -diftant from Gorey, with two hundred and fifty of the. King’s county I militia, and his own detachment of dragoons, and to take poft at Scarawallh-bridge, twelve miles from Gorey, thereto pbferve the-motions^^pf;-the enemy on Vinegar-hill; and if he received no ojders .l^efore fhe,^i^rwon, he was to meet .colonel Walpole at Ferns. ||

Lieutenant

» Plat« II. J. t Ibid.     T n Ibid. 6, 7.

1

REBELLIONS IN IREIAJJD. 599

Lieutenant-colonel Scott, with two hundred of the iDunbarton fencibles and fifty of the 5th dragoons, under the command «of general Loftus, moved towards Ballymore, by Ballycanew,* to the left of colonel Walpole, in a fouthern direftion. Thefe two roads diverge foon after you leave Gorey; and at the diftance of about five miles from that town, there is a communication between them by a crofs road running from eaft to weft, and not far from Ballymore, where the two detachments were to have united and to have reconnoitred the rebels.

Captain Mc. Manus, with one hundred of the Antrim militia regiment, was ported between Gorey and Ballycanew, near a crofs road which led to Clogh, to be ready to protect Gorey, or to fupport colonel Scott or colonel Walpole, as the occafion might require. Colonel Walpole was protedled on the left by the general himfelf, with colonel Scott and his party, a little more than a mile and a half diftant from him. On his right, within a mile and a half, he had upwards of one hundred light infantry ordered from Carnew, who were to wait his further orders. -General Loftus gave him twelve yeomen gentlem^, as guides, and todk “ten himfelf for the fame purpofe.

* General Loftus defired him to proceed with the utmoft caution, and ‘to let him know how he went on.  The two roads, on which general ‘ Loftus and colonel Walpole were to proceed, towards Ballymore, were nearly parallel, and there was a crofs road between them at Clogh, which afforded an eafy communication.

At a road to the right, leading to Camolin, fome rebels appeared at a diftance, on which fome of the officers, under the command of colonel “Walpole, fuggefted to him the propriety of forming, or of marching with advanced guards, and flankers; which advice he rejei^ied, and replied, that he was commanding officer. On advancing to the crofs roads near Clogh, fome more rebels appeared; and captain Duncan, of the artillery, having advanced about two hundred yards before the party, “ to have’ li good look out, returned, and informed colonel WalpoJe, that he had feen a man on horfeback with a gun. At the fame time there was an appearance of rebels in front, and to the right of the road leadinjg ‘to BallyniOTe-hilL

Had

* Plate II. 6.

400

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Had he any degree of prudence or military Tidll, he would have inftantly deployed, and formed, which he might eafily have done, as the adjacent fields were flat and fpacious; and having done fo, he fhould have communicated his fituation to general Loftus; and having been afked to do fo, by fome of his officers, he replied, by faying, that it fhould be colonel Walpole’s, and not general Loftus’s action.

On being repeatedly prefled to fend an exprefs to general Loftus, he exprelTed his fears that the rebels would efcape from him. Actuated wkh the vain glory of arrogating exclufively to himfelf the merit of defeating the rebels, he quitted this very advantageous pofition, and advanced to Tubberneering, a little beyond Clogh, where the road was deep and narrow, and the clay banks on each fide, with deep trenches, and bufhes on the top were very high. The adjacent fields which were fmall, with high and thick quick-fet hedges, had potatoes, corn, and uncut grafs in them, all which afforded ample means of concealment for the rebels, who were advancing towaxds Gorey; and on feeing at a diftance the king’s troops marching, formed an ambufcade at Tubberneering, to which place colonel Walpole advanced, in a mofl: irregular manner. The rebels, taking advantage of his difadvantageous fituation, fuddenly rofe from the adjacent hedges in which they were concealed, and directed a tremendous fire on the king’s troops, who were put in the ut. mofl confufion, as great numbers of them fell, without a pofTibility of forming for their defence.

Colonel Walpole, drefled in a full uniform, and mounted on a tall grey horfe, formed a confpicuous objedt for the rebels, and fell in the firfl onfet. The column was now actually furrounded, in a place, which from the height and number of its inclofures, was favourable for the irregular and defultory warfare of favages; at the fame time that it baffled the efforts of valour and difcipline.

An attempt was made by a detachment of the 4th dragoon-guards to turn the enemy’s right flank, but the clofeuefs of the country made this impracticable.

Colonel fir Watkin “Williams “Wynne, at the fame time,, advanced with the Ancient Britifh fencible cavalry, which he commanded, to the front of the infantry, and retook a gun which had fallen into the hands of the rebels; but the gunners having been killed or. forced to fly, and

the

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

the artillery horfes having gone off with the limber, he was obliged to abandon it to the enemy.

After having fuflained the attack for about three quarters of an hour, with confiderable difadvantage on the part of the king’s troops, and having loft their commander, and three pieces of artillery, which were immediately turned againft them, they began to retreat in great confufion,as might be expeded from raw and inexperienced troops.

The rebels having preffed hard on them, a general difmay imlantly took place, which would probably have been fatal to the whole of the column, had not lieutenant-colonel Cope, of the Antrim militia, been’ pofted at a fmall diftance, with a detachment of his own regiment, and rallied and formed them on the road, to impede the progrefs of the enemy. To this fmall band of brave men, under the command of that cool and gallant officer, the fafety of thofe who efcaped on that day is in a great meafure to be imputed.

The column retreated in the utmoft diforder to Gorey, colonel Cope difputing every inch of ground, and/ covering their retreat. When thev arrived there, moft of the windows were occupied by the rebels, who kept up a heavy fire, and killed many of them; however, they elfeded their paiTage through the town.

Colonel Cope found great difficulty in leading his men through it 5 for whenever the rebels fired at them from the windows, they imprudently rufhed into the houfes whence the fliots were fired, and obtained revenge by bayoneting the affaiiants.

Of his corps, amounting to one hundred and thirty, he loft between thirty and forty 5 and his horfe was wounded in fuch a manner as to be Tendered ufelefs.

Captain Stark of the Londonderry militia, captain Duncan of the artillery, and captain Armftrong of the King’s county militia were carried into Gorey very badly wounded; but were obliged to retreat to Wlcklow, on having their wounds dreffed, as the rebels were advancing into the town.

As colonel Walpole had made no communication of his fituation to general Loftus, he remained totally ignorant of it, till he heard a iknart firing on his right new Clogh; on which he fent an exprefs to

3 F captain

MEMOIRS OF THE I>IFFERENT

captain Mc. Marius, who had been conducted by Mr. Hunter Gowan, to go over by the crofs road to fupport colonel Walpolc; but the iffue of this unfortunate affair was decided fo quickly, that the main body of our troops having been routed before his arrival’, the captain and his detachment were furrounded and> taken prifoner^, after many .of them had been killed.

General Loftus, who was near the village of Ballycanew,* when he heard the firing, puflied forward with his detachment to Tubberneering; but on his arrival there, had the mortification of. feeing colonel Walpole and many of his foldiers lying dead and naked.

Sir Watldn William Wynne, having feen captain Mc. Manus, with a company of the Anti-im, advancing to fupport colonel Walpole, fent captain Wynne, with a troop of his regiment, to cover them; but the furprife was fo fudden, that his efforts proved ineffectual.

Captain Wynne, on his arrival at the town, after the retreating column had paffed through it, found that the enemy, who were purfuing them, had attained the entrance of it, and had aftually brought one of the guns which they had taken, to bear on the main ftreet. Thus captain Wynne, cut off from his corps, determined inftantly oi^ forcing his paffage by the town, and on cutting his way through the rebels who furrounded the gun; and he gallantly effefted it, but with the lofs of five yeomen killed, and a few men and horfes wounded.

Several bodies of people having been difcovered on the hills at the Arklow fide of Gorey, it was apprehended that frelh parties of rebels were aiTembliiig to oppofe the retreat of the column towards Arklow. Sir W. W. Wynne therefore preffed forward with the cavalry to difperfe them, but he fooji difcovered that they were the proteftant inhabitants of the town and its vicinity, who, in defpair, had abandoned their houfes and their property, well knowing that they would have fallen a prey to the cruel and fanguinary Ipirit of the rebels.

Above one thouiimd and feventy of them. fled on the fourth of June to Arklow, and next day to Wicklow, carrying their wives and children on above three. hundred cars, with whichtJiey formed booths or tents on the ftrand near that town, where, they, remained near a month, without any means of fubfiilenoe but what they . received froni charitable contributions.

Sir

* See plate II. 6.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 40-^

Sir Watkin having got the rear of his command clear 6f the town, txfed every efFqrt to induce the troops to halt and form; but the panick tv’as fo great, that all his efforts were fruitlefs, and they ruflied on precipitately, and in diforder, even to Arklow. In thefe circumftances, a council of war was held, and it was determined (probably judicioufly) but certainly much contrary to the feelings and incHnations of the yeomanry, to retreat to Wicklow, as their houfes and families were expofed to deftruftion by this meafure, which however was effected in the courfe of the following night. The town of Arklow fuffered much iefs than might have been expeded during an interval of thirty-fix hours, betv/een the evacuation of it by the retreating army, and the arrival of major-general Needham there, on Wednefday the fixth of June. The main body of the rebels had not approached it; and but a few petty depredations were committed by fome home infurgents, who, after having plundered fome houfes, went off to their affociates at Gorey.

The fecurity of Arklow is to be imputed to the wife precaution of the officers commanding the army which retreated to Wicklow; who carried with them, as hoftages, a great number of its principal difaffeded inhabitants, and whofe lives would have anfwered for any wanton ad of liiifchief or barbarity committed by the others.

The defeat of colonel Walpole left general Loftus with but two hundred and fifty men, in a moft alarming fituation, and it required not only addrefs, but the moll: prompt and vigorous exertion to extricate himfelf; for, it has been fmce difcovered, that the rebel army at Vinegar-hill had formed a junction with that which was polled on Bally more, making in the whole above twenty thoufand men, for the purpofe of taldng Gorey; and this plan was conneded with their main objeft of attacking the metropolis, which they endeavoured to accomplifh five days after.

The general advanced within three quarters of a mile of Gorey, which he found to be in poffeffion of the rebels. He had then no other refource to fave his fmall detachment, but to force his way through that town, or to form a’jundion with’ lord Ancram. Large bodies of rebels were feen in motion on the adjacent hills, jufl over their heads; and who often fired on them, not only with the guns which they had taken, but with their fmall arms. In this critical Hate, any, even the fmalleft delay, would have been attended with the lofs of the detachment. He

3 F 2 made

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

made his men advance rapidly without returning the enemy’s fire, and confidered himfelf as very fortunate in having the affillance of fo able and judicious an officer as colonel Scott. He, general Loftus, and captain Corry, having examined the pofition of the rebels, found that their numbers v/ere immenfe; that the hedge-rows, leading to Gorey, were lined with them; and that all the adjacent hills were occupied by confiderable numbers, who fired on them with the two fix-pounders and the howitzer taken from colonel Walpole,

The general, therefore, prudently rcfolved to join lord Ancram, at Carn?w,§ which could not be effeded but by marching round the enemy’s right, and by croffing Slievebuoy* mountain. Lieutenant-colonel Scott moved off on the Camolinf road, while the general remained with the fifty dragoons, to watch the motions of the enemy; and captain Corry, who commanded them, endeavoured to engage the attention of the enemy, and to make them believe that he was moving towards Gorey, by the crofs road leading to the Ballycanew road; and had not captain Corry made this feint, lieutenant-colonel Scott could not have marched unmolefted to form a jundlion with lord Ancram, which was effeded near Slievebuoy mountain, and by perfevering in not waiting to return the enemy’s fire.  Carnew was occupied early next morning.

The difficulty of conveying the guns and the tumbrils over that mountain was very great, and could not have been effeded, as there was no road for a four-wheej carriage, but for the advice of Mr. Brownrigg of Barndown, who had a perfed knowledge of the country. Thus this fmall body fairly marched round twenty thoufand rebels; and by the good countenance which they kept, and by preferving their fire, though conftantly fired at, they efcaped without any injury. At midnight general Loftus reached Carnew, where he learned that the light infantry ordered to Camolin to ad with colonel Walpole, had, upon his defeat, retreated to Newtownbarry, and that general Euftace was detained at Rofs to fupport general Johnfon. Thus he had only the additional fupport of lord Ancram’s party; viz. two hundred and fifty men of the King’s county regiment, and eighty Mid Lothian dragoons; but upon lord Ancram’s report, that a detachment of the Meath and Donegal regiments had arrived at Newtown,

barry

§ Plate 11, 4.

• Sec Plate I. 5.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 405

barry the day before, efcorting ammunition from general Johnfon, he ordered that detachment to join him; by which he was enabled to fend detachments for the defence of Arklow and Hacketftown; and the important poll of Newtownbarry was well defended.

Had the rebel army taken advantage of their vidory, and proceeded to Arklow and Wicklow, thofe towns mull have fallen into their hands, and they would probably have marched to, and attacked the metropolis; but, incited by the hope of plundering Gorey and its vicinity, they continued for five days to commit every excefs and enormity, that the love of rapine and favage cruelty could infpire. The proteftant church, which was the firfl; objed of their fanatical rage, they completely difmantled. They pillaged and deflroyed the houfes of all the proteftants, and murdered many of their inmates, who could not make their efcape. They aifo plundered and demoliflied the town of Carnew; having harboured infatiable r-evenge againfl: its inhabitants, for the vidory which they obtained over them on the twenty-feventh of May.*

A drummer of the name of Hunter, of the Antrim regiment, of the age of twelve years, fell into the hands of the rebels, in the unfortunate affair in which colonel Walpole loft his life. He carried his drum with him, and when he was conduced to the town of Gorey ,with fome other prifoners, they defired him to beat it, having intended to make him ferve them as a drummer; when he, aduated by a fpirit of enthufiaftick loyalty, exclaimed, “ That the king’s drum fhould never be beaten for rebels and at the fame infant, he leaped on the drum, and broke through both its heads. The inhuman villains, whofe relentlefs hearts were not fufceptible of thofe refined fentiments, which would have excited a generous admiration of fo heroick an a£t even in an enemy, inftantly perforated his body with .pikes.

In this action, a prieft attacked captain Duncan of the Royal Irifli artillery, and wounded him with a piftol ball, as he was mounting his horfe; but his temerity was foon puniftied, for the captain drew a piftol from his holfter and laid him proftrate.

The following anecdote of the Royal Irifli artillery, whofe valour has been confpicuous on all occafions, deferves to be recorded : During the ronfufion and difmay which took place among the troopr, when they were furprifed in the road at Tubberneering, the gunners of the artillery, with

the

* They plundered and burned Ramfort and Clonaltin, the two elegant feats of the Meflrs. Ram.

4o6 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

the mofl deliberate coolnefs levelled one of the hedges of the road, dragged the cannon into the adjacent field, and fired many fliots at a numerous body of rebels, who were ported on a high rock, from whence, with their mufketry, they had killed many of our foldiers. They drove the rebels frorn that advantageous pofition, after having killed a great number of them, which contributed materially to prevent the complete deflrudion of the army.

I fhall refer the reader to the aflidavits of Andrew Shcppard, George Taylor and Blakely Ormfby, Appendix, No. XX. i, 2, 3, for an account of the brutal treatment which they gave their proteftant prifoners in the town of Gorey. They murdered many perfons of that perfuafion in the adjacent country. The following occurrence happened there : A proteftant tenant of Mr. Stephen Ram, of the name of Poole, who bears an uncommon good chara£l;er, fled from his houfe near Gorey when the rebels got pofleffion of it; fome of his popifh acquaintances perfuaded him to return, as perfons of his . religious faith were not molefted; but on doing fo, he found that they meant only to lead him into danger, by putting, him in the power of the Romanifts. He was advifed to repair to the rebel camp at Gorey, and to procure a pafs there; but he could not obtain it. He was then advifed to go to father Francis Kavenagh, a prieft, who had fupreme power at Gorey, and had a guard of pikemen at his door, to prevent more than one perfon at a time from entering it. On addreffing him for a protedlion, he faid, “ After ferving the devil all your life, you come to me for a proteftion,” meaning that he had been all his life of the proteftant perfuafion. However, he gave him a protection; but in this he afted with diflimulation, as it was not meant to protefl him; for he was arrefted and iniprifoned, arid narrowly efcaped with his life. This prieft was the oldeft, the beft beneficed, and reputed one of the moft refpedable priefts in the diocefe. By his apparent candour and liberality he had infinuated himfelf into the efteem and good opinion of the nobility and proteftant gentry of the country, whofe houfes he reforted to conftantly, and was well received there; and yet his conduct was fo exceptionable, that general Necdham* would have had him tried by a court-martial, and he probably would have ftiared the fate of his coadjutor, father Hedmond who was hanged; but that fome refpeftable perfons, in confide

ration

• 1 heard this fiom the geicral and many pcrfofis prcfent.

A MAP

Scale of    Inch ti> a. Mil*

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

ration of his age, and led by their partiality for him, perfuaded the general to difcharge him.  This old hypocrite was very adive in the rebel camps.

Being unwilling to break the thread of my narration of the events which took place at Wexford, during three weeks that the rebels were in poffcffion of it, before I enter upon that fubjeft, I will finifh the relation of many other tranfadions which happened during that period.

I mentioned before that an immenfe body of rebels had encamped on Carrickbyrne-hill,* for the purpofe of taking pofTeflion of Rofs, which is fix miles diflant from it.

BATTLE OF ROSS.

Rofs t is a corporate, a port, and a borough town, which returned two members to parliament. It is fituated on a large river, formed by the junftion of the Nore and Barrow,J which unite about one mile above it, and meeting the river Suir at Dunbrody, runs in a fouth-ead direction by Paflage, and difcharges itfelf into the fea at Hook-tov.’cr, from which it is about twenty-five miles diflant. The navigation to it is very good, and vefTels of near four hundred tons burden can lie clofe to the quay; for which reafon it was a place of confiderable trade, fo early as the reign of Henry V. and large quantities of corn and provifions are now annually exported from it. It obtained charters from Henry IV. Richard 11. Henry V. and VI. James I. and IL

It was formerly a place of great flrength, being furrounded with high walls, with towers and baflions, of which there are confiderable remains: However, it made but little refiflance to Cromwell; though it was defended by lord Taalfe, an able general, who had a numerous garrifon in it. It had many religious houfes, of which therq are fome remains. The whole of the town, except Friary-flreet, South-flreet, North-flreet, the quays, and the fpace between thera and the river, is on a very fleep defcent. It is ten miles from Waterford, nineteen from Wexford, and fixteen from Ennifcorthy.

In confequence of the encampment at Carrickbyrne, the Donegal, Clare, and Meath regiments of militia, detachments of the Englifh artillery, the 5th dragoons, and Mid Lothian fencibles, marched into Rofs.; and on the fourth of June, the county of Dublin regiment afforded a

yerv

* See Plate IK. 5. t Ibid. t Plate 11. j.

4o8

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

very feafonable reinforcement to the garrifon, as the rebels on that evening, with dreadful yells, moved from Carrickbyrne to Corbethill, an emi’ nence about a mile and a half from the town, and from which there is a gradual and uninterrupted defcent, after having driven in our out-poft^ which had been ftationed on Lacken-hill.

A perfon, who was forced to attend them in their march, informed me, that they moved by parifhes and baronies, each having a particular ftandard; and that in their way they ftopped at a chapel, where mafs was faid at the head of each column, by priefts who fprinkled an abundance of holy water on them.

The garrifon, confifling of about twelve hundred efFedive men, and about one hundred and fifty yeomen, under the command of general Johnfon, continued on their arms all night. The infantry and artillery were moftly in a line outfide the walls of the town, to the eaft and fouth fide of it; the cavalry on the quay, the yeomen infantry on the bridge.

About four o’clock, one of the centinels at an out-pofl fhot a man who was galloping towards him with a white handkerchief, which he waved in the air as a flag of truce. On examining him, it appeared that his name was Furlong, and that he was fent by Bagenal Harvey, the rebel general, to propofe to general Johnfon to furrender the town to him, as the following fummons was found in his pocket : “ Sir,

“ As a friend to humanity, I requeft you will furrender the town of Rofs to the Wexford forces, now alTembled againft that town; )’our reliftance will but provoke rapine and plunder, to the ruin of the moft innocent. Flufhed with vidory, the Wexford forces, now innumerable and irrefiftible, will not be controled, if they meet with refiftance; To prevent, therefore, the total ruin of all property in the town, I urge you to a fpeedy furrender, which you will be forced to in a few hours, with lofs and bloodfhed, as you are furrounded on all fides. Your anlwer is required in four hours. Mr. Furlong carries this letter, and will bring the anfwer.

Camp at Corbethill, I am, Sir,

half pad three o’clock morning, B. B. HARVEY,

June 5th, 1798. General commanding, kc. &c. &c.”

I give the reader a copy of Bagenal Harvey’s appointment as commander ia chief) which fortunately fell into my hands :

“ At

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

“ At a meeting cf the commanders of the united army held at Carrickbyme camp, on the firft of June, 1798, it was unanimoufly agieedj that Beauchamp Bagenal Harvey fliould be appointed and elefted commander in chief of the united army of the county of Wexford, from and after the firft day of June, 1798.

Signed by order of the different commanding officers of the camp,

NICHOLAS GRAY, fccretary.” “ It was Hkewife agreed, that Edward Roche, (hould from and after the firft day of June inftant, be eleded, and is hereby defied a general officer of the united army of the county of Wexford.

Signed by the above authority,

N. GRAY,”

About five o’clock in the morning, not lefs than thirty thoufand of the rebels approached the town, fome in columns, others in intermediate lines, with terrifick yells, having four pieces of cannon, befides fwivels.

A great number of pfiefts, with their veftments on, and crucifixes in their hands, by moving through the ranks, and animating them by their harangues, kindled a. degree of enthufiaftick ardour in them, which nothing but fanaticifm could infpire.

They moved with flow but irrefiftible progrefs, like an immenfe body of lava, which iffuing from the bowels of Vefuvius, fpreads defolation over the plains of Calabria, and from which man alone can efcape, and that by flight only.

It is fuppofed that one-fourth of tb^em had mufkets, the remainder were armed with pikes. Their fuperior force foon made our advanced guard retire to the main body, and they took poffeffion of our alarm pofts. The ftruggle there became ferious, and matters wore a very unfavourable afpedt, particularly at the Three-bulkt gate, which poft was at laft forced by an immenfe column of rebels, who, regardlefs of danger from fanaticifm an<l ebriety, made a moft formidable attack, and carried one of our guns, which they immediately turned againft us.

In the firft onfet which they made at the Three-bullet* gate, they were repulfed; on which general Johnfon ordered captain Irwine to advance and charge them with a detachment of the 5th dragoons, in a field

3 G where

•See Plate VII. 5.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

where they feemed doubtful whether to advance or make good their retreat. Seeing the cavah-y advance brifkly on them, they fled precipitately, leaped over fome very high ditches, and fired from behind them on the dragoons, who had approached very clofe to them, and attempted to leap over them, but in vain. The very fame circumftances happened in two other fields where they charged. They loft in the courfe of thefe charges cornet Dodwell, one ferjeant, one corporal, twenty-four privates, and twenty-fix horfes. The gallant general Johnfon was in each field where thefe charges were made.

When captain Irwine was approaching the Three-bullet gate from the ‘aft field, a twelve-pounder pofted there was fired, and killed his horfe, which fell on his leg, and prevented him from moving, at the fame time that our troops in that quarter had retired within the gate, and were retreating towards the bridge, and the rebels had advanced within a few yards of him, and would have killed him, but that they were engaged in taking poffeflion of the gun. In that critical moment an artillery horfe happened to pafs by, and fo near him, that he laid hold of one of the traces, and was dragged into the town, by which his life was faved.

The rebels, in great numbers, having entered the town in that point, part of them were engaged in fetting fire to the houfes, in which fome of the popifti inhabitants affifted them, whilft others puftied for the bridge.

General Johnfon perceiving this, planted guns at the feveral crofs lanes, leading from Church-lane* and Nevill-ftreet, and one at the old market place, §, to which for fome time he attached himfelf. By thefe the rebels were repulfed with great llaughter. Such was their enthufiafm, that though whole ranks of them were feen to fall, they were fucceeded by others, who feemed to court the fate of their companions, by rufhing on our troops with renovated ardour.

One rebel, emboldened by fanaticifm and drunkennefs, advanced before his comrades, feized a gun, crammed his hat and wig into it, and cried out, “ Come on, boys! her mouth is ftopped.” At that inftant the gunner laid the match to the gun, and blew the unfortunate favage to atoms. This fad has been verified by the affidavit of a perfon who faw it from a window.

The

* Plate VII. 5.

S Ibid.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 411

The main body of our troops, overpowered and terrified by the immenfe body of rebels who entered the town at the Three-bullet gate, fled over the bridge to the Kilkenny or Rofbergen fide of the river, and the enemy being in polTeflion of the greater part of it,* (except where they were checked by one gun at the old market-place, and two more fupported by ferjeant Hamilton, at the main guard, which flood at the crofs formed by the jundtion of Mary-ftreet, Quay-ilreet, North and Southftreets) proceeded to plunder and burn. The gallant general Johnfon (whofe ardour and aftivity could be equalled by nothing but his cool prefence of mind,) feeing them in that fituation, followed our troops to the Kilkenny fide of the river, rallied and brought them back to their refpedive ports, by which the rebels within the town were completely fubdued. He often exclaimed to the fugitives whom he rallied, Will you defert your general?” without any effect; but when he added, “ And your countryman?” they gave three cheers, and followed him. Having fucceeded in rallying the fugitives, he rode before them to a part of our troops^ who, much to their honour, had kept their port: near the Three-bullet gate, and informed them that a reinforcement of frefli troops had arrived from Waterford, which delufion produced a very good effedl in animating them; however, he reinforced them with fome of thofe whom he had rallied, as there was a rebel column oppofite to them, which feemed, by its advancing towards them, determined to make one defperate effort. At this moment the fortune of the day hung in a balance; but it was foon turned by ihz fteady fire of our troops, who repulfed the rebels with great flaughter.

Then, by turning the rear of the rebels who had entered the town at the Three-bullet gate end of it, not one of them efcaped; and by manning the ditches outfide, he prevented them from receiving a reinforcement.

From the arts of fedudion praftifed on the Clare regiment, while at Waterford, where it had been quartered fome months, the rebels being fure of their afTiflance, frequently exclaimed during the adion, “ Clare regiment, don’t fire on your religion!’* Prudence would not admit, that a handful of men, almofl exhaufled by hunger and fatigue, fhould purfue an enemy fo fuperior in number to a confiderable diftance. The utmofl extent of the purfuit, and that only by a fmall part of the army, was to a ravin under Corbet-hill, and Roffiter’s flores; from whence general Johnfon perceived

3 G 2 them

It was ably fcrved and defended by captain Bloomfield.

412

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERED

them retiring, every man making the bed of his way to Carrickbyrne.* The enemy left dead two thoufand fix hundred, befides numbers whom they carried off on cars. The lofs of the king’s troops was one colonel, one enfign, four ferjeants, three drummers, eighty-one rank and file, and fiftyfour horfes killed one captain, one drummer, fifty-four rank and file, and five horfes wounded; one captain, three Ueutenants, one enfign, two ferjeants, two corporals, feventy-two rank and file, and four horfes miffing. Lord Mountjoy, colonel of the Dublin regiment, who fell in the firft onfet, at the Three-bullet gate, was univerfally lamented, as his publick and private virtues made him an objeft of general efteem. He was poffelfed of high mental endowments, being an elegant fcholar an<l a good publick fpeaker. He had the gentleft manners, and the mildeft afteftions, warm and fincere in friendfhip, and fo benevolent and humane, that he never harboured revenge.

Great great part of the rebels after the aftion encamped on Slievehilta,t a deep and high mountain, about four miles from Rofs, where they remained, regularly anfwering our morning gun; and thence they went to Lacken-hill,+ where they continued, till they were diflodged by general Johnfon, when he marched to Vinegar-hill.

It is probable that the whole province of Munfter would have been defolated as much as the county of Wexford, if the valour and aftivity of general Johnfon had not preferved Rofs; for it has been difcovered, that the inhabitants of moft parts of that province were to have rifen by a preconcerted plan, if that town had fallen into the hands of the rebels; and it v/as proved, that meifengers were on the point of being fent from Waterford by the treafurers of the united Irifiimen, to fummon the people of the South to rife. General Johnfon was feen in every part of the battle, giving orders and animating the troops. It is aftonifliing how he efcapedi, as he was often in the mod perilous fituations, and had two horfes Ihot under him. He received very material affiftance from general Euftace, whofe valour and adivity were very confpicuous during the ad:ion.||

About

• Plate Nil. 6. , f Plate VII. 7, ^ Ibid. 5. ...

II I cannot pafa unnoticed the valour and loyalty of Michael M’Cormick, on that day. . U« had been formerly a quarter-m.ifter of dragoons, and having retired, was in the mercantile line at Rofs. Confpicuous by his huge ftatur^ and a brafs helmet, he was conftantly feen in the W4rmeft part of the adion, animating the troops, and rendered the nioft eflential fervict to general Johnfon.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

About ten o’clock in the morning of the fifth of June, the Rofcommon regiment, in two divifions, one led by the honourable colonel King, marched from Waterford, to reinforce the garvifon of Rofs, which is ten miles diftant from it. When the firft had advanced about two miles on their march, they were met by fome of the fugitive foldiers from that town, who informed the colonel, that our troops, overpowered by numbers, and exhaufhed by fatigue, had been beaten with great flaughter, that they had fled to Thomailown, and that the town of Rofs had been burnt. However the colonel, determined to do his duty, marched to a high hill over a deep defile called Glynmore,* in a ftraight line about two miles and a half from Rofs; whence, with the affiftance of a good glafs, he faw a fmoke ilfuing from the town, but could not difcern any troops in it; from which he concluded that his intelligence liad been well founded. He, therefore, thought it prudent to retreat, and the many important confequences which flowed from his determination, (though cenfured at the time,) ftrongly prove the vanity of human wifhes, and how great and infcrutable are the mercy and wifdom of Providence!

The enemy, when repulfed, retired at firft to Corbet-hill, whence they faw the Rofcommon regiment; and as they were ignorant of their retreat, and as the diftance, obfcuring the difcernment of the rebels, had magnified their number, they imagined that our troops had received a large reinforcement, which deterred them from renewing the attack that evening as intended; and it is to be feared, that it would have been fatal to the garrifon, who were overcome with hunger and fatigue, and many of them had funk into a ftate of ebriety and fomnolency.

It was alfo very fortunate that the Rofcommon regiment returned to Waterford that night, as the rebels, who were numerous, and weU oi^anized there, meditated an infurreftion, imagining that Rofs had been taken. \

Next day, colonel King marched with his regiment to Rofs, with two battalion guns and a piece of flying artillery. He found the people of the county of Kilkenny in a ftate of general infurre^itiono

See Plate V:i. 6.

WheK

414

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

When he approached Glynmore,* a deep valley, with a river which Is crofled by a bridge, he perceived great numbers of people on all the adjacent hills who fired fignal guns. The rebels had made the bridge impaflable, by breaking down one of the arches; but the colonel foon made it paflable, by laying beams and planks on it. He fent before him his grenadier company, with a piece of artillery, who, with a few difcharges of it, difperfed a body of rebels pofted on the oppofite hill, who meant to difpute his paflage.

That body had taken the preceding day twenty-five foldiers, and captain Dillon of the Dublin regiment, who had fled from Rofs; and on the firft difcharge of the artillery, they maflacred fifteen of the foldiers, and captain Dillon, whofe head they converted into a foot-ball.

OneGaffney, the leader of thefe affaflins, was taken and hanged next day at Rofs.

It has been difcovered that the Kilkenny rebels were to have co-operated with thofe who attacked Rofs; but that they miftook the day, which was very fortunate; for they would have cut oflf a great part of the garrifon of that town, when they fled over the bridge, overcome with hunger and fatigue.

The following barbarous murder was committed at the Roar,§ in the county of Kilkenny, about four miles from Rofs, the day before the battle. Mr. Bartholomew Clifte, Mr. Richard Annefley, and Mr. Richard Elliott, being unable from bad health, and the delicacy of their conftitution, to aflift in the defence of that town, retired to the Roar on a car, which was fent for them by a tenant of Mr. Elliott, who was his fofter brother, and to whom he had been Angularly kind.

When they had arrived at the church of that village, three ruffians attacked them with pikes, and continued for fome time to torture them, vintil thsy were dead, in the midft of a number of fpeftators, who unmoved, and with indifference, beheld this barbarous fpedacle.

Mr. Clifie, who was univerfally loved and efteem,ed for the mildnefs of his manners and the benevolence of his difpofition, was thrown into the gripe of a ditch, mangled and covered with wounds, where they meant to bury him.  He had ftrength enough to raife himfelf a little,

and

• Plate VII. 6. 5 Ibidr 3, 4.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

4»5

and to cry out for mercy; when favage woman, a difgrace to her own fex and to human nature, gave him a violent blow of a large flone in the breaft, and put a period to his exiflcnce.

Mr. Elliott called out to his tenant, who had ever experienced the moft ftriking inftances of his regard, and faid, “ Sure, Ned, you won’t fee me murdered?” but the unfeeling favage replied, “ No;” and turned his back to him, while the ruffians continued to torture him. Mr. Elliott’s tenant was a man of fuch influence there, that he could have eafily prevented thefe barbarous murders.

The man who led the car to the Roar, and was eye-witnefs of thefe fhocking enormities, fubftantiated them by affidavit. It muft give the reader pleafure to learn, that Mr. Elliott’s tenant, and two moie of the aflaffins were foon after fhot; and that the third has fallen a vidim to the vengeance of the law. The inhabitants of the Roar and its vicinity were remarkable for their difaffeclion and rebellious fpirit, for which they were feverely punilhed.

I fhall now relate fome of the incidents which occurred in the courfe of this very extraordinary aftion, which lafted from five in the morning till three in the evening. The main body of the rebels entered the town by the Three-bullet gate, and many alfo by the priory or fouth-gate, where one of the field pieces, that the rebels had taken fome days before near the mountain of Forth, was retaken by the king’s troops; but this took place after they were driven out of the town. They burnt all the thatched houfes, and many of the flated ones in Neville-ftreet, which runs in a dired hne from the Three-bullet gate; every thatched and fome flated houfes in Michael-ft:reet and Mill-lane, which are at right angles with Neville-ftreet; all the houfes in the upper part of Mary-ftreet, which crofles the end of Neville-ftreet; all the houfes in Church-lane and the Chapel-lane, both which communicated with Mary-ftreet. On the whole, the number of houfes fuppofed to be burnt amounted to two hundred and eighty-fix.

There was very great deftruclion of the favages in Chapel-lane, where they lay in heaps. They had poffeffion of it, and of the upper part of Mary-ftreet, for a confiderable time.

A numerous body of them, fuppofed to amount to five hundred, went down a great part of Mary-ftreet, v/hich is on a declivity, to attack the

main

MEMOIRS OF TtlE DIFFERENT

main guard, ably defended by ferjeant Hamilton of the Donegal, and fixteen men only, with two fliip guns, which were very badly mounted, and yet they were ferved with fuch eifett as to occafion a prodigious flaiighter. He had a large quantity of ammunition under his protedion, and as he remained almoft entirely unfupported, when the troops were driven over the bridge, an officer, from an idea that he mufl be overpowered, recommended to him to remove it to the Rofsbergen fide of the water; but he rephed, “ That he never would quit the fpot whilfl he had Hfe.” He made lanes through the body of five or fix hundred with difcharges of grape fliot, and completely repulfed them. This was the laft great effort which they made to overpower him.

Parties of from twenty to thirty made different attacks on him, but they were always knocked down by the Dowfeley family. William Dowfeley, his brother Samuel, both very old, two of his fons, and three other men, took poll in the houfe of the former, which is in Maryjlreet, oppofite to a lane called Bakehoufe-lane, and near the main guard, at the lower end of Mary-flreet. As the favages were perfedly fecure in that lane from the guns of ferjeant Hamilton, they made many attempts to colled there in great numbers, for the purpofe of furprifing and ftorming his poft; but Dowfeley’s party plyed them fo well with conftant vollies, and were fo near them, that every fliot took place, and they killed no lefs than fixty in one fpot. They had an old foldier with them, who charged for them with great celerity, and put in each cartridge one large and four fmall balls. The lane was filled up with the dead.

A party of rebels got into a very good flated houfe at the upper end of Mary-ftreet, which the foldiers having fet fire to, the favages were roafted alive; and when their bodies were brought forth, prefented a moll hideous and difgufting fpedtacle. /

Half the houfes in the Crofs-lane, and almoft every one in the Friaryftreet were confumed. Three of them were recently built and were very commodious.

Great numbers of the favages were killed outfiae the town, between the Three-bullet gate and the Bunnion gate, which lies at the upper end of it.

Mr,

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

417

Mr. Tottenham, the proprietor of Rofs, employed fix carts and a great many men for two entire days, in colledting the bodies of the flain. Mod of thofe found in the town were thrown into the river, and were carried off with the tide. The remainder were thrown into a foffe outfide the town wall, and were buried there.

The main body that entered at the I’hree-bullet gate, and contiguous to it, having divided, fome wtkit down the Crofs-lane, others down Michael-flreet, and others down Neville-ftreet and Mary-flreet, fetting fire to the houfes in their progrefs. , Another body burned half of Irifhtown,* which was near half a mile long; both fides having been burnt as far as they went. But there were not many employed in that fervice, as a party of foldiers that were “ ftationed at the end of a lane called Bpreenaflane, that communicates direftly with Irifhtown from Corbethill, killed a great number in the lane, and prevented them from getting into Iriftitown in any confiderable force. Major Vandeleur, of the Clare, was of very great fervice there.

The rebels brought one of the fieldpieces, which they had taken at the mountain of Forth, as far into South-ftreet as major Cliffe’s houfe, and one of the artillery men, taken at the fame time, was tied to it for the purpofe of ferving it. A fellow of the name of Forreftal, made him difcharge it, once with gra})e, and twice with round-fhot, at the main guard. The poor artillery man, whofe loyalty was unabated, elevated the gun in fuch a manner as not to do execution; for with the lafl fliot he knocked off the quoin of a houfe, (but almoft clofe to the eves,) oppofite to the court-houfe, where the main guard was ftationed. The poor fellow boafted of what a fine fhot he had made; but Forreftal drew out a piftol, and fhot him through the head, faying, “ That is a much better ffiot.”

This was related by two perfons who were in a window over where the tranfadion happened. Forreftal was convifted of having committed fourteen murders, for which he was hanged. The two loyalifts, who were witneffes of this tranfaftion, had but one piftol, and but one charge for it, which one of them would have fired at Forreftal, but that the other prevented him; for if he had not fucceeded in killing him, he ‘‘“^”^ 3 H would

• Plate VII. 3.

41 8 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

would have demoliflied his houfe with the cannon in a few feconda. It is very fingular that the rebels never ventured to fend a force round’ to penetrate at the North gate* end of the town, where they muft have fucceeded, as the main body of our troops were employed in defending it in the oppofite diredtion.

The following curious incident occurred in the town of Rofs : When the rebels entered the town, they dragged a man of the name of Dowfely, a proteftant, from his houfe, and his next door neighbour, a Roman catholick, denouaced him as fuch, for the purpofe of having him affaflinated; on which the rebels gave him three ftabs of a pike. A woman of the name of Catherine Whelan, a Romanift, his neighbour, and as, he thought, his friend, clapped her hands with joy on feeing the rebels enter the town, and welcomed the boys (as fhc called them) to Rofs, and faid, “ They fhould kill Dowfely, as he was a proteflant.’* They had at that time left him, as he had faid that he was a Romanift; but on her faying the contrary, they returned to him while lying on the ground on his fide, and having turned him on his back, defired him to blefs himfelf, and on not doing it right, they ftabbed him again, which was occafioned by her malevolent obfervation; on the whole, he received iixteen pike wounds. A woman of the name of Mary Foley, faw the rebels approach him again, take him up by the hair of the head, and afk him to fay fome popifh prayers; fhe then humanely whifpered fome of them into his ear, which he repeated, on v/hich the rebels pardoned and left him. A young man of the name of Richards, who faw this barbarous tranfa£llon, carried Dowfely into his houfe, and he afterwards recovered by medical afliftance. All thefe circumftances were proved by the concurrent teftimony of Dowfely, Mary Foley and Richards, before a courtmariia], held at Rofs the eleventh of Auguft, 1798, by order of lieutenant-general Hulfe, for the trial of Catherine Whelan^ who was call for tranfportation.

A gang of affaffias, armed with pikes, and headed by Richard Long, was fent in queft of proteftants the firft of June, 1798, from Carrickbyrne camp; and they feized Francis Plunket and his fifteri both proteftants, between Robinftown and Palace, and conveyed them to the camp.

Long

* Sfc plate VII. 6,

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

Long ftationed a great number of male and female rebels on the road leading to Rofs, with orders to intercept any proteftants that they might find going there, as numbers of that perfuafion fought an afylum in it from rebel vengeance. Plunket’s fi’fler ‘befought the rebels in the camp to permit her to go home to her children; but they refafed, having faid* &ie was taken there to fuifer death. Long alTigned as a Tcafon, why he was fo adbive againft him and his fifter, that he was an oramgeman’s ferv^t, and his fifter was an orangewoman. Long’s brother defired Francis Plunket to deny that he was related to his fifter, who was to fuffer death for being a proteftant, and that probably he might efcape; thi€ poor unfortunate woman died of fear.

Thefe circumftances were proved before a court-martial, iield at Ro& the feventeenth of Auguft, 1798, by order of lieutenant-general Hulfe, when Richard Long was caft for tranlportation.

When the rebels ^ot polTeflion of tlie town, one of them who entered the houfe of a proteftant woman, gave her twenty-four wounds of a pike, •notwithftanding which fhe leaped out of a window, and in doing fq’broke lier leg; and yet ftie recovered, and is now living.

^otwithftanding the complete overthrow of the rebek at?Rofs, and the flaughter of them which took place on the fifth of June, they, envcouraged by the thinnefs of tlie garrifon, v/hich confifted of but one hundred and fifty of the Dublin militia, formed a fecond confpiracy for attacking and ‘burning the town, and murdering all its loyal inhabitants, and ithen inarching to Waterford, for the purpofe of taking it. The ‘leaders of the confpiracy ufed to aflemble at the houfe of one Malone, a publican, where they made different attempts to feduce the foldiers of ‘the Dublin militia. One of them, who was very loyal, pretended to ac--cede to and promote their defigns, and informed them that many of his •comrades would <:o-operate with them; but he communicated the whole of what had paffed between them to captain iatouche, who, the better -to develope their fchemes, affumed tlie habit of a common foldier, and was introduced by the loyal one to the band df traitors at Malone’s, as one ■of the fraternity, and pretended to be warmly attached to k.

In the courfe of converfation he difcovered, that they were quite fure «f the co-operation of many of his foldiers, who were to deliver up the

.3 H 2 ammunitioR

420 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

ammunition to them; and that the mafs of the people from all the adjacent country, aided by a numerous band of well-armed traitors who frequented the woods of ICilloughrin, were to attack the town on the Friday following. They then attempted to adminifter an oath to him. on which he had them arrefled and committed.

Malone, at the head of the confpiracy, had lived twenty-five years with the father of Mr. Tottenham, had become rich, and fet up a publick houft. Major ClilFe’s fervant, another of the confpirators, had long enjoyed his efleem and confidence; and two of Mr. Deane’s fervants, deeply implicated in the plot, had been reputed men of good character. 3uch was the return which government received for their mild and conciliatory conduct which the rebels fo recently experienced!

The rebels having fecured the navigation of the Slaney, by getting the towns of Wexford and Ennifcorthy into their hands, their next obje£V, for the purpofe of gaining the town of Rofs which they reckoned certain, was to fecure the navigation of the river on which it flands, by which they would have opened a complete communication between the rebels of the counties of. Wexford, Waterford, and Kilkenny, haVe procured a conftant and copious fupply of provifions, and have had the mofl opulent and populous part of the county of Wexford completely in their power; and they would have prevented any fupply of ammunition from being brought up from Duncannon fort, the chief depot of the king’s army in that quarter : They would alfo have cut off all communication between Rols and Waterford, which was the chief place where general Johnfon could expect to procure provifions for his army.

As all the inhabitants of the county of Wexford were in a fiate of infurredion, and confequently the general could not fend any intelligence to, or leceive any orders from government, he would have been completely infulated with his fmall army, if the rebels commanded the navigation of the Rofs river. Jie would alfo have been prevented from fending the fick foldiers to Waterford, as the inhabitants of the country between Waterford and Rofs, ten miles afunder, were for many days on the point of rifing.

To obviate this, general Johnfon, who (hewed as much fagacity as courage during the rebellion, ordered captain Hill of the navy, vnth feme gun-boats, which he commanded, to deftroy all the boats on that

river.

REBELLIONS IN IREL/USTD. 4^

river, which he accordingly did, to the number of one hundred and feventeen. Though the gun-boats employed in that fcrvice were well baricadoed, and had on board each of them a party of foldiers, who were commanded by the brave ferjeant Hamilton, the rebels never fuffered one of them to pafs without keeping Up a conftant and fevere fire upon them; for which purpofe, they kept ftrong piquet guards along the banks of the river; and they ufually began this practice at Camolin wood, only a mile from the town. As it happened that one of the gun-boats ran a-ground, an immenfe body of rebels ruflied down from Slieve Kilta,* where they were encamped, and made feveral -daring attempts to take poffefTion of her; and it v/as not without the greateft difficulty, that the other gun-boats, who feafonably came to her affiftance, refcued her from them. In this confli£l, four men belonging to the gun-boats were killed, and feveral of them were wounded.

Another great objeft of the rebels, after they had got pofiTeffion of Wexford, was, to eftablifti a naval force upon the coafi:.

They had already manned and armed two or three vefTels in that port, one of them a Liverpool letter of marque, which mounted ten guns. By thefe means they fecured lord Kingfborough, and feized feme veffels freighted with provifions, which might otherwife have efcaped.

When our frigates arrived on the coaft^’^thev completely put an end to that praftice.

The rebel leaders, for the purpofe of making their efcape, had affembled a number of fmall craft on that part of the coaft near Fethard; of which general Johnfon being aware, fent a revenue cutter, and fome gun-boats, under the command of captain Hill, for the purpofe of deftroying every velfel that might be found in that harbour; which was done as effectually as the nature of the fervice would admit; for thirteen veffels were either burned or rendered ufelefs. The rebels maintained a very heavy fire upon the gun-boats, during the performance of this fervice, and there appeared a very large force ready to refift any further attempts, which, however, were not intended. They were faid to be under the . command of father Edward Murphy.

Very few, if any proteftants, were murdered in the pari flies of Old or New Rofs. Captain Tottenham, of the town of Rofs, having informed them of the taking of Ennifcorthy by the rebels, and defired them to make their efcape into the garrifon, and they providentially followed his

advice

* Plate VII. 7,

42^

m5:moirs of the different

advice.  Two perfons only, that I could hear of, of the pariflt of Old Rofs, fell into their hands, when they were endeavouring to make their efcapc : into that town, and were murdered by them.  They were of the name of James, a father and fon, the former near eighty years old.

The reverend William Olafcott, redor of the .parifh of St. James or Ballyhack,* which lies on the Rofs river, above Duncannon-fort, and oppofite to PafTage, having received the earlieft intelligence of the rebel encampment formed on the mountain of Forth, and the defeat of the Meath militia there, critically alarmed his parifhioners; fame of whom fought an afylum in the fort of Duncannon^f and others croffed the river at Ballyhack, and were treated with very great humanity by captain F orbes of the Ravenfworth trartfport, who received as many of them as he could . accommodate in his velTel; and provided them with neceflaries. Two only fell into the hands of the rebels, who ported piquets on all the roads leading to Rofs, Ballyhack and Duncannon, to intercept fuch proteftants as might attempt to efcape.

William Hore, of Harperftown,; efquire, nephew of the earl of Courtown, had appointed a day for the prieft and the congregation of the parifli of T)oncormuck,|| to aflemble and take oaths of allegiance ^ but the rebellion broke out the day preceding it.  He endeavoured to make his efcape to Duncannon-fort, on foot, by the moft fecret and by-ways; but he was feized by a body of pikemen, who were ported to prevent orangemen from retreating to that garrifon.  Mr. Hore requerted to be carried before father Edward Murphy, parifli, prieft of Bannow;|j with which they -complied^  But that reverend gentleman, though his will was a law, would not liberate him.  He was therefore taken to Wexford, and fuffered on the bridge in that fcene of carnage fo difgraceful to human nature.  William Allen Cox, elquire, cqjtaim of the Taghmon§ yeonian cavalry, lived at CoolclifF,^ in the fame parifli, and on a navigable river called the!^nnow; but which is extremely narrow until it reaches Clonmines.  He endeavoured to make his efcape in a fmall boat, in hopes of .getting to fea-; but he was fo befet by pik-emen, that he was under the neceflity of landing in the midft of a horde of thofe favages^ however, he ‘derived great confolation from the fight of father Edward Murphy, whofe

proteftion

* See Plate I. l o. § See Plate III. 6

t Ibid. Ill, 9. 1 Ibid. 7.

t Ibid. III. 7.

1| Ibid. III. 9, 9.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 42.3

protedion he implored; but he briefly replied, “ That his ftay there wouW be but fti<3rt and he left him in the hands of thofe mercilefs wretches. He then took to his boat, and was foon after feized by the pikemen at the Scar pafs of Barrietftowu,* and conv^y^d to Wexford, where he fuffered on the bridge.

The parifh of Bannow, of which Edward Murphy was prieft, is fo populous and extenfive, as to require two chapels : one called the chapel of Garrig, about two miles from Bannow, where he generally officiates; the other at Ballymitty,. is not far from Taghmon. This reverend father was the perfon who preached the fermon at Vinegar-hill, which Richard Grandy was prefent at, and made affidavit of before George Ogle, efquire, and three magiflrates more.|

A proteftant of the firft authority declares, that (he heard him preach, at Carrig, a fermon, in which he faid, “ That God Almighty befriended them in all their operations, for the attainment of liberty; and that the whole of the bufinefs was as vifibly his work, as that of dividing the red. fea by Mofes.” He aflured fome female proteftantSjt in his neighbourhood, whom he occafionaliy vifrted, that he had forefeen and foretold to numbers, this ftruggle for liberty, as he termed it, fourteen years before it took place; and he afferted very frequently, that the whole force of England, even if (he were twice as powerful as fhe is, would not be able to re-conquer Ireland, as Providence fought their battles

During the fhort exiftence of the Irifh republick, he regwhrly inftrufiied the proteftants. in his neighbourhood in his catechifm, telling them that there were four hells, and a great deal more of fuperftitious nonfenfe. A proteftant lady, whofe foa was confined in Wexford gaol, on account of his religion, applied to bk reverence to interfere for his liberation ^ but he gave her a fhove from him, faying^ “ He would, never ifavea heretick; and that he had other bufinefs to mind.’*

While this falfe prophet was celebrating mafs at Carrig^ on a Sunday during the rebellion,’ he heard : the report of a cannonj on which his congregation, known by the name of the Bannow corps, were immediately, under, arms, arwl by has order proceeded in great force to Bannow?

to

•’Plate 111.8, t Appendix, No, XX, 7.

t The mate fled, or were taken prifoncrs by the pikemen.

424 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

to pppofe fome gun-boats, and a revenue cutter, fent into the bay oi Fcthard, to deftroy fome boats and the ftores of a Mr. Lynn there, containing a great quantity of malt, which the rebels were taking away to brew for their camps.  This reverend gentleman foon followed his troops, and drew them up with fome {kill on the beach of that place, at a iliort diftance from Fethard, on which the gun-boats were then firing; and it is faid, by perfons of veracity, who were forced into the rebel ranks that day, that Murphy ordered a number of women to march from his chapel, and join the rebel troops with hats on, that they might affume the femblance of men, in order to intimidate the failors by their numbers.  The gun-boats fucceeded in deftroying fome fifhing fmacks; but as the fire which had been communicated to the flores was extiuguiflied, this facerdotal hero returned in triumph to Carrig, at the head of the Bannow corps, with colours flying, and mufick playing.  He diftributed a great quantity of fcapulars in his parifli; and he frequently told fuch female proteftants as happened to remain there, that dodor Caulfield would be primate of Ireland, and that he would be archbiiliop of Dubhn.

;   Agreeable to the proclamation iffued by government, offering pardon to fuch repentant rebels as fhould take oaths of allegiance, and furrender ...their arms, Mr. Tottenham, the proprietor of Rofs, and other magiflrates, ii jcontinued in the months of July and Augufl to extend the benefit of it to great numbers of that defcription, who carried in a few bad pikes and t)«nu{kets, merely for the purpofe of obtaining protedions; from which, j;^nd from fubfequent events, it was unqueftionable that they harboured .._^heir rebellious defigns as flrongly as ever.  And what fignified oaths to “ fuch wretches, when the multitude had been guilty of the mofl flagrant violation of them?  None of them would confefs the names of their officers, except fuch of them as had been killed or hanged.  One fanguinary ruffian was very candid in his confefTion; he faid, that general y^Harvey ordered him to attack and burn the town of Rofs; he faid, that jjl^e fired a great manyrfhots, and never without efFeft; that he entered .•Rofs by Neville-flreet and Mary-flreet, but could not proceed farther j^fhan the main guard.  That pofl had been bravely defended by ferjeant r,jHamilton of the Donegal regiment, with two fhip-guns, and fixteen men, wjio never abandoned his port.  Mr. Tottenham afked this intrepid rebel,

.,.^mc,,Ui,«v.r ^^^^^^^^

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 425

Whether he would have fired at him, if he had feen him? and he anfwered, that he would have been very proud to have had him under his eye. He afked him alfo how many he had killed? to which he replied, that he could not tell, as he had taken his ammunition out of a pouch; but that he was fure he never fired without killing or wounding a foldier.

MASSACRE AT SCULLABOGUE.

I contemplate with horror, and relate with reluftance, an occurrence which took place on the day of the battle of Rofs, which will remain a lafling difgrace to human nature, and an indelible ftain on the county of Wexford. During the encampment of the rebels on Carrickbyrnehill,* a party of them were polled at Scullabogue,t within half a mile of the camp, where a barn was converted into a prifon for the confinement of proteftant prifoners. Bands of aflaflins were fent round the adjacent country in quell of proteftants, whom they meant to extirpate, when they accompliftied their final purpofe of overturning the government. For the manner in which this barbarous bufinefs was conduced, and the circumflances of cruelty and atrocity which accompanied it, fee Appendix, No. XX. 4, 5, 6.

On the eve of the thirtieth of May, captain King, the proprietor of Scullabogue, was advifed to abandon his houfe, and to carry off what valuable effects he could, as a camp was to be formed the day after on Carrickbyrne-hill, which is within half a mile of Scullabogue.

Next day he made his efcape, and the rebels took poifeffion of his houfe. It appears, on the evidence of different perfons, that one hundred and eighty-four proteftants were burned in the barn of Scullabogue, and that thirty-feven were Ihot in the front of it.

The following clrcumftances appeared by the evidence of Richard Silvefter, a witnefs on the trial of Phelim Fardy, one of the wretches concerned in that horrid affair : That when the rebels encamped on Carrickbyrne-hill marched towards Rofs, on the fourth of June, the proteftant prifoners were left at Scullabogue, under a guard of three hundred rebels, commanded by John Murphy of Loughnageer, a rebel captain, Nicholas Sweetman and Walter Devereux, who both held the fame rank : That when the rebel army began to give way at Rofs, an exprefs was fent

3 I to

• Plate IJI, J.

t Ibid. 6,

426 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

to Murphy, to put the proteftant prifoners to deathj as the king’s troops were gaining the day; but Murphy refufed to comply without a direft order from the general : That he foon after received another meflage to the fame purpofe, with this addition, that the prifoners, if releafed, would become very furious and vindidive : That fliortly after a third exprefs arrived, faying, the prieft gave orders that the prifoners fhould be put to death : That the rebels on hearing the fanftion of the pried, becarhe outrageous, and began to pull off their clothes, the better to perform the bloody deed :  That when they were leading the prifoners out from the dwelling-houfe to fhoot them, he turned away from fuch a fcene of horror; on which a rebel ftruck him with a pike upon the back, and faid, he would let his guts out if he did not follow him : That he then attended the rebels to the bars, in which there was a great number of men, women, and children; and that the rebels were endeavouring to fet fire to it, while the poor prifoners, Ihrieking and crying out for mercy, crowded to the back-door of the barn, which they forced open for the purpofe of admitting air : That for fome time they continued to put the door between them and the rebels, who were piking or fhooting them : That in attempting to do fo, their hands or fingers were cut off : That the rebels continued to force into the barn bundles of draw to encreafe the fire.  At laft, the prifoners having been overcome by the flame and fmoke, their moans and cries gradually died away in the filence of death.

It was proved on the trial of John Keefe, convided by a court-martial on the fourteenth of April, 1800, on the evidence of Robert Mills, that, after the bloody work began, he faw the prifoner with a pike, the point of which was broken, and the top of the fhaft or handle was bloody > that he carried it to an adjoining forge, whetted it on a fliarpening-ftone, and then proceeded to the front of the dwelling-houfe where they wer« fhooting the prifoners. Among the perfons moft confpicuous, we find the names of Fardy, Sinnott, Michell or Mifcally, who trampled on the dead and wounded bodies, and behaved otherwife in fuch a ferocious manner, as to obtain fom the rebels the appellation of the true-born Romans.

WilUam Ryan, a farmer, about three miles from Scullabogue, had a daughter who was kept by a gentleman at Duncannon. The rebel guards at Scullabogue thinking that they might extrad from her fome important

information

/

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

information relative to the plans of the loyalifts, as her paramour was of that defcription, and dreading that Ihe and her friends who were R j-ran catholicks, nught betray fome of the rebel feCrets to her keeper, lent a body of pikemen in queft of her; but not being able to find her, they were of opinion that her filler Eleanor, who lived at Mr. Rofliter’s, would anfwer equally well. They therefore led her to the barn, and her father having fliortly after gone there to folicit her liberation, they committe; him and his poor old wife, who went there alfo, in hopes of being able to move their compaflion; but fhe fhared their fate, having been thruft into the barn, where they were all burnt.

No lefs than twenty-four proteftants were taken from the village of Tintern,. about eight miles diftant, many of them old and feeble, and were led in one drove to the barn, where they perifhed.*

Thomas Shee and Patrick Prendergaft were burnt in the barn, both Romanifts, becaufe they would not confent to the malTacre of their pro» teftant mafters.

William Johnfon, a very old man, though of the fame perfuafion, fhared a fimilar fate. He gained a livelihood by playing on the bagpipes, and was fo unfortunate as to incur the vengeance of the rebels, by playing the tune of, ‘ Croppies, lie down.’

William Neil, another Romanift, who fufFered there, was by trade a tailor, and had worked for fome time in the garrifon of Duncannon. Having occafion to return to Camolin, of which he was a native, he procured the pafs of general Eawcett for his proteftion, but it turned out to be the means of his deftrudion; for having been intercepted by the rebels, who confidered the pafs as an emblem of loyalty, they committed him to the barn, with his fon Daniel, who happened to accompany him, and they both perilhed in the flames.f

Some perfons have contended that the perfecutions in the county of Wexford were not exclufively levelled againft proteftants, becaufe a few Romanifts were put to death in the barn and at Wexford; but the fanguinary fpirit againft them was fo uniform at Vinegar-hill, on the bridge

3 I 2 of

♦ See Appendix, No. XX, 4.

I They burned the wives and fome. of the chlldreiv of the North Cork militia in the barn^ ■who were Roman catholicks; but it was fufficient to provokcthcir vengeance, that they wert conneftedssrith the.foldiers of an heretical king.

428

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

of “Wexford, and ScuUabogue, and indeed in every part of the county, as to remove any doubt on that head.

The witnefs, during this dreadful fcene, faw a child who got under the door, and was likely to efcape, but much hurt and bruifed; when a rebel perceiving it, darted his pike through it, and threw it into the flames. While the rebels were ihooting the prifoners in front of the dwellinghoufe, a party of men and women were engaged in ftripping and rifling the dead bodies; and the prifoner, Phelim Fardy, called out to them to avoid the line of his fire, (as he was bufily employed in ihooting the prifoners,) and in faying fo, he fired at a man who was on his knees, and who inftantly fell and expired.

The barn was thirty-four feet long, and fifteen wide, and the wallswere but twelve feet high. Suffocation then mufl have foon taken place, as fo great a number of people were compreffed in fo fmall a fpace; and, befides the burning of the thatched roof of the barn, the rebels threw into it, on their pikes, a great number of faggots on fire.

Richard Grandy, who was prefent, fwears, that the prifoners in front of the houfe were led out by fours to be fhot; and that the rebels who pierced them when they fell, took pleafure in licking their fpears.*

A gentleman prefent, who had a narrow efcape, affured me, that a rebel faid he would try the tafte of Orange blood, and that he dipped a tooth-pick in a wound of one of the proteftants who was fhot, and then put it into his mouthWhenever a body fell on being fliot, the rebel guards fhouted, and pierced it with their pikes.

Samuel and John Jones, two brothers, were put to death in front of captain King’s houfe in the following manner : When they were on their knees, the wife of one of them flood between them, took each of them by the hand, and clofed her eyes; and when they fell, in confequence of being fhot, fhe implored the rebels, as an ad of mercy, to put her to death, but they refufed to do fo. She then got a car, and put on it the two bodies which the rebels had flripped quite naked. She covered them with her cloak and petticoat; but when fhe had led the car to fome diftance, fhe was flopped by a party of rebel women, who

led

* See his afficiavit in Appendix, No. XX. 7.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 429

led it back, and compelled her to return with them. They urged the rebels to put her to death, and flie appeared to rejoice at the idea of refigning that life which they had embittered by murdering her hufband. They feemed well difpofed to kill her, and would have done fo, but that John Murphy, their captain, prevented them, having faid, that fuch a horrid deed would kindle a blufh on the cheeks of the Virgin Mary.

The Jones’s, who lived at Abbey Brainey, were in good circumftances. Murphy took out of one of their pockets a pocket-book, which, it was faid, contained notes to a confiderable amount. The father of the Jones’s, who was very old, died in a few days after of a broken heart, and he and his fons were interred in the fame grave.

One Sleater, an opulent man from Wales, who came to Ireland every year to buy cattle for the Englifh market, in which bufmefs he dealt very extenfively, was picked up by the rebels, and fliot among the thirty-feven prifoners. He had a pocket-book, which contained (it was faid) notes to the amount of loool. which fell into the hands of the rebels.*

On moft occafions, they did not offer any violence to the tender fex; but at ScuUabogue, they burned a great many women and children.

It has been faid, and indeed proved, that John Murphy, the rebel captain, who commanded the guard at ScuUabogue, refufed to malTacre the prifoners, till he had received the orders of a prieft of the name of Murphy, for that purpofe. Brien Murphy, parifh prieft of Taghmon, is fuppofed to be the perfon alluded to. The affidavit of Michael Afkins, which the reader will find in Appendix, No. XX. 9. throws great light on it.

The following occurrence, relative to a prieft, happened on the fame day, and fliews what great influence the facerdotal order had over the mifguided multitude : Patrick Dobbyn, and his three fons, William, Richard and Samuel, were taken prifoners at Old Court, in the parifh of Adamftown, where they refided, by Thomas Cavenagh, and fome more popifli banditti, who committed them to prifon at ScuUabogue; the former on the fecond, the latter on the firft day of June. Elizabeth,

.  ‘   ■    ■ the

* The perfon who kd him out to execution, was a ruffian of the name of Cowrean, wl.oit. he had employed in buying cattle, and who had gained confiderably by his kindnefs au^ generofity.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

the wife of Patrick Dobbyn, went to father Shallow, parifli priefl: of the union of Adamflown and Newbawn, who refided at Ballyfhannon, one mile from Scullabogue, and implored him to have her hulband and fons releafed; but he refufed, and informed her, that he fhoukl be in as much dianger as they, if he went near the rebel camp; and yet the fame priell liberated from the barn,* and faved a young man of the name of Lett, the fon of a Mr. Lett of Kilgibbon, within three or four miles of Ennifcorthy 5 and it appears alfo by affidavit fworn before general Fawcett, that father Shallow took an adive part in the rebel camp at Carrickbyrne.f

William Fleming, a proteftant, and a yeoman in the Taghmon cavalry, having the proteftion of a prieft, went to the barn on the feventh of June, to look for the body of one Robert Cooke, a friend, for the purpofe of interring it; but the bodies were fo much injured by the fire, that he could not diftinguifli one from the other. I fliall refer the reader to his affidavit in Appendix, No. XX. 8. containing many curious particulars relative to the rebellion, particularly the exhortation of father Roche, the general, in the camp of Slievekilta,|| to extirpate orangemen and difaffefted perfons, and in which he alTured the rebels, that they were fighting for their religion.

The life of Fleming was often faved by the pafs of father Brien Murphy, a prieft of Taghmon, of which I give an exaft copy :

“ Mr. Wm, Flemmon has complied with every condition required of him, and therefore is to be Jioped by no man.

June 2d, 1798. Revd. BR. MURPHY.”

On the trial of Thomas Clooney, a rebel leader, at Wexford, the fifth of June, 1799, it was proved, that, while the camp was at Carrickbyrne, he at the head of three hundred rebels went to Old Rofs to burn the proteftant church, and the houfes of fome proteftants there; and that while the former was burning, he faid, the Devil’s houfe is on fire.

The ferocity of the rebels was fuch, that they often murdered each other with impunity in their camps, or during their marches.

A boy

• Appendix, No. XX, i. t Ibid. 10. || Plate VJJ. 7.

REBELLIONS IN IRELANB.

A boy of the name of Bennett, about fourteen years old, entered the lawn of Mr. King, at Scullabogue, on horfeback, the day preceding the maffacre. One Hanlon, a fchoolmafter, infifted on getting his horfe; and on being refufed, he ran the boy through the body with his pike and killed him. Bennett’s brother, a young man, having arrived next day, afked permiffion to get revenge for the death of his brother; and having obtained it, inftantly killed the fchoolmafter. He was buried in a place feparate from the proteftants; for the rebels were heard to declare, that they would not inter him with hereticks.

The bodies of the proteftant prifoners were buried by a fubfcription, raifed by the rebel chiefs; Bagenal Harvey, who was filled with horror and fhame at the maflacre, having kt it on foot.

One Templeton, a yeoman, was taken prifoner at the battle of Rofs, by the rebels, and carried to Scullabogue, where he faw one Walter Devereux, a farmer, fitting on the wheels of a car, within ten paces of the barn; and Devereux pointing to it, faid, “ That all proteftants and loyalifts ftiouid be ferved in that way.” On entering the barn, he faw the bodies in the fame fituation as defcribed by William Fleming.

Walter Devereux was taken at the cove of Cork, when attempting to make his efcape to America, and the protections of five different general officers were found on him; though he was afterwards charged with the maffacre of fome of the Wexford regiment at Newbridge, be. fides that at ScuUaboguC) which was proved by informations fworn before colonel Ram at Cove, and on the trial of Devereux at Cork.

Bagenal Harvey, who was a man of honour and humanity, though deluded by abfurd political fpeculations, was filled with the greateft horror on hearing of the maflacre at Scullabogue; and, therefore, ihe day after, he iffued general orders,* denouncing the penalty of death againft fuch perfons . as fhould murder their prifoners; for which humane effort to check that fanguinary fpirit, which now for the firft time began to appear, he was depofed; and that inhuman favage, father Philip Roche, was elected in his ftead, at the camp of Carrickbyrne 5 and it appears that Edward Roche, who had been elected fecond in command of the republican army at Wexford, then became commander in chief, as Sippears

* Zee Appendix, No. XX. 13.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

pears by a paper* figned by him, dated the feventh of June, 1798The reverfe of fortune which general Harvey experienced in the eourfe of feven days, was no lefs rapid than unexpeded, and convinced him of his folly and temerity.

A refpcdable proteftant, who was taken prifoner by the rebels, and compelled to ferve in the camp at Carrickbyrne, informed me, that father Roche, in a publick harangue, denounced all proteftants as hereticks, and that they could not have luck or grace while any of them were permitted to ferve in their ranks : That on the fame day, he met Roche in a tent, and that he, with fmgular diffimulation, affured him, that they made no religious diftinftions, and never regarded a man’s religion, provided he was loyal and true to their caufe : That Bagenal Harvey, on hearing Roche’s harangue, lamented to him, that the war unexpededly turned out to be purely religious : That the priefts had got abfolute fway : That he feemed quite diftradted, and wifhed he could make his efcape.

On the eighth of June, the day after Bagenal’s Harvey’s depofition, Francis Glafcott, efquire, of Pilltown, his intimate friend, wrote to him for his protedion; but he wrote in anfwer, that he was unable to protect himfelf. This letter marked ftrongly the diftrefs and perturbation of mind which he at that time fuftered.f

He lamented in this letter, that Mr. Tottenham, of Rofs, refufed to Ipeak to Furlong, whom he fent with a flag of truce to general Johnfon, on the morning that the rebels attacked Rofs; and fome perfons have been fo weak and abfurd as to condemn general Johnfon for what happened on that occafion; but which human wifdom could not prevent.

A foldier, at an out-poft, fhot Furlong, a man of mean appearance, when in full gallop towards the town, and without any other emblem of his being a herald, or a meflenger of peace, than his having a white handkerchief in his hand; and the letter which was found in his pocket, contained nothing but a peremptory requifition to general Johnfon, to furrender the town to Bagenal Harvey, commander in chief; with which that brave officer would not have compHed.

It has been faid, that Bagenal Harvey was depofed, becaufe he fhewed a want of courage in this adion; but that is fcarce credible, for he dif

played

* See it in Appendix, No, XX, ij. t Ibid.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 433

• .  ;    .; ,a/J;

played very great firmnefs in various duels which he had fought in the

courfe of his life.

Bagenal Harvey, on his depofition, was appointed prefidcnt of the council at Wexford, confifting of a few leading members of the newlyeftabliflied republick, which fat for the regulation of their aflairs; and we find his name, with that of Nicholas Gray, his fecretary, to many orders iflfued by them. See the oaths prefcribed by the council for the rebel officers and privates to take.*

Some days after the taking of Ennifcorthy, father Kearns, Patrick Sutton, and William Barker, all rebel chieftains, marched a body of rebels from that town towards Lacken-hill. They flopped at St. John’s, the feat of doctor Hill, clofe to Ennifcorthy, and took him and his brother with them, in order to leave them as hoftages, at Slievekilta camp, to fecure the lives of any of their leaders who might fall into the hands of the loyalifts. They remained at Scullabogue, twelve miles off’, the firft night, under the guard of fifteen favage pikemen, who flept in a fmall room with them. A hogfhead of whiikey was carried on a car, in the midft of the rebel column. Impatient at not having it drawn faft enoygh for them, one of the favages knocked in with a ftone a ftave of the calk, in confequence of which the liquor was loft.

One of the rebels led Mr. Hill to the barn, which had been burnt two or three days before, and he faw a great number of the guard turning up the bodies, in queft of money and watches, and who afterwards owned that they had been fuccefsful in their fearch.

Father Kearns returned in the morning, and defired them to prepare to march to Lacken-hill, near Rofs. He made them halt at Newbawn chapel, about a mile from Scullabogue, where he faid mafs’ for them, having a broad crofs belt, and a dragoon’s fabre under his veftment. The rebel chiefs knelt round the altar, from which Kearns, when mafs was over, endeavoured to exhort the rebels, in the fame ftrain that Murphy and Roche ufed at Vinegar-hill and Carrickbyrne; but the current of his eloquence was foon flopped by ebriety, his illiteratenefs, his grofs ignorance and vulgarity.

Some readers may regard thefe anecdotes as trifling and uninterefliag, but it fhcuM be confidered that it would be impoiTible to depi£l

3 K the

* See it in AppendiK, No. XX. i6

434

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

the fpirit of the rebellion, and the true charadter of the favages concerned in it, without giving a circumftantial account of the events which occurred in the courfe of it.

Mr. Stephen Ram, of Ramsforr, informed me, that many of his popifh tenants, who had been in the rebellion, were very communicative, and owned that they entered into it at the inftance of their priefts. They alfo declared, that it was ufual in the rebel camps, for each prieft to call over his parifhioners, and that the coadjutor afted in his (lead, if he was prevented by age or infirmity from doing fo. Thofe who appeared reludant were liable to cenfure.

When father Roche, the commander in chief, was encamped on Lacken-hill, he wrote the following letter to father Doyle : “ Revd. Sir,

“ You are hereby ordered,’ in conjundion with Edmund Walfli, to order all your pariftiioners to the camp on Lacken-hill, under pain of the moft levere punifliment; for I declare to you and to them, in the, name of the people, if you do not, that I will cenfure all Sutton’s* parifli with fire and fword.  Come to fee me this day.

Lacken-hill, June 14th, 1798. ROCHE.” To the Revd. James Doyle.

It was given out in general orders, that the commander in chief fhould fend out guards, to compel fuch perfons as they fiiould find loitering at home, and that fuch guards fhould punifh with death thofe who fhould refifl them. Thofe who were found loitering fhould alfo be tried by a court-martial, and punifhed with death.  See Appendix, No. XX. 1 3.

This is according to the French fyflem of terror.

The next memorable adion which took place in the rebellion was the battle of Arklow, which happened on the ninth of June.

The rebel leaders knew, that if the metropolis fell, there would be a general infurredion of the popifh multitude all over the kingdom. I’hey refolved therefore to make one defperate effort to gain it, knowing that immenfe numbers would flock to their flandard in their progrefs thither,, and that the mafs of the people in it would rife, as foon as they approached

• It is prefuracd that Doyle was coadji>t«r to Sutton.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

435

proached it. Fluflied with the vidory which they had gained at Tubberneering near Clough, they were fure that their efforts would be crowned with fuccefs.

The melancholy intelligence of colonel Walpole’s difafter fpread a general gloom through the metropolis, where it was received the evening of the day it happened. The confequences that might have refulted from it were not eafily to be forefeen. The hopes of the difaffeded were raifed to the higheft pitch. Plans of infurredion were formed by the rebels in Dublin, as they had the mofl: fanguine hopes of being joined by their brethren in arms, who had given fuch an extraordinary and unexpected inftance of prowefs againft the king’s troops. Reports were induflrioufly propagated, magnifying the numbers of the rebel force; and ferious apprehenfions were entertained by many for the fafety of the capital.

The following letter was written by the rebel general, father Michael Murphy, at Gorey, on the fixth inllant, to Thomas Houfton, of Thomasflreet, Dublin, which fufficiently proves the determination of the rebel chieftains to march to, and attack the metropolis. Soon after the battle of Arklow, general Skerret met a foldier, who had fome plunder in his hands; among other things, a watch, a crucifix, and the following letter which he had found on the body of father Murphy :

** Friend Houfton! Gorey, 6th June.

“ Great events are ripening. In a few days we fliall meet. The firft fruits of your regeneration muft be a tindlure of poifon and pike, in the metropolis, againft hereticks. This is a tribunal for fuch opinions. Your talents muft not be buried as a judge : Your fons muft be fteeled with fortitude againft herefy, then we ftiaW do; and you fliall fliine in a higher fphere. We ftiall have an army of brave republicans, one hundred thoufand, with fourteen pieces of cannon, on Tuefday, before Dublin; your heart will beat high at the news. You will rife with a proportionable force.

Yours ever.

Decipher, B. I. K. M.   Y. * * * M. MURPHY.”

Father Murphy, in the conftant hurry and confufion in which he had been kept, in preparing for the attack of Arklow, had not time or op

3 K 2 portunity

436 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

portunlty to forward this letter, which remains as a proof of the bold and’ maHgnant defigns of the facerdotal hero and his fanatical fedaries.*

So great was the confternation in Dublin, that the countefs Camden failed for England, and many ladies not only of rank and fafhion, but even of middling and mean fituations, followed her example. The regular military force in the capital was fmalL but the loyal citizens enrolled as yeomen, to the amount of about four thoufand, well-armed and difciplined, nobly ftood forward to fave their country, completely overawed the difaffefted within the city; and enabled government to detach from the garrifon the Cavan battalion of militia, and a fmall party of the Rea fencibles, who were fent off on the day following, in carriages imprefled for the purpofe, to Wicklow, to join there the debris of colonel Walpole’s column, and to endeavour to recover the town of Arklow. The honourable general Needham was appointed to the command of thefe troops, and reached Wicklow on the evening of the fifth of June. On the fixth, the column moved forward without oppofition to Arklov/, but found the country altogether deferted by the male inhabitants, who had, almoft to a man, gone off to join their friends at Gorey.

The arrival of frefli troops from Dublin revived the drooping fpirits of thofe v/ho had been defeated under colonel Walpole; though moll of them were in a deplorable ftate, having thrown away their packs, containing alltheir neceffaries^ to lighten them in their retreat; and the fhoes they Lad, were completely worn out. On the march the column was joined by the Arklow corps of yeomanry, all loyal proteftants. As their houfes and property had been deftroyedby the rebels, they formed themfelves into fmall parties, before they joined general Needham; and fet fire to many houfes, of v^hich the male inhabitants were knovm to have joined ti.’.e rebels at Gorey; but thefe adls of revenge were completely put an end to by the general, and all the ftraggling yeomen were called in..  When the column approached within three miles of Arklow,t a

ftrong

• I’rom this letter, the reader may conceive to what a ftate of plunder, carnage and conflagration, the metropolis would have been reduced on the night of the twenty-third of May, if the pikemen had rifen and occupied the ftrcets before the yeomen were alarmed, as they would have been joined by many tboufand-rebcle from the country, whov/ere wait«j)g for the fignal to rulh into it,

t Plate U.

//. Fill

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

437

llrong party of dragoons was fent forward to reconnoitre. They pufiied on -to the town, and on their appearance, fome few fellows who had committed a£ls of violence and rebellion, after the retreat of the king’s troops to Wicklow, made their cfcape to Gorey.

The town was taken poiTeflion of by the dragoons without any oppofition; and about four o’clock, on the fixth of June, the main column marched in. It is impoflible to defcribe the joy which their arrival diffufed through the town, as moft of the proteftant inhabitants had defcrted their houfes, and fled to the beach, to avoid the deftrudtion v/hich feemed to impend over them and their families, and made their efcape in boats; but on feeing the column enter the town, they returned. The fcventh and eighth, the troops remained unmolefted; though they were in conftant expedation of being attacked. Patroles were kept conftantly in motion, and every precaution was adopted that prudence could fuggeft. Some fences were levelled, to clear the only polition which it appeared ad vifableto occupy in cafe of , an attack. The difpofition of the forces for that event was refolved on; and ground was marked out for encamping the entire body outfide the town,* that on any alarm they might turn out and form with greater promptitude.

THE BATTLE OF ARKLOW.

Gn the morning of the ninth, about eleven o’clock, intelligence was brought that the enemy were at hand. The garrifon inftantly turned out, and a cavalry patrole advanced two miles towards Coolgreney,t where they faw at fome diftance a mounted patrole of the enemy which immediately retired. It happened very fortunately that a detachment of the Durham fencibles, a very fine regiment, amounting to three hundred effeftive men, arrived about one o’clock that day, without vv’hofe affiftance the little garrifon would not probably have been able to withftand ^hie fuperioT jaumbers of the enemy.

* P’iate. VIII ‘

t Plate K. 3,

43 5

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

9th of June, 1798. Effedive return of the forces under the command of the honourable major-general Needham at Arkloxv :

REGIMENTS, &c.

I o

f 4th (or Ropl Irifli dra

Co,one,SirW.W.i .ITT’^.-CU. \ Wynnt’sdivifion. \    (^^ ^oyal Infh drag.)

I Ancient Britifh fencible I.  light dragoons

Cavalry

1

r Armagh militia I Tyrone mil. (light comp. ); ‘ North Cork militia I Suffolk fenc. (light comp.) L Cavan militia r Antrim militia < Londonderry militia, (greL  nadier company) Colonel Skcrrctt’s C Durham fencible infantry cDunbarton infantry

Infantry ^

iLitutenant-colonel Cope’s divifion.

Colonel Maxwell Barry’s divifion.

divifion.

C/3 CO

c cr

/O

‘ 5

4/

5 a •o 3 So

7 4

^3

>T1 3

3 a

21 18

81

»o!  4 120

3

3 I

2

24 9

4

27 ic

15 5

107 42

28

31 312 201

66

245 105

^3 37 ‘1137

YEOMANRY CORPS. jNorth Arklow, captain, lord Wicklow jpouth Arklow, captain Atkins jCamolin,     captain, earl of Mountnorris jCoolgreney,   captain Beauman ^Caftleton,    captain Knox

Mounted.

[Captains;

c cr

V

,-i a’ w 3

‘-1 •1

c 3 ■p

Rank & File

(Subalt.

1 n

F

3

i jDrum.

73

2

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I

40

I

I

2

4

I

43

]

I

15

I

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57

I

24

I

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I

43

I

4

41

9

1

6

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lo 17

3I

224

2

2

I7J

Difmounted^

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

439

About four o’clock in the afternoon, the out-poft at the charter-fchool A, was ordered in; and another cavalry parrole was fent there, and they obferved at fome diftance, the enemy deploying the immenfe mafs which had marched by the Coolgreney road, from Gorey, and extending themfelves into a kind of irregular line of great depth; the right being at the little rock of Arklow B, where a very ftrong column was formed, which marched by the fea-fide road, and was deftined to attack the lower end of the town, or fifhery C. On the Coolgreney road another immenfe column was formed, to attack the right of our pofition, at the upper end of the town D. When thefe arrangements were made, which took up half an hour, the enemy fent forward a numerous patrole of cavalry and infantry, wWch attempted to furround the patrole, which we had fent to the charter-fchool, and obliged them to fall back to the garrifon. In the mean time the king’s troops prepared for adioa, having made the following difpofition : A part of the Antrim, with fome fupplementary yeomen, commanded by captain Rowan, were deftined for the defence of the barrack E, and lined tlie walls on a temporary banquette erefted for the purpofe.

Another detachment of the Antrim, under the command of lieutenantcolonel O’Hara, was ported at the upper end of the town at D, with a barricado fuddenly formed of cars and boxes in their front, and having one of their regimental field-pieces with their own gunners. The line of the king’s forces was formed with the Durham on the right, in the circular pofition FFG, which gave fome advantage in point of ground; but, after the firing began, the troops on the left of the Durham moved forward, under cover of the hedges, their front GGG, where they remained during the reft of the aftion. The Suflblk fencibles and the Tyrone light companies, with fome of the fupplementary yeomen hned the very ftrong hedges HHH; a fmall party was pofted in the churchyard I, and another at the end of the ftreet K, for the defence of the lower end of the town.

The main objed of the rebels was to outflank and furround our little army, by which they muft have overpowered it by their immenfe fuperiority of numbers; which the excellent difpofition made by general Ncedham was well calculated to prevent.

The

440 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

The cavalry, with the exception of one troop of the Ancient Britons, and the Arklovv cavalry, pofled at L, were ftationed at the bridge, and on the fands outfide the town MMM, where they were perfectly under cover.

The rebels firft appeared on the tops of hedges, in a great circular line, extending from the Gorey or fea fide road to the fand banks near the fea, and was very deep. They put their hats on their pikes, and gave mofl: dreadful yells. The enemy now moved forward to the attack, and in their progrefs fet fire to Lamberton, the beautiful feat of the reverend Mr. Bayly, redlor of the parilh of Arklow N, which was entirely confumed. The party on the Coolgreney road was warmly received on their firft appearance, by colonel O’Hara, with his gun and party at the barrier D; and they fuffered very feverely from the two guns on the right of the Durham’s. One of the enemy’s fix-pounders was now dragged off the road by the lane N, and advantageoufly ported on the fummit of an hill O, commanding the pofition of the king’s •troops, but which was fo extenfive that they could not with their fmall numbers occupy the whole of it. The other gun which the rebels brought with them was drawn by the Yellow-lane P, and ported not injudicioufly on an eminence at

The enormous mob which compofed the rebel army was eftimated at twenty -five thoufand men by thofe who were beft informed. In their march they plundered the houfes of all protertants of every thing valuable, and put in ftrid requifition all the fpirits and provifions that could be fupplied. Under the influence of intoxication and fanaticifm they were led on by their priefts, who infpired them with ideas of their own invinciblenefs; becaufe, as they informed the mifguided wretches, they v/ere engaged in the caufe of heaven, and againft the enemies of God. To maintain that religious phrenzy, which was the only fource of their courage, they, at the end of every mile during their march, faid mafs for them, and ufed every mode of exhortation, and every fuperftitious device that prieftcraft could invent. They advanced in an irregular line, which was frequently broken by their running out to file along the hedge rows lying parallel to the pofition of the king’s troops, of the cover of which they endeavoured to avail themfelves. Their front rank was eompofed of thofe who had fire-arms, and who were moftly from the barony of Shelmalier, on the Wexford coaft, where they fubfift during the v inter

by

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

441

by (hooting barnacles and other fca fowl, which makes them expert markfmen. They were covered in the rear by the pikemen many deep, and at certain intervals their line was ftrcngthened by numerous mafles of men, who were ready to fupply the places of thofe who feljl, or to aft as occafion might require. Each company had a green flag or colour about two feet fquare, with a yellow harp in the centre. Some, however, were party-coloured, and equal in fize to the king’s colours. Their leaders were diftinguifliable riding through the ranks, marfhalling them, and giving orders.

During the engagement the rebels frequently repeated their dreadful yells, which heightened the terrifick appearance of this numerous hoft of barbarians, who feemed confident from their fuperlor numbers, that they could eafily overwhelm our fmall army.

The columrt* on the right of the enemy’s line, which formed at the rock B, and marched by the fea fide road S, attacked the lower end of the tov/n with great fury, fetting fire to the houfes, and advancing under cover of the fmoke, v/ith the moft determined perfeverance. The flames were fortunately interrupted by the interval between C and R, and did not communicate to the reft of the town.

The rebels, notwithftanding their moft defperate efforts, were unable to withftand the heavy and well-direded fire kept up by the party pofted at K; and nevef fucceeded in paffing the point R, at which multitudes of them were killed, but who “^ere inftantly replaced by others; and they were plainly obferved throwing their killed, and, it is believed, many of their wounded into the flames, where they were confumed or buried under the ruins of falling houfes. The attack was fupported with the utmoft obftinacy on this point for two hours and a half, when the enemy began to defift from an attempt which had proved fatal to fo many, and to retire along the ftreet of the fiftiery C, and by the fea fide road S.

This being obferved, the cavalry on the bridge, under colonel fir W. W. Wynne, was ordered to charge, and that officer led them on with his ufual gallantry againft the enemy, many of v^hom were cut down on the fands T T, and the reft made their efcape up the Yellow-lane P, and into the enclofures, where the cavalry could not follow them.

While this warm conflift was maintained at the lower end of the town, the attack was fupported with ftill more obftinacy againft the barricade

3 L. at

442

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

at D; by which the rebels were in hopes of making their way to the rear of our Httle army. This column was led on by father Michael Murphy, the priefl, of Ballycanew, who endeavoured to animate them by every argument and exhortation that could work on their bigotry. Many of their chiefs, who led them on to fucceflive attacks,, were killed within a few yards of our guns.

Murphy, who had hitherto efcaped, headed the column at the charterfchool, which was ftill very great; but as they fhewed a relu£lance to advance, he took out of his pocket fome mufket-balls, which, he faid, were fired by the enemy, and fome of which had hit him without wounding him; and others he had caught in his hands. He aflured them at the fame time, that the balls of hereticks could not injure them, as they were under the protedion of the Almighty, in whofe caufe they were fighting, provided they were ftedfaft in their faith. By that ftratagem, he prevailed on many of the deluded wretches to follow him; and they fucceflively became vidims of their fuperftition and temerity. Father Murphy, after many efcapes, fell himfelf by a cannon (hot, within a few yards of the barricade D, while fliouting to his followers, and waving in his hand a fine ftandard with a crofs, and Liberty or Death infcribed on it. The fall of this church militant hero had an immediate efFe6t in damping the ardour ©f the enemy, which from that moment began to abate.

About eight o’clock, when it was almoft dark, they began to retreat towards Cool^reney, in an irregular and diforderly manner. They carried off nine cart-loads of dead and wounded. If the cavalry had one hour’s day light, they would have purfued them, and have cut off great numbers in their retreat. The lofs of the rebels was faid to be one thoufand killed, and great numbers wounded.

The rebel cannon were worked by fome of our artillery-men, who were taken near Wexford on the thirtieth of May; and as they levelled them too high, their fire was in a great meafure ineffeftual; for during the whole engagement, but two fliots had any efteft. One of them palTed through the ammunition box of one of our guns, the other broke the carriage and killed three of the gunners.

When our troops got pofl’effion of Gorey, on the twelfth of June, a

veoman ot the name of Sherwood, found a popifh confefTion of faith* in

the box of a piieft, the original of which is now in the polfeflion of the

“    ■”‘ reverend * See a copy of it iri Appendix, No. XX. 15.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

443

reverend Mr. Bayly of Arklow. It has been publiflied in a pamphlet, entitled, Veridicus, and in another written in defence of the orangemen, in reply to Theobald Mc. Kenna, efquire; and as an anonymous writer has treated it as an impoflure, from its monftrous abfurdity, I think it right to obferve, that various produftions of the fame nature, but infinitely more abfurd and ridiculous, are conftantly publifhed in Dublin, and circulated among the befotted multitude. Of thefe Fifty Reafons, the book on the Scapular or Carmelite order, the Funiculus triplex, or triple cord of St. Francis, the revelations of father John Murphy the traitor, hanged at Tullow, (land foremoft.

Another of thefe confeflions of faith was found at Carlow; one was dropped by a drunken priefl: of the name of Fitzfimmons, at the houfe of a gentleman in the county of Meath; and another was found in the pocket of a robber, who was killed in the Liberty, in the year 1795.*

I forgot to mention that fome weeks before the rebellion broke out, popifh children at Wingfield, and in the vicinity of Gorey and Arklow, and in many other places in the county of Wexford, wore red tape; and that fome proteftant children who did fo, wifhing to imitate them, were feverely reprimanded by popifh fchoolmafters. George Taylor, in his narrative, mentions it; and tells us, what I have heard from many refpeftable perfons, that the pretext for ufmg it was, that all the Roman catholick children, under the age of fifteen, were to be vifited by a dreadful plague; and that this piece of tape, which was endued with fupernatural powers, by the benediftion of a prieft, would fecure thofe, who wore it, from infeftion; but it was believed, that the intent of it was to difcriminate popifh from proteftant children, when the general maflacre was to take place in the month of May. The country fliopkeepers brought immenfe quantities of it from Dublin, which they readily difpofed of. George Taylor, who lives near Gorey, mentions this circumftance in his narrative of the Wexford rebellion.

Captain Grogan Knox, who commanded the Caftletown yeomen cavalry, and two privates in it, fell in this adion. It is fuppofed that they advanced too far in purfuit of the enemy, after they had been driven out of the fifhery, and that by doing fo, they got within the range of our fhot. This loyal gentleman was brother of Mr. Cornelius Grogan, who was hanged at

Wexford. „ i » t -n

3-^2 I will

* Tkis confeffion, it is believed, was compofed foon after, and alluded to the maflacre of j64i>

44.4 iMEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

I will now proceed to relate the principal occurrences which took place in the town of Wexford, from Wednefday the thirtieth day of May, when the rebels got pofleffion of it, till the twenty-firfl: day of June, when they were expelled from it.  Some time after it was evacuated by the king*,^ troops, the rebels approached it, headed by Edward Roche, a farmer, who was permanent ferjeant in colonel Lehunte’s corps of yeomen cavalry, and having deferted from them on Whitfunday, became a rebel general. When they came to a place called the Spring,* within two hundred yards of the town, they knelt down, croffed themfelves, and prayed for fome time.  A perfon in the van of their army, when advanced to the middle of the town, having by chance fired a fhot, the rear, who were outfide, fled M’ith precipitation, from motives of fear.  As they pafTed through the fti-ects, they uttered the moft dreadful yells, and for three days after their arrival, they continued to plunder, every rebel gratifying his revenge againft thofe towards whom he bore any enmity.  They appointed a commitee of feven, inveiled with fupreme command, in which Bagenal Harvey was appointed prefident, after having been depofed, and a fubordinate committee for the government of the town, which they divided into wards, in each of which they appointed and armed a company with officers of different degrees.

On entering the town, they by acclamation appointed general Keugh governor, or commandant of it, and bore him on their flioulders to the court-houfe. This extraordinary man, who had been a private in his majefty’s fervice, rofe to the rank of captain-lieutenant in the 65th regiment, in which he ferved in America. He was about five feet nine inches high, and rather robufl:. His countenance was comely, his features were large, and indicative of an active intelligent mind. Joined to a very happy and perfuafive manner of expreffing himfelf, he had an engaging addrefs, and great affability of manner. He married a widow, with whofe jointure and his own private fortune, he lived very comfortably in Wexford. Proud and ambitious, he thought that his own abilities, which he appreciated too highly, were not fufficiently rewarded; and envying thofe who were his fuperiors in rank and fortune, he hoped to rife iii that chaotic fcene which a revolution would elFed. In clubs and coffee-houfes, he conftantly cenfured the form of our conftitution, and faid it might be meliorated;

but

• See rbte VI. P.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 445

but under the malk of a reformifl;, he concealed the dark defigns of a rebel. His difaffedion became at laft fo confpicuous, that the lord chaucellor deprived him of the commiflion of the peace in the year 1796,

The rebels chofe certain perfons to diilribute provifions, and for thai purpofe to give tickets to the inhabitants to entitle them to a rateable proportion of them, according to the number of inhabitants in each houfe. The habitations of all the proteflants who made their efcape were plundered, many of them were demoliflied, and but few of thofe who remained in the town were fpared. All the proteftant men were immediately committed to prifon, except a few leaders who were really attached to their caufe, or who affefted to be fo, to fave their lives, or thofe who concealett themfelves.

The day they entered the town, Mr. John Boyd, brother of Mr. B. member for the town, Thomas Sparrow, and one Hadden, a porter, were maflacred, Henry Box, a flioemaker, and a man of the name of Cook, contiguous to it.

Thofe who could obtain written protedions from the popifli clergy, whofe influence was unbounded, or from the rebel leaders, were not moiefted.

The perfidious and cruel condu£l of the rebel captains and failors to their proteftant palfengers, who paid them large fums of money to convey them to Wales, will ever remain a ftain on human nature. As foon as the rebels entered the town, a large green flag was hoifted on the barrack,* which is on an eminence; but thofe who had put to fea before it appeared, were fo fortunate as to efcape.

I give an extract from the letter of a proteftant clergyman, Mr. Handcock, (part of which I already quoted,) who retreated with his family from Ennifcorthy, to fhew the perilous and difaftrous ftate of the proteftant fugitives. “ On the morning of the thirtieth of May, the day after our arrival at Wexford, in compliance with the earneft and irrefiftible adjuration of my wife, I determined on going to fea, carelefs whither; but fo traitorous were the boatmen, and fo refolved (as appeared in many inftances after) to deliver up the gentry to the rebels, that after bargaining with feveral of them for a boat to Waterford or Dublin, or a floop to Wales,

and

* Sec Plate VI. A. B.

446

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

and being in the mofl ruffianly manner infulted by the boatmen, and pelted with ftones from the fhore, I could not prevail on one of them to put off, until with a piftol in each hand, and defperation in my heart, they faw me hefitating, whether to blow out their brains or my own.**

The treatment of a party of gentlemen and ladies, who embarked on board a large floop, belonging to the bloody Thomas Dixon, the thirtieth of May, will Ihew the reader the ferocious cruelty of the rebel failors to their pafTengers. After having exaded a very large fum from them, he refufed to put to fea, till the veffel was lightened, as he faid, fhe was heavily laden with coals; on which the gentlemen and their fervants affifted in throwing over board a large quantity of that article. As an excufe for further procraftination, Dixon faid, he muft go on fhore to know what fignal to hoifl:; as he had friends among the rebels, and no veffel but his would be fuffered to fail. Having repaired in his fmall boat to the county fide of the bridge, where the rebels were in great force, he returned in about an hour and a half, and informed them, that the united Irifhmen were in pofleffion of the town; and with the femblance of friendfhip, he advifed them to conceal their arms and their uniforms, as many of them were yeomen. He went on fhore a fecond time, and returned with two boats full of men, well armed, and who immediately deprived the pafTengers of their arms. Thofe with captain Dixon then proceeded to the barrack, from whence having made a fignal, the rebel failors in the floop informed the pafTengers that they were prifoners, and that their captain had obtained the command of the barrack.

Thus this party of gentlemen and ladies, obnoxious for their loyalty, wete betrayed into the hands of the ferocious rebels, after having been defrauded of their money.  They were landed, and lodged at the poftoffice, where they remained till the firft of June.

Mr. Crump, Mr. Bland, and Mr. Kellet, and their wives, who were of the party, repaired to the houfe of the former, but as it had been plundered of all its furniture, and materially injured by the rebels, they could not occupy it. They therefore repaired to Clonard, the houfe of Mr. Kellet, two miles from the town, which was not in the fmalleft degree injured, becaufe he was married to a lady of the popifh perfuafion; and for that reafon they remained there unmolefted, till Monday the fourth of June, except that they daily received three or four domiciliary

vifits

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

447

vifits from rebel parties, who faid they were fearching for orangemen. *

On Sunday the third of June, Mr. Cornelius Grogan, of Johnfl:own,t within three miles of Wexford, vifited them, and alked them what part they would take in the prefent civil war? They anfwered that they would continue neuter.  He told them that they would not be fuffered to remain inaftive, and afTured them that they would be taken to the camp if they perfifted in doing fo, and put to death if they attempted to make their efcape.  He faid, that the united Irifhmen had waited on him that morning, and compelled him to take their oath :  That at firfl; he was averfe to it; but having confulted one O’Connor a fchoolmafler on the propriety of taking it, he removed his doubts, by afluring him that the mofl loyal of” his majefty’s fubjects might fafely fwear it : That he was determined to go through with the bufmefs, as it was the only means of preferving his property; for, that the people had rifen in great force in different parts of the kingdom, and had been victorious in different engagements. Being invefbed with the office of commilfary to the republick, he took an inventory of all the provifions at Clonard, from Mr. Kellet’s fteward; and afterwards went out and examined whether it was correct.  He evinced his authority by giving a protection to a woman whom Mr. Kellet was fending to Wexford for bread.  This unfortunate gentleman was feized of an eflate of 8000 1. a-year, in the county of Wexford, and lived at Johnftown, in a rude, but plentiful hofpitality; attended by a few parafites, who flattered his prejudices, and paid the mofl obfequious deference to his opinions. From their daily exceffes at the table, Mr. Grogan was feldom free from the gout.  On mofl occafions he evinced the mofl decided difapprobation of the meafures of the Irifh government, in which he was encouraged by his needy and dependent affociates, who hoped to acquire riches and confequence from general combuflion.  In him it probably arofe from envy, becaufe, from the want of mental excellence, (for he had but mean talents V and of proper exertion in pubiick concerns, he did not enjoy that weight and refpect in fociety, which gentlemen of much fmaller fortunes pofTefTcd.

It

* From whatever po!l the rebels occupied, they, as a matter of courfe, fent out bmd« of pikemen in quefl; of proteftants, under the denomination of or^ngenien. t See Plate III. 7

44^ MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

It is fcarce to be doubted, but that he was not privy to the confpiracy which ended in a rebellion, though his conduct afforded ftrong ful’picions of it, as he was fond of the fociety of Keugh, Bagenal Harvey, and other difaffetled perfons; and his parafites were notorioufly diiloyal.

It is much to be feared that this unfortunate gentleman fdl a facrince to his creduUty, his avarice, and want of firmnefs. He retreated with the king’s troops from Wexford, about two miles, and then turned off to his own houle, where he was circumvented by the rebels; who either compelled or feduced him to join them. Some are of opinion, that he repaired to his houfe, in hopes of preferving it from being plundered; others that he imagined he could not preferve his property but by embarking in the rebel caufe, which he was convinced would prevail, from the falfe and exaggerated accounts which he had received of their fucceffes and their numbers.

On Monday the fourth day of June, Meffrs. Bland, Crump and Kellet, were conveyed to the gaol of Wexford, by a ferjeant and twelve rebels, ajid were committed to a long narrow paflage, which was fo filthy and offenfive, (as numbers of proteftant prifoners were crowded into it) that Mr. Bland, who had been well acquainted with genetal Keugh, wrote him a note, reprefenting their deplorable fituation. On his arrival in the prifon Mr. Bland afked him, whether they could not be liberated on their parole? He replied, “ By no means, as the wiflies of the people muff be indulged however he had them removed to an apartment at the other fide of the gaol-yard, where there was no furniture, but a wretched bed, without clothes. When they were going out, the rebel centinel who guarded the door, flopped them in a rude and peremptory manner; on which general Keugh faid, “ Do you know whom you fpeak to? Who placed you there r” To which the centinel replied, in an angry tone, and with a ftern look, “ It v/as the people that placed me here.” This incident affords an inffrudtive leffon to faftious demagogues, who hope to rife on the deflruftion of focial order; as it proves, even in the outfet of a rebellion, how precarious their power is over the giddy multitude, whom they hope to make the inftruments of their inordinate ambition.

On Wednefday the feventh of June, they were committed to a prifon{hip,* with many other refpedable gentlemen.  They were furrounded

by

» S«e Plate VI.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

449

by a multitude of pikemen as they marched to the quay, where they embarked. They were confmed fixteen days in the hold of a fmall Hoop, covered with an iron grate, and had no other bed but a light covering of dirty ftraw, over the ballaft, which confifted of ftones. Six rebel guards were placed over them. Their breakfaft confifted of a fmall barley loaf, which was almoft black, and half a pint of milk : Their dinner of coarfe boiled beef, with fome potatoes, let down in the dirty bucket of the fhip, without a knife or fork; for they were deprived of their knives as foon as they were committed. Their drink was bad beer or whifkey. Two days in the week their only food was potatoes and rancid butter, let down in the fhip’s bucket. Such was the barbarous treatment which a number of refpedable gentlemen received, for no other reafon than be-, caufe they were known to be attached to the beft of kings, and to the only conftitution in Europe which affords any degree of rational liberty!

From the fulferings of the palTengers on board a large Hoop called the Lovely Kitty, (and many of them were ladies of rank and fortune,*) one may form fome idea of what the proteftant fugitives endured from the favage fpirit of the rebel failors.  Having embarked at three o’clock, . in the morning of the thirtieth of May, they failed as far as the fort of Rofslare,t where the failors caft anchor, under the pretext of taking in ballaft.  In the evening they were furrounded by a number of boats, the crews of which, being well-armed, boarded them, and were fo brutal and ferocious, as to fill them with feri ous apprehenfions for their lives. Mrs. Gill, one of the paffengers, imagining that they v/ere on the point of murdering her hufband, threw herfelf overboard, and floated to fome diftance from the veflel; but was purfued and faved.  Having been carried on deck, ftie appeared hfelefs for fome time, and on being recovered, fhe exclaimed,  “ Ah! why did you bring me back to fcenes of mifery?” Mr. Stringer, who had efcaped from Ennifcorthy, having been afked by a ruffian how he came to burn his town, replied, “ It. M^as done by the rebels on which the failors exclaimed, “ Over with him i” and inflantly threw him overboard.  After fwimming fome time, part of the crew, more humane than the reft, followed him with the long boat, and faved his life, but he continued infane; and his wife, a beautiful youngwoman, was fo much affefted, as to be defpaired of.. As the vefTel from,

3M _ its.

* Mjs. Ogle aad her. fifter were among them. f PJate III.

4SO MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

its fmallnefs, could afford accommodation for but few of the paffengers, moft’of them remained all night on the deck, among thefailors, who were brutally drunk, and were conftantly uttering treafon, blafphemy, and obfcenity.

Sometimes they held fwords or piftols to the breafts of the women, uttering the moft horrid threats. They often ordered them on deck, during the courfe of the night, faying, “ That they had bufinefs below with the gentlemen and they defired them not to be alarmed at piflols going off. They heard them fire many fliots, and were informed afterwards, that they killed eight or ten men in the hold.

Some of the females, dreading that they would offer brutal violence to them, -refolved on drowning themfelves, fliould fuch an attempt be made. The failors often declared that they would exterminate all orangemen, and that there fhould be but one religion.

On Thurfday morning, the thirty-firfl of May, a party of the paffengers, twenty-fix in number, and all women, except fix boys and girls, were conveyed to Wexford as prifoners, and lodged in the houfe of one Heron, a chandler, and in a very fmall room, where they had but one fmall palletbed to repofe on, and where they fuffered much from fetid air, bad food, and the want of fleep.

Heron and his wife were very kind to them, though the rebels conftantly threatened that they would demolifli their houfe, if they entertained orangemen or orangewomen, and they often fearched the houfe for the latter.

Mrs. Pounden, of Ennifcorthy, who did not difembark till the firft party landed, affured me, that when fhe was going from the veffel into a fmall boat, one of the failors Ihot Mr. Dowfe, a paffenger, clofe by her fide, for no other reafon than becaufe he was a member of captain Richards’s yeomen cavalry at Ennifcorthy, and was a proteltant ^f diflinguifhed loyalty. The firft objed thefe ladies beheld on their landing, was the naked body of Mr. John Boyd, which lay bleeding on the quay, disfigured vi^ith many a ghaltly wound, and writhing with agony of pain. When he was affaffmated, a number of rebel women exclaimed with favage joy, Well done, boys! ferve all the hereticks fo,” Mr. John Boyd was brother to Mr. James Boyd, member of the town of Wexford; and becaufe his family were noted for their loyalty, this unfortunate gentleman was /  murdered as foon as he landed on the quay.  He continued dying for

above

REBKLLIONS ).N IRELAND. 452.

above twenty hours, and often afkecl for a draught of water, ,to quench his infatiable thirft; but the rebel mob would not fuffer any perfon to re. lieve him. While in that deplorable fituation, a rebel lad of about fourteen years old fliot him with a piflol, which encreafed his pain, without putting a period to his exiftence.

On the fame day they murdered Mr. Sparrow, a yeoman, of Ennifcorthy,” and dragged his naked body through the flreets, and tied it to one of the piers of the bridge, where it remained buoyant, (a woeful fpedacle!) till the king’s troops arrived.

A gentleman of great refpeftability, in the county of Wexford, affured me, that he was carried as a prifoner by a body of pikemen into a houfe,. where he was confined for the night : That he found there forae gentlemen to whom father Ccrrin, a prieft, was granting protedions; but he previoufly required that they fhould fwear that they had not taken the Orangeman’s oath; the printed form of which lay on the table. It was infamoufly fanguinary, containing an obligation to deftroy and extirpate Roman catholicks : This gentleman offered to take the oath, to entitle Him to proteftion; but father Corrin refufed to adminifter the oath, having faid, “ We know you too well to regard what you would fwear in that way j” alluding to his noted zeal and aflivity, as a magiftrate and a yeoman.r

A very amiable and refpefcable lady * and her children, who had embarked on board the floop of the fanguinary Thomas Dixon, was treacheroufly relanded by him; and having repaired to the houfe of Mr. Thomas Hatchel, fon-in-law of dodlor Jacob, near the bridge, where, with the doftor, his family, and fome other proteflants, fhe was proteded. While the town remained in poffeffion of the rebels, fhe wrote a very exaft diary of every material eventduring that period, which Ifhall quote occafionally.

She tells us, “ That Thomas Dixon went on fhore in his fmall boat, and at his return declared, that no woman or child ihould be killed; but that no man, except three, whom he named, fliould efcape. The favage failors intoxicated with viftory and whilkey, arrived with boats to carry them on fhore, and a female heroine among them, fiftgr of Mrs. Dixon,

3 M 3 ‘ and

Her name is concealed at her own delire.

452

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

and wife to a miller at Altramont, brandiftied a fword, and boafting of her exploits, faid, “ That the paflengers of no boat would be faved, except thofe of Thomas Dixon, as he was brother-in-law to Roche the commander of the rebel army.” Another boat full of ruffians, more furious than the former, arrived, and fwore they would burn the boat, if they found one gun or a man concealed under deck. More ruffians arrived drunk, and boafting of their murders, would not drink unlefs Mrs. drank firft, left, as they faid, they ffiould be poifoned.

“At dawn of day, on the thirty-firft of May, Dixon returned, faid many horrible things, boafted of various murders, and made her (land on deck, and fee the dead body of Mr. James Boyd on Ihore.

“When ihe landed, fhe found the ftreets crowded with rebels, who were conftantly firing (hots. The boatman alked her, if fhe knew ever a Roman catholick? and fhe faid, fhe was acquainted with Mrs. Talbot; he then led her the back way to her houfe; but fhe then reimbarked, having found it fliut. He afked her, if fhe knew do£lor Jacob? and having faid flie did, he recommended to her to go there, as it would be a fafe houfc.* They landed her oppofite to his door, and fhe was well received there. The hall was full of ruffians who brought faggots to fet the houfe on fire, but fome of them humanely prevented it.

She was then without food or fleep from Sunday night the twenty-fe. venth, except that flie got a little tea from Mrs. Dixon. She was dif■traded, and felt more the enthufiafm of defpair than infanity. She took her daughter by her hand, and went to Bagenal Harvey, who did not know her, being covered with coal-aflies, and convuHed with mifery. ■She reminded him of their acquaintance; he gave her a protection, but faid he had no real command, and that the rebels were a fet of favages exceeding all defcription. She afked him, when this v/as to end? He anfwered, probably not for fome time, as government would not fend a force into the country till they had collected a proper one. He faid, he mult get the people out of the town, and form a camp, for otherwife it would be deflroyed in a few hours. Shortly after, they confented to go to camp, and flie faw many thoufands of them going there.  They were

led

* She look this for do€lor Jacob’s, but it was his fon-in-law’s Mr. Hatchtl’s; and ihe rebels availing thcmfdves of the dodlor’s furgical ftill to clrefs their wounded men, they fl-.ewed a tegard for, and protcdkd him, andfuchof his friends as fought an nfy him in Mr. Hatchcl’5 houfe.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 453

ied by many priefts. They often flopped, knelt down, kifted the ground, crofled themfelves; and then fet up the moft hideous yells, and followed their priefts. All that time (hots were conftantly fired. Small parties of them entered and fearched the houfe. The firfl of June paffed in the fame manner.

“J. R. a Roman catholick of great humanity, came and told me with candour, how much the proteftants were fpoken againft; but (aid, he trufted that the women and children would be fpared.

“ In the evening, dodor Caulfield, the Roman catholick bifhop, came, and was very kind to me, J. R. having told him who I was. The dodor faid, he was cautioned in the ftreet, to beware how he proteded proteftants. He gave me a protedion, but like B. Harvey faid, “ He had no influ. ence : That the people could not be defcribed : That in reality, the devil was roaming at large amongft them : That their power never could hold : That they were making it a religious war, which would ruin them : That government was too ftrong, and muft conquer : That this rebellion had been hatching four years.” i think he might have given government notice of it.*

“ Second of June, the mob were conftantly talking in the ftreet of punilhing proteftants. Colonel Lehunte, and many others, went to the chapel, and renounced 1 heir religion ^ were chrifte’ned; and then marched in procefTion through the ftreets,

“ Third of June, they made three protefta’Tits A’oot a man in the Bullring. We received conftant domiciliary vifits from the rebels-, who we thought would murder us ere they departed* The rebels paraded twice a-day oppofite our door, having jfifes^ fiddles, and drums. It was a kind of regular tumult; every one was g’lving his opinion. My little boy liflening one day faid, “Mamma, are they ‘all kings?”

On Trinity Sunday the third of June, a fermon was preached in the chapel, to a large congregation, confifting of a numerous body of pik^men, and fome proteftants, who alfumed the feniblan-ce of fincere converts to fave their lives, and who went there to be chri/lcntd for the fame purpofe. Father Roche, the preacher, and chaplain to the popiili bifhop, dodor Caulfield, inveighed from the altar againft tlie errors ox

proteftants,^

• This is her obftrvatii^n.

\

454 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

proteftants, whofe religion he reprefented as an abominably herefy. He theOr explained and enforced the dodrines of popery, particularly that of exclufive falvation. He defired them to perfevere with firmnefs, as they were fighting in the caufe of God againil hereiicks. When the fermon was over, father Broe, a friar, proceeded to chriften the proteftants, in which ceremony he ufed much water, having almofb vvafhed their faces.*

Some papifts who were connetled with, or attached to proteftants, ftrenuoufly urged them to change their religion, and even taught them how to crofs themfelves, and to fay popifli prayers, from a thorough conviction that the prefervation of their Jives depended on their converfion.

This happened to Mr. Gibfon, while in prifon, to whom fome papifts lent mafs books, and pointed out to him the prayers which he ftiould learn by heart.

The rebels, in their domiciliary vifits in fearch of orangemen, arms or ammunition, in the houfes of proteftants, never failed to carry away with them any articles of wearing apparel, or remarkable furniture, that pleafed them. The women were much more adtive in plundering than the men,, not only in Wexford, but in the country. They conftantly entered and plundered the houfes of their proteftant neighbours, without fliame or remorfe.

, The wives of the country rebels often made a fantaftlck appearance,, with the elegant apparel of proteftant ladies of Wexford, put over their own homely drefs. Some of them were feen mounted on horfeback,, with handfome veils, having at the fame time pikes in their hands.

At firft there were ferious apprehenfions of a famine, as no provifions were carried to market, except butter and milk; and they were fold for one fourth of the ufual price, from the fcarcity of fpecie, the paucity of bidders, aitd the fears of the farmers that it would be feized by force for the ufe of the republick, if they w?re not fpeedily fold.

Officers to regulate the price of provifions were inftituted in every parifh in the county. They alfo appointed armed veflels to cruize in the channel, which were to intercept fuch as they found laden with coals, or any of the neceffaries of life.

For this reafon, a committee was formed, to ftvpply the town with provifions,

• Some time after the rebellion was fupprcfTccI, he demanded his hire from fome of thofe ■whomhehadchriftened.  See Appendiic, No, XX. j;.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 455

vifions, and they appointed commiffaries In every parifn, who plundered the adjacent country.

William Devereux of Taghmon, commlflary of his own parifli, was folicited by a rebel to give him a pair of fhoes; and he faid, “ Have. you killed a foldier?” and he anfweringin the negative, Devereux faid, “ You fliall not have the flioes till you have done fo.” This the rebel proved on Devereux’s trial at Wexford.

The governors of the newly-eflabliflied republick prohibited the circulation of bank notes, with a view of injuring the credit of government, which tended materially todiftrefs the inhabitants of Wexford.

A perfon of the utmofl veraciiy alfured me, that in his prefence a rebel, who had been concerned in the plunder of Mr. D’Arcy’s houfe, pulled out of his pocket a large quantity of bank notes, in the ftreets of Wexford, and tore them; fwearing at the fame time, with much vehemence, that he would ruin all the banks in Ireland.

The narrow efcape of Mr. Milward, an officer in the Wexford militia, and Mr. Richard Newtown King, a magiftrate of the county, will ftiew the reader with what malignant zeal the rebels fearched for proteftants, whom they denominated orangemen.* Thefe gentlemen lay concealed at the houfe of Mr. Hatchel,t fon-in-law of Dr. Jacob.

■ One Herring, a rebel captain, in the courfe of making domiciliary \4fits in queft of orangemen, entered Mr. Hatchel’s houfe with a drawn fword, at the head of an armed band of rebels. On finding Mr. Milward, he conveyed him to prifon; but firft informed Mr. Hatchel’s family, that he would bum the houfe, if they concealed any more orangemen. On this Mr. King, who happened to be in the only room which they did not fearch, declared that no perfon fhould fuffer on his account. He therefore retreated backwards to another houfe at fome diflance, and in doing fo, was obliged to fcale fome walls, and to wade through a fmall ftream, much fwollen with the tide. He lay concealed fome days in a wretched out-office, not better than a pig-fly, and was fupplied with food by Mrs. Jacob. His vnfe, though fhe lodged near him, would not venture to approach him, left the place of his retreat fhould be difcovered. At length, the rebels who were adive and inceffant in their refearches, difcovered and committed him.

Thefe

• See James Beaghan’s confeflion in Appendix, No, XIX. 8, f See Plate VJ.

IMEMOIRS OF TOE DIFFT:RENT

Thefe two gentlemen were on the point of being maflacred the twentieth of June, on the bridge of Wexford, when Mr. Efmond Kyan, a rebel chieftain, faved their lives, by telling the rebel bloodhounds, that the king’s troops muft finally fucceed, and that they would gain ample vengeance of them for putting fo many proteftants to death in cold blood, and without any provocation whatever.

Efmond Kyan, who was wounded at the battle of Arklow, was coming to Wexford to get medical affiftance, and happened to be crofling the bridge when the maflacre was going forward.

Thofe who obtained a certain quantity of provifions from the committee who diftributed it, expected to have the exclufive enjoyhient of it; yet the rebels would enter their houfes, and take it out of their pot und carry it ofl”, or fit down at their table and eat (hare of it; and while fitting at the tables of proteftants, they would often fay, “ That they loved liberty and equality, and that they liked to fee mafters and fervints affociate together.”

“ They led their wild defires to woods and caves, “ And thought that all but favages were flaves.’*

On Trinity Sunday the third of June, a man of the name of Murphy, of the popiih perfuafion, vv-as fhot in a fmall place, formerly called the Bull-ring, now Fountain-fquare,t for having profecuted a prieft of the name of Dixon, for being an united Iriflimen. Mr. Middleton Robfon, a ganger, and Meflrs. Plgott and Julian, furveyors of excife, all pro-, teftants, and prifoners In the gaol, were brought forth and compelled to (hoot him. By way of encreafmg the ignominy of his death, they had him executed by hereticks. Previous to the execution the rebel pikemen, who adted as guards, croiTed themfelves, knelt down and prayed fometime for his foul. As foon as the vidim fell, the bloody Thomas Dixon, fir ft coufin of the prieft, drew his fword, ran it through his body, and having held it up to publick view, reeking with blood, exclaimed, “ Behold 1 the blood of a traitor j” ‘and then he ordered the furrounding pikemen to plunge their pikes into the body. Dixon the prieft, convicted on his evidence, was condemned to be tranfported. This execution took place foon after the celebration of mafs, at the pubUck chapel; and previous to it, father Gorrin, the parifli prieft, adminiftered the rites of

his

t Plate VJ. K.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

457

his church to him; and yet he, or any of the priefts in W exford, could have faved the Hfe of Murphy without any difficulty. Thefe fads were proved on the trial of Michael Mc. Daniel, one of the affaffins, held at Wexford the eighteenth of June, 1799.

On Monday morning the fourth of June, another man of the name of Murphy, a papift, was fhot for having given information againft rebels. His executioners were three proteflant prifoners, Charles Jackfon, Jonas Gurley, and Kennet Matthewfon,§ Edward Fraine, a man of fome opulence, and who was fuppofed to gain 300 1. a year as a tanner, was officer of the guard. When the executioners were brought into the yard, Fraine addrelTed Charles Jackfon, and had the following converfation with him : “ Mr. Jackfon, I believe you know what we want of you.” He anfwered, “ Yes; I fuppofe I am going to die He then fell upon his knees, and begged that he might be allowed to go to fee his wife and child. Fraine fwore he ftiould not, and informed him, that a man was to die that evening at fix o*clock, and that he did not know any more proper perfons to execute him, than he and the two others. He added, that he fuppofed he could have no objedion to the bufmefs, as the culprit was a Roman catholick. Jackfon replied, “ Sir, fhpuld I have no objection to commit murder?” Fraine faid, “ You need not talk about murder; if you make any objedions, you fhall be put to death in ten minutes; but if you do your bufmefs properly, you may live two or three days longer; fo I exped you will be ready this evening at fix o’clock.” Another rebel captain infultingly addreffed him in the following manner : “ If you could get a few orange ribands to tie round your neck during the execution, it would, I think, have a pretty appearance.” The executioners were remanded to their cells, where they remained praying till fix o’clock in the evening, when they were brought again into the gaol yard, where they found the prifoner Murphy furrounded by about a thoufand armed rebels.

The proceffion to the place of execution, which was about a mile and a half off, at the other fide of the bridge, was in the following order : A large body of pikemen, who formed a hollow fquare; a black j9ag;

3 N the

S Thefe men were much efteemed in Wexford. Gurley and Matthews were afterwards murdered by the rebels oq the twentieth of June.

I

4.58 IVIEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

the drum and fifes \ Murphy, the condemned man next, followed by Jiickfon, with Gurley and Matthewfon behind him. When this arrangement took place, the dead march was fttuck up, and beat till they arrived at the fpot where the viclim was to fall a facrifice to their fanatical vengeance. He was placed on his knees, clofe to the river, and with his back to it. Previous to the execution, the rebels knelt down and prayed for about five minutes; which ceremony was adopted as in the former inflance. The rebels were ordered to form a femi -circle, with an opening towards the water. Charles Jackfon afked permiffion to tie his cravat ^bout the poor man’s eyes; but they defn ed him not to be nice about’ fuch’ matters, as it would be his own cafe in a few minutes. When the mufkets were called for, it was fuggefted, that if they gave three at once to the executioners, they might turn about and fire at them. It was therefore refolved, that they fhould fire one at a time. Matthewfon, the fu ll perfon appointed to (hoot, miffed fire three times. They gave him another mufket, with which he fhot Murphy in the arm. Jackfon was next called upon; and as tiieyfufpefted that he would turn and fireon them,, two men advanced at each fide of him, with cocked piftols, und two men with cavalry fwords were placed’ behind him, who threatened him with inftant death if he miffed the mark. He fired, and the poor man inftantly fell dead; after which Gurley was obliged to fire at the body, while proftrate on the ground. It was then propofed that jackfon fhould wafh his hands in his blood, but it was over-ruled, as fome of the rebels faid he had done his bufinefs well. A ring was then formed round the body, and a fong in honour of the Irifh republick was fung to the tune of, “ God fave the king.”

This dreadful bufinefs took up about three hours, after which the executioners were marched back to prifon. Thefe circumftances relating to it are to be found in Charles Jackfon’s narrative, and they were confirmed by the evidence given on the trial of Matthew Greene of Wexford, who was tried, condemned, and executed there, fdr having aded as a rebel officer at this atrocious fcene.

Charles Jackfon informs us, and I have been afTured by different perfons of veracity, that proteflants were frequently taken out of the Wexford prifons, and conveyed to the different camps, and in particular to Vinegar-hill, to be executed there.  This was done whenever they were

at

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

4-59

at a lofs to fupply the facrifice of proteftant vi£lims, which was daily made, as a regale to the rebels when on parade.

James Lett, chandler, Richard Leech, mafter flioemaker, William Mooney, who kept the Fox-inn at Ennifcorthy, and John Hawkins, were taken from Wexford, by a rebel guard, who was to convey them to the grand flaughter-houfe. Vinegar-hill. Finding that they were to die near their own homes, they prevailed on a rebel, who was attached to them, to go before them with fpeed, and to prevail on their neighbours to come forward, and to ufe their friendly interceflion for preferving their lives. The rebel guard, dreading that they might poffibly efcape through the humane interference of their friends, difpatched them at a place call. ed Lacken, threw them into one grave, and covered them lightly with fods. They were all, except Hawkins, half alive, when buried, and groaned and ftruggled a great deal while the rebels were interring them.

On the morning of the twentieth of June, four proteftants, of the names of Cavenagh, Willis, Furlong, and Prifcott, were conveyed from the gaol of Wexford to Vinegar-hill, and (hot there.

The defeat of the rebels at Rofs fublimated their vengeance agaiiifi: proteftants in moft parts of the county, but particularly at ScuUabogue, Vinegar-hill, and Wexford. Charles Jackfon tells us, that on the day it was announced, fifteen of the Wexford, and ten of the Ennifcorthy people were ordered out of the gaol, to revenge the lofs which the rebels had fuftained at Rofs. He fays, “ When this notice was given, I ran into my cell, got upon my knees in axlark corner, and pulled fome ftraw over me; but a man of the name of Prendergafl* came in, and drew me out, uttering fhocking threats againft me. He dragged me into the yard, where I found my unhappy comrades on their knees. One of them who had been a proteftant, but had become a catholick,_, and’Who was now imprifoned on a charge of being ati orangeman, requefted to have the prieft: with him before he died. This was immediately granted; and a’ melTenger was fent to fatherCorrin, the Roman catholick prieft of Wexford. He prefently came; and to give effed to his admonition and interceffiun, had drelTed himfelf in his cowl, and

3^2 bore

* An opulent fliopktcper and maltfter, who was hanged.

• 46o MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

bore his crucifix in his hand : He held up the crucifix, and all preI’ent fell on their knees : He exhorted them in the moft earned manner : He conjured them, as they hoped for mercy, to fhew it : He made every polTible exertion to fave all the prifoners; but it was in vain : He faid he could witnefs that the Wexford people had never fired upon them, or done them any injury; and that he could not fay mafs to them, if they perfifled in their cruel refolutions. At laft: he influenced them fo far, as to prevail upon them to return into the gaol the fifteen “Wexford men; but for thofe from Ennifcorthy, he could obtain no remiffion.”  They were conveyed to Vinegar-hill, and executed there.

It will reflect eternal fliame and dilhonour on the popifh priefiis of the county of Wexford, of whom numbers were conftantly in the town, besides thofe who refided there, for having fuffered fuch atrocities to be committed by their fanguinary fleck, over whom they had unbounded influence, and by whom they were not only revered as men, but adored as Gods. The favage pikemen never met them in the flireets, without bowing low to them with their hats off, and continued fo while they were in their fight; and they never met doftor Caulfield, the popifli biftiop, without falling on their knees, and receiving his benedidion.

Now it will appear by the following protedion, that dodtor Caulfield, the popifli bifliop, could proted the Ennifcorthy as eafily as the Wexford people, however odious they were. Two perfons of the former were confined in the gaol of Wexford, and dreading that they might be maffacred, appUed to two priefl:s of Ennifcorthy to protect them; and having obtained a recommendation from them to dodor Caulfield, he gave them a protedion, in confequence of which they v/ere liberated, and were never afterwards moleflied. I give the reader an exad copy of the recommendation and protedion.

Reverend Dodor Caulfield, Wexford. “ My Lord!

** If poflfible you’ll have the MeflTrs.  liberated, or removed to

fome more comfortable lodging : They are well difpofed, and have never injured any one individual. Your compliance will oblige your affedionate friend,

Ennifcorthy, June 15th, 1798. JOHN SUTTON, prieft.”*

“ The

* He conftantly vifitcd the camp at Vinegar-hill.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 461’

“ The Meflrs.  — , I am fure, are free from any party bufinefs,

orange, or any thing Inimical to any fociety of people, as is mentioned above.  I remain, my lord,

Yours mofl fmcerely,

WM. SYNNOTT, P. P.”

“ From the excellent charaders of the above gentlemen, I beg leave, in the name of Jefus Chrift, to recommend them to be protected.

Wexford, June 15th, 1798. JAMES CAULFIELD.”

Richard Grandy, though a proteftant, obtained a pafs from a prieft, merely becaufe he was fuppofed to have fome furgical knowledge; and the rebel magiftrates who prefided at Taghmon, viz. John Breen, James Harper, Jofeph and Matthew Commons, gave it as their opinion, that Grandy would be perfedly fafe in pafling through the country with fuch a protection, and accordingly he never was molefted, though he traverfed a great part of it.*

“ Mr. Richard Grandy is hereby allowed to pafs and repafs, to and from any part of this diftrid:, whenever he thinks proper; and will be of great ufe in the neighbourhood, to drefs the wounds of any neighbour who may be wounded.

EDWARD MURPHY, parifh prieft of Bannow and Ballymutty, &c. To the different guards of Ballymutty and Bannow, &c.”

This prieft anticipates the wounds that his neighbours, whom he knew to be rebels, might eventually receive; and he addreffes the rebel guards, confcious of his influence over them. Father Collins granted the following pafs to the fame perfon :

“ Pray allow the bearer, Mr. Richard Grandy, to pafs.

JAMES COLLINS, parifh prieft of Duncormuck.”

On the trial of general Edward Roche, at Wexford, Mr. Goodall, a yeoman, who had been led to execution on the bridge, declared upon oath, ihat no perfonsbut the priefts could have prevented the effufion of blood.

The follovdng certificate was given by father Broe, a friar, to a perfon whom he had chriftened, in order to fave his life :

“ I hereby

* See his affidavit containing this pafs, and the exhortation of father Murphy to extirpate hc-reticks, Appendix, No. XX. 7.

‘,452 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

“ I hereby certify, that A. B. of C. in the parifti of D. has done his ■duty, and proved -himfelf a catholick. F. JOHN BROE.”

Dated Wexford, “ June 2i”ft, 1798.

Mr. Meadows, who was a prifonet in the gaol, informed me of the following incident which occurred while he was there : A papifl: who had been committed in a miflake, fent for a priell, and remonftrated to him on the injuftice of confining him : “ For,” faid he, “ you know as well as1 do, that we are fighting for the mafs, the crofs, and the lamb. It was I that led on the Ballaghkeene men at the battle of Oulart.” On faying this, the prieft had him releafed.*

It was refolved at the rebel camp near Rofs, immediately after the victory obtained by the king’s troops, to put all the proteftants to death. Mr. Meadows was at. that time in the prifon-fhip in the harbour of Wexford. A rebel, who had a warm regard for him, having made his efcape from the camp, repaired to Wexford, and told Mr. Meadows’s brother, ,who was not in confinement, that the prifon-ftiip would probably be funk that night; and he urged him to prevail on Mr. Corrin, the prieft, who, he faid, had -more influence than any other individual in the town, to have his brother releafed.

As the taking and captivity of lord Kingtborough, now the earl of Kingfton, by the rebels, is an important and interefting incident, I will give a circumflantial relation of it. The head quarters of the North Coi^k regiment, which he commanded, was at Wexford, and on-the breaking out of the rebellion, he refolved to join them. From Dublin to ArkIow,t ‘he travelled by land, but as the roads were infefled by a rebellious banditti, he took a boat there, manned by failors of approved fidelity, who had been recommended by the reverend Mr. “Bayly of Lamberton. Having flopped at Courtown, on the coaft, to get fome refrelhment, it is believed that ■fome difaiTeded perfons there conveyed intelligence of his lordfhip’s intention to the rebels at Wexford. At Ballynalker, about three or four •miles from the harbour’s mouth, they perceived a number of armed men ‘on an eminence, from whence one of them having fired a mufquet, the

ball

‘ A refpe<5tahle and loyal Roman catholick of Watcrford, who was there while it was in pofTeiTion of the rebels, alRived the late lord mayor, (now aldemian Thomas Fleming) iiid me, that the pricfts could have prevented the effufion of bloodby a turn oftlieir fingei.

t Plate II. 1.

\

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 463

ball pafled over their heads.  When they arrived at the entrance of the bay, they were met by a veflel failing fafl before the wind, the paflengers in which they took for women 5 but when they clofed each other, fifty rebels variouily armedj, ftarted up and threatened to flioot them if they did not furrender*  They at the fame time hoifted a green flag, with a harp, but without a crown.  They wore white bands round their hatSj with Unity and Liberty infcribed on them,.  They made prifoners lord Kingfborough, captain O’Hea, Heutenant Bourke, of his own regiment, and the boat’s crew.  Generals Keugh and Harvey were ready to receive them on the quay where they landed.  For two days his lordfhip was lodgedat the houfe of general Keugh 5 he was then removed to an inferior kind of inn, called the Cape of Good Hope, thence to the prifon-fliip, where he remained but eight hours, having been afterwards lodged in a private houfe, where a guard was placed over him.  Keugh afked him, how he thought government would treat him and his party, if they had them in their power? Lord Kingfborough replied, That they would hang every one of them.”  On which Keugh obferved, ,” We know that we fight with halters round our necks.”  The day of his lordfliip’s arrival^; Bagenal Harvey fet out for the campat Carrickbyrne, where the rebel, army that attacked Rofs was ftationed.  Keugh told lord Kingfborough, “ That he would permit him to write to lord Cafllereagh,. the lord lieutenant*s fecretary; but faid, “ He expefted he would inform him how well he and his fellow-prifoners were treated   and he added, “ That he expeded his friends MefTrs. Sheares^ Bond, Emmett, Jackfon, M’Cann,&c, would receive fimilar treatment.’*’ He informed lord Kingfborough, that the members of the Irifh union had no confidence in the oppofition party in the Irifh parliament, becaufe they confidered them as infincere; and that they had propounded catholick emancipation, and reform of parli?.-. rnent, merely to promote their own ambitious defigns.

Mrs. Snowe^ the wife of captain Snowe of the North Gork.iregiment,: informed me, that lord Kingfborough afked her foon after his; capture, “ Whether fhe thought the rebel chieftains would have put him to death?” She repHed, “ She was fure they would not, becaufe they regarded him as a very good hoflage, fhould they enter into any flipulations for their, ©wn fafety; and that by preferving his life, they might conciliate him, and obtain his influence and intereft to fecure their own and to fucji . motives, I am forry to fay, we mufl impute the fafety of lord Kingfborough,,

This

464

iMEMOlRS OF THE DIFFERENT

This lady heard general Keugh upbraid his lordfhip for not having treated doctor Caulfield with fufficient refpcft, when he waited on him; and to make an atonement for it, he, with the permiffion of lord Kinglborough, wrote a note to the dodor, to requell he would call on him again; and he affured him of the neceffity of conciliating him, as his countenance and protection were abiblutely neceflary for the fafety of his perion; and in compliance with Keugh’s requefl, dodor Caulfield waited again on lord Kingfborough. Keugh was foUcitous of obtaining the dod:or’s protection for his lordfhip, becaufe he was convinced of the perilous fituation in which he Hood, from the following event : “ After Murphy had been fliot in the Bull-ring, on the third of June, Thomas Dixon who had prefided at the execution, proceeded to Keugh’s houfe, at the head of a band of favage pikemen, and clamoroufly infilled on having the bloody orangeman, lord Kingfborough, delivered up to him. Keugh fuccefsfuUy oppofed his atrocious defign, but not without confiderable difficulty. Keugh affured • lord Kingfborough, that the attention which he fhewed his lordfhip,

and the zeal which he difplayed for his prefervation, had lefTened his authority fo much among the people, that he could no longer be accountable for his fafety if he remained in his houfe, for which reafon he left it. Keugh feverely rebuked lord Kingfborough for having received a vifit from the officers wives of his own regiment. Robert Carthy, a rebel of fome property and confiderable influence, happened to enter his lordfhip’s lodgings while the ladies were there; and declared, in oppofition to Ketigh, that they fhould go there as often as they chofe, and that Keugh had no right to interfere. On which Keugh faid, “ I am governor of the town.” Carthy. “ Who appointed you?” Keugh. “ The people.” Carthy. “ No, they would not truft fuch a fellow; I am one of them, and I never gave my confent.” He then grappled at Keugh, but lord Kingfborough interfered, and put an end to the altercation; however Carthy, on retiring, challenged Keugh to fight. Some days before the king’s troops arrived at Wexford, he affured a lady of my acquaintance that his life was conftantly in imminent danger, as he had loft all his authority, and there was no fubordination among the rebel foldiers : That one day while he attended the committee,* the bloody Thomas Dixon,

attended

■ * It was proved on the court-martial that tried him, that he was preRdent of it; but that his engagements as governor prevented his regular attendance.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 465

attended by two fufileers, went to the door of the committee-room, and fent in for Keugh, under the pretext of having fome bufmefs to tranfad wkh him; but very fortunately for him, he could not go to them, having an indifpenfable engagement; and having been afterwards alTured, that they meant to alTaflinate him, he accufed the fufileers of it, who declared •that they bore him no ill-will, but that they were perfuaded to murder him by Thomas Dixon.

Dixon and his wife were two fanguinary monfters, who were inceffantly endeavouring to incite the people to a6ts of violence and bloodflied. He kept an inferior kind of inn in the town of Wexford, which v/as very mucl). reforted to by rebels, who held their clubs and confpiracies there. He was proprietor of two large floops, and was bred to the fea, which gave him very great influence among the failors, whom he frequently inftigated to commit carnage and plunder.

At one time the rebel foldiers threatened Keugh’s life in the ftreets; and to appeafe them, he gave them the moft folemn affurance, that he had been warmly attached to their caufe fix years, and their fworn friend more than three.* A few days before the king’s troops expelled the rebels from Wexford, Keugh found a party of them going to put a pitch-cap on lord Kingfborough, and afterwards to aflaflinate him. He was fo fortunate as to prevent them from perpetrating their nefarious defign, but not without very great danger, as a ruffian prefented a mufket at him, and was with difficulty reftrained from firing it. I have heard from the concurrent teftimony of different perfons, v/ho refided in Wexford at that time, that nothing but the humane and adive interference of generals Keugh and Harvey, prevented that indifcriminate flaughter of proteftants there, which took place in many other parts of the county, particularly at Vinegar-hill; but when they loll their authority, the bloody work began. When that was completely loft, Keugh invented and told the rebels the following ftory, in order to check their thirft for ^ blood; ^’ That twenty-five thoufand northern preibyterians were armed and embodied, under a Scots general, and would march to the fouth immediately, and take ample vengeance of them, if they malTacred any more ^protellants-.” At one time, the rebel foldiers infifted on bringing him “to trial. Some days “before the town was relieved by the king’s’ troops, , he told a

3 O refpeftabie

* TMs was proved on hu trial.

466

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

refpedlable gentleman of my acquaintance, then refident at Wexford, thaf his life was in imminent danger; and that though he might efcape afluffmation, the anxiety and agitation ot his mind would foon put a period to his exiftence.

Some of the gentlemen confined in the prifon-flilp, alTured me, that tke rebel guards frequently inveighed again ft Keugh, and’vowed’vengeance againft him, becaufe he would not indulge the people, that is, becaufe he did his utmoft to reflrain their defire for carnage; to fuch a deplorable ftate was that unfortunate man reduced in a very few days, after lie had attained the height of his ambition, and by that very rabble who had faluted him unanimoufly, and by acclamation, to be governor of the town!’

Soon after he was arrefted by the king’s troops, on the twenty-firft of June, he told an officer of my acquaintance, that he was convinced, the period of his. life could not exceed forty-eight hours, even if his party had gained the afcendancy; and if the king’s troops fucceeded and’entered the town, his fate would, be determined in twenty-four.

On the evening of the fourteenth of June, a party of the rebels ruflied into the committee or council-room, and nearly killed Keugh. The charge againft him was his being an orangeman. The rell of the members who were Roman catholicks, refcued him : but he, and all’ the proteffant leaders embraced that religion, and went regularly to mafs,, at the head of the rebels : but they never could forget their having been protfeftantp, and they treated them accordingly. She heard Tome of the rebels fay, all their policy and chriftianity ftiall not fave them : and it was at laft avowed, that no proteftant fliould live, much lefs command them.”*

On Sunday the tenth of June, while the rebels were on parade, at the cuftom-houfe quay, governor Keugli informed them, that doftor Caulfield the popilh bifhop had ordered a fermon to be preached that morning from the altar, fuited to the times, and that they mult repair to the chapel to hear it. They accordingly marched thither, with fife, and drums playing. After mafs was celebrated, the reverend father Roche, chaplain to doftor Caulfield, pronounced the following difcourfe from the altar :

*’ I am very much difpleafed at feeing a pradice among you of trying to convert the proteftants to our communion, becaufe their converfion cannot be fincere, and arifcs merely from a hope of faving their livesLet

* Lady’s diary.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 467

Let there be no more of it, as theynever will become true catholicks.” After a difcourfe of fome length, to his own flock, he addreffed the proteftants who were in the gallery, in the following words : “ You are come here under the impreflions of fear, to profefs yourfelves catholicks; you are not fo in your hearts : You do it to fave your lives. Now, I tell you, my good people, don’t deceive yourfelves; if you are not fmcere in what you protefs, I tell you you will all be murdered. I tell you to a certainty you will all be murdered!” This was repeated feveral times, with long paufcs, and great emphafis. Then addrefling himfelf to the pikemen, he pointed out to them the grievances they and their anceftors had groaned under, for a hundred years paft, by the oppreffion and cruelty of the proteftants; and after having wrought them up to the higheft pitch of religious phrenzy, he faid, “ Notwithftanding the variety of ill treatment you have received from the proteftants, and are ftill fufFering, avoid the fpilling of blood. I recommend to you, to be merciful to thefe poor people, as you hope yourfelves for mercy : For God’s fake, be merciful to them. You are contending for your holy religion and your rights. The glorious fuccefs which you have obtained ftiews, that you are under the protedion of the Almighty, in whofe caufe you are fighting. Continue your fpirited exertions then. You have put your hands to the plough, and you muft not look back. Be afTured that you will all be murdered unlefs you fucceed and get the upper hand.” This prieft was very aftive at the battle of Foulkes’smill, in exhorting and ftimulating the rebels to enter into the adion; nay, he was feen horfewhipping thofe who betook themfelves to flight.

On the fame day that this fermon was preached, a proclamation was read from the altar,* requiring all perfons to apprehend and convey to the gaol of Wexford the following gentlemen, becaufe they had been adive magiftrate: and zealous loyalifts : James Boyd, reprefentative for Wexford, Hawtrey White, Archibald H. Jacob, and Hunter Gowan. Printed copies of it were difperfed in moft parts of the county.

George Taylor., a printer at Wexford, was compelled, though a proteftant and a loyal fubjed, to print all the proclamations, orders and edids, of the republick, /hich commonly ended with thefe words, “ God fave the people.’* I ani well informed that he was obliged to put up a label in his fliop, announcing him printer to the republick.

3 O 2 On

* See Appendix, No. XX. 17.

468

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

On Sunday the feventeeri’ih day of June, notice was given from the altar, that the following Saturday was to be obferved as a faft, for the fuccefs of the war,

A gentleman of the utmoft veracity afllired me, that father Murphy \’vT0te on many doors in Wexford, a latin infcription, with his name, and the fign of the crofs annexed to it. This, it is fuppofed, was forae mark of religious diftinftion.

A party of refpectable ladies, who lived together in a houfe, to which t.he rebels frequently paid domiciliary vifits, and under whofe windows ihey often aflembled and converfed, heard them make the following obfervations : One faid, (while they were drinking whiikey in their parlour,) *’ This is a religious war another, “ I fay it is not.” At laft, . they grew warm, and gave the lie to each other; on which a third rebel interfered, and faid, “ Sure we received orders not to fay it was a religious war, left we fhould bring down upon us the vengeance of the Northerns,” meaning the prelbyterians. They frequently boafted of their barbarities, and faid, “ They would not fuffer any perfon to live who was not of their faith, as there was only one true religion.”

They often faid, when the fuccefs of the king’s troops began to make them, defpond, that the failure of their caufe arofe from having proteftants at the head of their armies, and that they could not have luck or grace while any of their fort were in their ranks.

The following circumftances occurred to a party of refpedlable female proteftants, who refided in the fame houfe. They daily received three bt four domiciliary vifits from the pikemen, who treated them with brutal itifolence. They frequently prefented piftols at them, and fometimes ^reffed the muzzle of them againft their breaft, or their fide, with fo much violence, as to give them exquifite pain; faying, at the fame time, with fanatical fury in their countenance, “ You muft die I” and on being alked, why they treated them fo cruelly, they repHed, ** You are orangewomen, and bigots to your religion.” They would then afk them, ** Were we ever known to wrong or offend any perfon? Have we not given to the poor as much as we can afford? and in the diftribution ef alms have we ever made any difference between the members of your church and our own?” “ That is all true; but you are orangewomen.

You

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 469

You have the drop* in you. For generations in your family, ysu cannot name on either fide, a fmgle catholick. One branch of your family came to Ireland with Cromwell; the other with king William, and therefore you muft die.”

The 13th regiment, commanded by lieutenant-colonel Bradfhaw, was quartered for above a year at Wexford, where he and his lady were very much efteemed and refpedted. They marched to Waterford a fhort time before the rebellion broke out, and left their firft-born child at nurfe with the wife of one Wreck, who lived within a mile of Wexford. The rebels often threatened to burn his houfe, unlefs he would put the young heretick to death; but he, with becoming fortitude, mingled with hu-manity, refifted their menaces; and he was confirmed in this generous refolution by the refpeftable females whom I have now mentioned, and who often vifited the child.

The rebels frequently attempted to fofce the gaol, and to murder the prifoners; but the guards, I prefume, influenced by their officers, fuccefsfuUy oppofed them.

A number of proteftant prifoners were marched from Gorey, and committed to the gaol of Wexford, on the fourteenth day of June. As they marched through the town, the houfes were hung with green eml)lems, and the mob exprefled their favage joy by fhouting aloud. The rebels ftripped the prifoners almoft naked, and put pitched caps on their heads before they left Gorey,

The reverend Roger Owen, a proteftant clergyman and redor of Camolin, was among them, without flioes, and having a little ragged jacket.f

A refpedable lady, who faw from a window the prifoners pafling through the ftreets, affured me, that the wife of Thomas Dixon, fo remarkable for the ferocity of her difpofition, headed the rebels who efcorted them; and faid, with much violence, mingled with contempt, and pointing to Mr. Owen, who was barefooted, “ There’s a proteftant clergyman! behold the proteftant clergyman!”

The fufferings of Mr. Lehunte, a refpedable gentleman of large landed property, who lived at Artramoiit,|| near Wexford, merit a circumftantial

relation.

* This was a common exprcffion among the rebels, meaning of protcilant blood, t See Appendix, No. XXI. a, 3. |1 See Plate III. 5..

47©

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

relation. He commanded the Shelmalier corps of yeomen cavalry, who amounted to fifty-two, of which twenty-four were papifts; and of that number twenty deferted to the enemy at Oulart; and two were difmifled, becaufe they gave flrong indications of difalfeftion. It was remarkable that numbers of Roman catholicks fhewed great zeal to join that and other corps in the county of Wexford, a fhort time before the rebellion broke out; though they had previoufly fhewn a great repugnance to do fo. Mr. Lehunte, on the evacuation of Wexford, was too late to get on fliipboard, and therefore fell into the hands of the rebels. Being a gentleman of a mild and humane difpofxtion, he was allowed to remain in a private lodging at firft.

Thomas Dixon and his wife, whofe thirfl for proteftant blood was infatiable, contrived the following device to incite the rabble to aflalfinate him. They repaired to Artramont, about two miles I’roni Wexford, and at their return, proclaimed in the llreets that there was an apartment there furnifhed with orange colour, in which plots and confpiracies had been formed by oraijgemen, for the extirpation of the Roman catholicks. He alfo produced a fire-fkreen, which had been innocently decorated with orange ribands, and on which there were many curious devices, the work of female ingenuity. He difplayed it through the ftreets as a flag, and flopping now and then, he, with a loud voice, put the following malignant conflrudion on the figures which it contained, to a numerous body of failors and pikemen : That Hope, refting on an anchor, was emblematick of a failor burning on it, as the orangemen would heat it for that purpofe : That Hebe and the Eagle indicated that they would give the children of Roman catholicks to birds of prey to be devoured : That the lance of Minerva was fuch an inftrument as they would ufe for their deftruftion. By fuch tortuous and malignant fuggeflions he wound the populace to fuch a pitch of phrenfy, that, headed by Dixon, they flew to Mr. Lehunte’s lodgings, forced him with violence into the ftreet, and dragged him to the gaol, where they committed him to a condemned cell; on which Dixon informed him, that he fliould have but fifteen minutes to live.* In his progrefs to the gaol they buffetted him very much, tore his hair, and gave him two flight wounds.

They

* See in Appendix, No. XX. j. Taylor’s affidavit who was in gaol.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 471

They would inftantly have put him to death, but that Bagenal Harvey, Cornelius Grogan, and Keugh, informed the populace who furrounded him, that the obfervations of Dixon were falfe and groundlefs; but their authority, being proteflants, did not continue long.

The artillery men, whom the rebels took when a detachment of the Meath regiment was defeated, on the thirtieth of May, were imprifoned in feparate cells in the gaol of Wexford, where they were almofl: ftarved from the bad quality and the fcantinefs of their food;

Andrew Sheppard, a protellant, and a corporal of that corps, was takeir into a fmall court, within the gaol, to be fhot. The executioner having burned priming four times at him, father Murphy, who had entered the gaol, cried out, “he has Ibnger days to live; let the heathen go back to prifon   ha-ving imputed his efcape to the Divine interference.

While thefe men were in prifon, many attempts were made by the rebel guards to force it, and put the prifoners to death, having faid, that they would not (land guard over hereticks.f

General Roche, the layman, and Thomas Dixort, urged them to ferve in their army as artillery men, having promifed them commiffions, and in fome time eftates, if they would comply. As they had no other means of making their efcape, they confented, and were led firft to Gorey, and thence to the battle of Arklow, where they ferved as artillery men.

A Roman catholick of the utmoft veracity, who refided in Wexford aiTured me, that the rebel foldiers began to be envious of their fuperiors, and to exprefs the warmeft indignation againfl the council and the committee, for living in great luxury and abundance, while they were wretchedly fed; and he was decidedly of opinion, that they would have^ maffacred them, if the republick had lafted a few days longer.

A fhort time before the king’s troops were vidtorious, and entered the town, the committee intended to have made a requifition of plate, and to have inftituted a mint.

To animate the rebels, reports were conflantly propagated by theiar leaders, that -Dublinwas in pofleffion of their friends; and when they were undeceived, they aflured them that it was blockaded by five republican camps, and that it muft; foon furrender, as the inhabitants were labouring under the preffure of famine.

From ‘

t See Appendix, No, XX. i.

472 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

From the very great fcarcity of provifions which took place in confequence of the wafteful confumption of fo many favages, the embryo repubUck mud foon have fallen to the ground, if the king’s troops had not put an end to it.

So completely deluded and deceived were the rebels in Wexford, that it was univerfally faid, and believed there, that they were conftantly fuccefsful; and that the very days that they were beaten, they frequently huzzaed in the ftreets, to exprefs their joy on the taking of Rofs; and one man rode with fpeed into the town, waving a piftol, and crying out, “ Rofs is taken!”

Mr. William Hughes, a refpeftable inhabitant of Wexford, of the proteftant religion, and a rigid loyalift, generoufly entertained in his houfe fome of the wives of the officers of the North Cork regiment, after their hufbands had retreated. Governor Keugh frequently prefTed him to join his party, but he peremptorily refufed. One day he faid to him, “Though your wife is nearly related to mine, and to Bagenal Harvey, and though you have proteOions, you cannot exped to efcape, unlefs you enrol yourfelf in one of our corps but he fternly refufed. Keugh faid, “ I will give you two days to confider of it and he replied, “ If you gave me feven years, I would give you the fame anfwer.” And this in the prefence of his wife and fix children. Mrs. Snowe, one of the officer’s wives, who was prefent, faid to Mr. Hughes, “ Confider ferioufly what . you are about, for your life belongs to your wife and your fix children whofe prefence were fufficient to fhake his firm refolution, and infpire him with a love of life; but he continued fleady in his principles.

A prieft fometimes attended Mr. Hughes’s houfe, and urged the officers wives to embrace his religion, alTuring them, that no perfon could be faved who was not within its pale, but he could not fucceed.

Before I defcribe the malTacre at Wexford, and the evacuation of it by the rebels, it will be neceffary to give the reader an account of the battle of Vinegar-hill, and the very judicious difpofition which general Lake made of the troops ^Cvho were to attack that ftrong pofl, which was the citadel and the grand rendezvous of the rebels, as the viftory obtained there preceded that dreadful event.

The movements of the different columns who were to attack it, will be beft: explained by the inftrudions iffued by general Lake, the fixteenth of June, 1798, to the general officers who commanded them.

General

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 473

General Dundas, will be directed to move on the feventeenth to Hacketftown, and to iflue his orders to general Loftus at Tullow,* to unite his force with him on the eighteenth at Carnew.t

General Needham, to move at three o’clock, A. M. on the nineteenth to Gorey; general Dundas having fent a flrong patrole under general Loftus from Carncw, at fix o’clock on the fame morning to Grove’sbridge,]; four or five miles on the road to Gorey, j| to fupport general Needham, in cafe he fliould meet with refinance at Limerick-hill or at Gorey, and to communicate to general Dundas general Needham’s fituation.

General Johnfon, on the nineteenth, at four o’clock, A. M. to move to Old Rofs,§ and unite with general Moore in driving the rebels from Carrickbyrne-hill.** He will take up his pofition that day near Old Rofs, and fend a ftrong patrole to fcour the country towards the Black-ftair mountains,|J in junction with fir James Duff. This movement will require a very particularly concerted arrangement between general Johnfon and fir James Duff. The patroles to return to their refpedive corps on the fame day.

Sir Charles Afgill, on the eighteenth, will occupy Grove’s-bridge, Borris||[| and Graigenamana,§§ and will remain in thofe pofitions until the twentieth, three P. M. when he will return, unlefs he (hall receive orders to the contrary.

Lieutenant-general Dundas, on the twentieth, will march to Ballycarney-bridge,*** keeping the eaft-fide of the Slaney to Scarawalflibridge,||J to arrive there at twelve at noon.

Sir James Duff will alfo move on the twentieth, by the road on the weft-fide of the Slaney to Scarawalfh-bridge, where he will arrive at twelve o’clock.

General Needham, on the twentieth, will move from Gorey to Ou^ lart,|||||| to be there at twelve o’clock.

General Loftus. The corps from Grove’s-bridge, will move on the twentieth, through Camolin and Ferns,§§§ and unite with general Dundas at Scarawalfli-bridge, at twelve o’clock.

3 P General

* Plate II. I, a.     f Ibid. 4. i Ibid.   || Ibid. § Plate III. 5.

•• Plate III. 5.     tX Ibid. 2.     |||| Plate II. 6, 7. §§ Ibid. 8.

Plate II. 7. W Ibid. yi||| Plate III. s. S§§ Plate II. 6, 7.

474 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

General Moore, to land on the eighteenth at Ballyhack-ferry, and on the nineteenth, he will move at three o’clock, A. M. to Foulkes’smill,* and unite with general Johnfon in driving the rebels from Carrickbyrne-hill. He will take up his pofition that night at Foulkes’s-mill, fecuring the efcape of the rebels between that and Clomines.t

General Johnfon, on the twentieth, will move with his column to Ballymacus-bridge,| either to unite in the attack on Ennifcorthy, if necefl’ary, or prevent their efcape in that diredlion.

Should the rebels have evacuated Ennifcorthy and Vinegar-hill, the columns under general Dundas and fir James Duff will take up their pofition that day in front of Ennifcorthy; and general Johnfon will at the fame time receive orders to take a pofition on the great road from Ennifcorthy to Taghmon.

General Moore, in this cafe, on the twentieth, will move from Foulkes’smill, and take poft at Taghmon, ftill fecuring the country between Taghmonjl and Clomines.

But ihould the enemy maintain their pofition at Ennifcorthy, § the attack will be made on the twenty-firfl: at day-light, by the columns under general Dundas and fir James Duff, and general Needham moving from Oulart.

The general forward movement and inveftment of Wexford will take place on the twenty-firfl, when the feveral columns will be fo united as to receive direftions as circumftances may point out.

Gun-boats. Orders are to be fent to the naval commanders to ftafion their gun-boats and armed vefTels in Wexford harbour early in the morning of the twenty-firft, to co-operate in fuch manner as may be neceffary for the attack of the town, with the gun-boats from Waterford, which will be direfted to fupport general Moore and the corps at Clomines on the nineteenth.

Such was the judicious arrangement made by general Lake, for furrounding the rebels on Vinegar-hill, for retaking Ennifcorthy and Wexford; and in fhort, for putting down the rebellion in that county : But before I proceed to defcribe the grand attack, it will be neceffary to relate fome events which took place previous to it in the north of that county.

After

* Plate III. .7    t Ibid, J.     t Ibid. j.    !| Ibid. 6.     5 Ibid.?.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

475

After the defeat at Arklow, the enemy took their ftatlon on Limerick iiill,* to the north of Gorey, in great force, and continv;ed to fpread devaflatlon over the adjacent country, murdering fuch proteftants as fell into their hands, and burning the houfes of thofe who were fo fortunate as to make their efcape, till the eighteenth of June, when generals Dundas and Loftus marched againft them, according to a preconcerted plan.

As Kileavin-hill,| from its declivity, afforded a much ftronger pofl: than Limerick-hill, the rebels u^ok poft on it about eight o’clock on the morning of the eighteenth of June, as foon as our two columns made their appearance. General Dundas’s column moved from Baltinglafs, by Hacketftown and Tinnahely.J General Loftus marched by Shile!a.|j A general aftion feemed unavoidable. General Dundas having refolved to move round Kikavin-hill, fent orders to general Loftus to march on the Carnew§ road, and to begin the attack by that town; but the following circumftance fruftrated their defign : When general Dundas had advanced a confiderable way towards the point where he was to begin his attack, he fuddenly found himfeli in a deep hollow road, with flrong fences on each fide. He perceived alfo, that he mufl have proceeded” fome time in it, before he could have extricated himfelf, and recolleding the fate of colonel Walpole, he very prudently ordered the column to countermarch; and at the fame time fent orders to general Loftus to take fuch a pofition as to cover this retrograde movement. By this unexpefted event, the two columns became united, and the rebels had a clear country to the north, the eaff , and the fouth-eaft, and were fo flrongly polled, that the main objedi: of the generals was to proteft themfelves on the weft fide, where the pofition of the enemy wa:s fo well feeured by a ravine in front, by large banks and high hedge-rows, that general Lake, who arrived at this time with his whole ftaff,. thought it prudent to defer the attack till the reinforcements joined them.’ A brilk cannonade was maintained for fome time, but without any material effed. At length, general Lake ordered the troops to ‘ march to Carnew, where they remained that night. Two rebel fpies who entered that townwere Ihot.  Green faflies and cockades were found in their pockets.

3 P 2 On

• Plate II. 3, 3.     + Ibid. 3* 4   * Ibid. i.     H Ibid. a.     § Ibid, 4.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

On the nineteenth of June, major-general fir James Duff jomed the army with his brigade from Newtown-barry,* and general Needham was moving on the road from Arklow to Gorey.f The troops at Carnew were under arms. A general attack was inftantly to have taken place, and from the number of our troops, and the excellent difpofition made by general Lake, there could not be a doubt of its fuccefsful iffue; but at daybreak it was discovered that the enemy had fled. Fearing to be cut off from their favourite pofition at Vinegar-hill, they retreated through Moneyfeed and by Gorey. Inftead of taking this ftep, had they pulhed forward with that celerity with which their movements were ufually made, in confequence of having but little baggage or equipment to tranfport, they might have feized on the important poft of Rathdrum, the key to the city of Dublin, from which they would have derived infinitely more advantage than from their retreat to cover Wexford and Ennifcorthy; becaufe our army muft have purfued them, and then the excellent and well-digefted plan formed by general Lake for furrounding them, would probably have been defeated.

I have already defcribed this in the orders iffued by him; and they were exactly fulfilled by the refpeftive general officers to whom they were directed, except by generals Needham and Moore, who were prevented by unforefeen and fortuitous circumflances, which I lhall hereafter explain.

General Johnfon took a pofition near Ennifcorthy,§ for the purpofe of driving the rebels from that town, in whicfh they were ftrongly ported. Lieutenant-general Lake and the entire ftaff remained with general Dundas, who, as I before obierved, marched to Scarawalfh-bridge.|

Lieutenant-generals Lake and Dundas, and major-general Wilford, with their ffaff, and the firit brigade of light infantry under the command of colonel Campbell, remained all the night of the twentieth of June upon their arms, at Sollborough,|| with a large body of cavalry, within two miles of Vinegar-hill. About one o’clock in the morning, general Johnfon reported his arrival on the other fide of the Slaney, near Ennifcorthy. General Needham’s column lay about half a mile off, on the left of general Lake’s army, whither he had marched from Oulart by general Lake’s orders.

* P].ite II. 5  t IbiJ. 4, J.    5 Ibid. III. j.    t Ibid. II. 7, 8   II Plate III. i

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

477

ders. General DufF, with his guns, advanced on the Ferns road, on the eafl fide of the Slaney,t having that river on his right flank, and firing on the rebel lines on the hills, and throwing howitzers into them as hr. advanced. In this movement he was fupported on each flank by the light infantry, under the command of general Loftus.

When they had arrived at the beginning of the afcent of Vine^ar-hill, general Loftus was detached by general DufF to occupy a green hill in a park enclofed with ftone walls, which was on the fide, and compoied a part of Vinegar-hill.; General Loftus furprifed the rebels bythe celerity of this movement, becaufe the hill was fl:eep; and the ground which he occupied there was divided by ftone walls; but by breaking open gaps, he had two guns carried over at firft, and foon after four more, by having untackled them from the horfes. From this pofiticn he was able to fire into the lower line of the enemy, rather on his left, with fuch efiecli that eighty-five of them were afterwards found in their trenches killed with grape-ftiot. General Loftus made his movement by a narrow road on the left, diverging from the main one, and then rapidly afcended the hill. At the fame time, generals Lake, Dundas and Wilford, with colond Campbell’s light infantry, were advancing up the hill || on the fouth-eafl; fide, and were firmly oppofed by the rebels, who maintained a very brifl^ fire on them, retreating at the fame time from one hedge to another, tiH they were driven over the hill. On that occafion general Lake had a horfe fliot under him. The movements of the two columns were fo well timed, that they met at the fame ro.oment on the top of the hill. §

At that time, and not before, general Lake perceived how actively general Johnfon had been employed, and how ably he had fupported him on the fide of Ennifcorthy. From the numbers of the enemy, the height and the fteepnefs of the hill, and its being interfeded in fnan.y parts with enclofures, formed by high clay banks, with foflts behind them, the rebels were completely proteftedT from our fire. It is aftonifhing that dur troops did not fuffer more, and that the rebel army were fo quicki) diflodged, and driven from fo ftrong a pofition.  They had no lefs than

thirteen

i»

t See PlarelV. 8} Ibkl. 6, 7. |I Ibid. 10, 11.

§ In plate V. the reader will fee iin exacS outline of Vinegar-hill, with the m»veir,ent of the troops, which, though a flight Iketch, reprefents it with precifion

4/8 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

thirteen pieces of ordnance, and their infantry mufl have been well fupplied with ammunition, as they maintained a very heavy fire. I fhali refer the reader to general Lake’s letter to lord Caftlereagh, for an account of the adion.*

Father CHnch, an Ennifcorthy priefl, fell in this engagement. Being of a huge ftature, with a fcymitar and broad crofs belts, and mounted on a large white horfe, with long piftols, he made fo confpicuous a figure on the hill, during the aOion, and the day preceding it, as to attradl the notice of our troops, particularly as he feemed to be conflantly employed in reconnoitring them. The earl of Roden having fingled him out among the fugitives, overtook him after a mile’s purfuit, and received his fire, which his lordfhip returned, and wounded him in the neck. He then difcharged his fecond piflol at lord Roden, on which an officer of his regiment rode up and fhot him. He wore his veftments under his clothes; he had near forty pounds in his pocket, a gold watch, and a remarkable fnuff box; all which, it is prefumed, he acquired by plunder. He had been as aftive in the cabinet as the field, having conflantly fat at the committee at Ennifcorthy; and mounted on his charger, and fully accoutred, he daily vifited the camp.

As general Needham’s column did not occupy the poll allotted to it in the firfl arrangement for furrounding Vinegar-hill, on the fouth-eafl fide of it leading to Wexford, I think it right to explain the circumflanceswhich prevented it. He advanced on the twentieth inftant to Oulart, an inconfiderable village to the eafl of Vinegar-hill, and within fix miles of that part of it where he was to take pofl. On that evening, when the troops had taken up their ground, and driven back fome advanced piquets of the enemy, and made a proper difpofition for protecting four hundred carriages laden with provifions and ammunition, for the army which attended them, general Needham received an order from general Lake, about half an hour after eight o’clock, figned by the adjutant-general, defiring him to march immediately with the troops under his command, to join general Lake at Solfborough, the feat of Mr. Richards, where he had taken up his head-quarters. The harnefling and arranging in the proper order of march fuch a number of carriages, occupied a good deal

«f

• See Appendix, No. XXI. i.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 479

of time. Thus incumbered, the movement of the column was flow; particularly as it pafled through deep and narrow roads, with high and thick fences on each fide, and in .a country fo much enclofed as to render it impoffible to fend out flanking parties; though from their proximity to the enemy, there was every reafon to exped an attack, which, had it been made^ might have proved fatal. However the column proceeded unmolefted, and arrived at Solfborough, about half pafl three o’clock, on the morning of the twenty-firft of July.

Major-g£neral Needhani, on reporting his ar rival to general Lake, was informed, that he muft immediately occupy the pofition firft allotted to him, in the general orders. Thus, after a moft fatiguing march, without having had any refreftiment for his troops from the time he left Gorey, he was obliged to repair to the poil he was to occupy by a circuitous route, of eight miles.

General Needham, feeing the impofTibility of reaching the hill in propes time, fent to requeft general Lake would defer the attack, but this was pofitively refufed. General Needham therefore puflied forward with his cavalry, and deftroyed many of the fugitives from the hill; having purjTued them as far as the nature of the country would admit. It is muck to be lamented, that general Needham’s line of march to his pofition, was changed; as had he been fuffered to repofe his troops at Oulart on the night of the twentieth, and to have proceeded next morning to his deftination, very few of the rebels would have efcaped.* General Lake refufed to defer the attack, in conformity to general Needham’s requeft, for the following very good reafon : General Johnfon was engaged witK a numerous body of rebels who defended Ennifcorthy; and they would probably have been aififted by their main body on Vinegar-hill, .if general Lake had not immediately made a diver fion.

An immenfe column of the rebels which retreated from Vinegar-hill, “by the pofition which general Needham was to have occupied, marched by the eaft fide of the Slaney, firft to Carrick-bridge,t but commonly called Carrick-ferry, within three miles of Wexford, headeH by the . following generals : Father John Murphy, father Kearns the prieft, Anthony Perry, Edward Fitzgerald, and John Hay.  After pafTing Carrick-bridgc,

• His orders were to attack at three o’clock.

t Plate IIL 5> ^’

480

MTIMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

one column entered Wexford, under Murphy, Kearns and Perry, where they remained about two hours, threatening the deftruftion of the town, and a general maffacre of the remaining proteftants, without diftinftion of (age, fex, or condition; but they were partly prevented by the combina■ Tion and the determined r’efiftance of the inhabitants of the towia, who feared the lofs of their property, and they dreaded the approach of ^(aeral Moore’s arniy.

Having left the town, they retreated over the bridge, headed by Efmond Kyan, Edward Fitzgerald, Perry and Kearns, and took the high and direct road to the county of Wicklow; which, and the north part of the county of Wexford, they continued for fome time to defolate.

The proteftants who had fied from Gorey and its vicinity to Wicklow, on the defeat of colonel Walpole, on the fourth of June, thinking that the viftory at Vinegar-hill had reftored peace and good order, were attempting to return to their refpedive homes, but were met by a large party of the rebels, who were retreating after their defeat, and who killed thirty-fix of them. For a fpecimen of their barbarity on that occalion, 1 fhall refer the reader to Appendix, No. XX. 20, 21. It happened in\ Friday the twenty-fecond of June, which is now called in that country bloody Friday.

The other column, headed by prieft Roche, John Hay and Murphy, proceeded from Carrick-bridge to the mountain of Forth, where they remained for about three hours, holding a council of war, in which as Roche and John Hay differed in opinion, they left them, and were taken in a day or two after, and hanged at Wexford. Father John Murphy, and another pried of the fame name, then led the column by a circuitous route through the barony of Forth, by Maglas,* the moor of Mulrankin, and the Scar pafs of Barretftown,t over the Scallogh.gap,J into the county of Kilkenny, fpreading defolation in their progrefs, having plundered and burnt the town of Caftlecomer, and the fuperb manfion of lady Ormond; and mafl’acred fuch proteftants as they could lay their hands on.

As the part which general Johnfon took in the attack on Vinegar-hill was by faf the moft perilous and brilliant, I fhall give the reader a more circumftantial relation of it. In his march from New Rofs, he met a rebel armed with a pike, who, on being informed, that he deferved to be hanged for having appeared in arms againft the king, replied, “ You

may

* Plate III. 8. t Ibid. \ Plate II. 7.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 481

may hurt my body, but you cannot injure my foul^ as father Roche has taken care of it.”

The evening before the attack on Ennifcorthy, he marched to Ballymacus,* about four miles from it; but wifliing to have his men frefti for the onfet next morning, he moved forward to Daphne, within a mile and a half of it. Soon after his arrival there, a large body of rebels, marching in columns and intermediate lines, advanced within half a mile of his army, and feemed determined to attack it; on which the general prepared to receive them; but they fent forward their lharp fliooters, who maintained a very fmart fire on his line, till he brought up his cannon and diflodged them with it.

The main body which marched from the town to attack him, occupied an eminence, on which three or four Ihots from twelve-pounders were fired; and when the balls lodged on the hill, numbers of the rebels emulouily vied with each other to lay hold of them. After that fome fhells having been thrown on it, and a great body of them having furrounded them for the fame purpofe, they exploded, and blew them to atoms.

Next morning, after having driven the rebels from the high ground intp the town, which could not be efFeded without much danger and difficulty, as the rebels difputed every inch of ground, firing from behind the hedges, each of which afforded a flrong poft; he kept that pofition for about an hour, during which he and the rebel army continued to cannonade each other; and he had the greater part of the Vinegarhill army to contend with, as general Lake did not begin to attack them for fome time.

In driving the rebels into the town, they made a moft obflinate refiftance, by their pikemen in the ftreets, and their mulketeers, who were excellent markfmen, from the windows^

Having advanced with one gun, to an^ open fpace, where the courthoufe t Hes, a numerous body of pikemere rulhed from that building, with enthufiaftick vehemence, and feized and kept it for a few minutes, havinooverpowered the party which attended it; but it was foon retaken by a frefli column of troops, who killed moft of the rebels concerned in that

3 ^ i furious

* Plate IIL 3.

t Plate IV. 4.

482

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

furious onfet. The general then ordered the light infantry to charge over the bridge, and up the hill, which were occupied by a numerouB body of rebels; but they having fhewn an unwillingnefs to do fo, he called •on the county of Dublin regiment to perform that fervice, on which they gave three cheers, and led on by colonel Vefey and lord Blaney, in conjundion with the light infantry, forced the bridge, and marched up the fteepefl: part of the hill, driving the rebels before them.

Major-general Euftace, who acted on this occafion with general Johnfon, ^fplayed great fpirit and gallantry.

That fide of the hill which general Johnfon afcended is by far the fleepefl:, and commands the town.

As the army commanded by general Johnfon loft more men in killed .and wounded than all the other troops that attacked Vinegar-hill, we may conceive the difficulties and the oppofition which he muft have encountered.

He fuftained the following lofs : Two field officers wounded, two captains killed, two fubalterns killed and two wounded, two ferjeants, one wounded, one miffing, fixteen rank and file killed, fixty-two wounded, five miffing.

The arrival of general Moore’s army at Foulkes’s mill occafioned a very great alarm at Wexford and the Three-rock camp.* On the evening of the nineteenth, the drums beat to arms, and the church bell was rung. Keugh and Harvey were very buly, but feemed much difmayed. They fent all the rebel foldiers in town to the Three-rock camp. For three miles, the diftance from it to the town, each fide of the road was ■crowded with old men, women and children, on their knees, praying for their fuccefs, as they marched by. When they advanced about two miles, they met on horfeback father Keane, commonly called the bleffed prieft of Bannow. The rabble had uncommon veneration for him, becaufe they believed, from his fuperior fanclity, that he was more expert in working miracles, and had more fupernatural powers, than any other prieft. He was a little old grey-headed man. The rebels flocked to him with great cagernefs, to obtain his benedidlion, which he gave, by laying his hand on their heads, and muttering a few words.

This

• Having given the reader a defcription of the rebel camp on Vinegar-hill, I fliall give lum that on the mountain of Forth, in Appendix, No. XXI. 3.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND; 48-3.

This priefl: having been guilty of fome irregularities, foon after he was priefted, retired to Newfoundland, where he exercifed, for fome years, his facred function, and at the fame time the apoflolick purfuit of a filherman. A boat, in which he ferved as a failor, having caught great quantities of cod fifli, in a harbour where it had been fought for in vain fome years before, this fudden change was imputed to his benediction beftowed on it. He returned to his native country, with the title of the bleffed prieft of Bannow, which is his native place. During the rebellion he diftributed many thoufand fcapulars* among the rebels y and to numbers he gave two, one to proteft them in advancing, the other in retreating. He aflured the wearers of this facred fymbol, that a ball from, a heretick gun could do them no more injury than a pea. He conftantly vifited the rebel camps, particularly that on the mountain of Forth; and a poney which he rode, was led by two men, who cried out, with a loud voice, “ Make way for the bleffed priefl; of Bannow!” I have been affured that jie refufed his bleffmg to fome rebels, unlefs they brought him the head of Mr. Goff, of Horetown, a quaker, who was juftly and univerfally efteemed; ‘ and it is faid, that he would mofl; certainly have been affaffinated, but for the viftory of general Moore, which fl:ruck terror into the rebels..

A party of them took poffeffion of Mr. Goff’s houfe, under the command of one Monk, and they were attended by father Byrne, a prieft, who w^as purveyor to the party; and he compelled the Mifs Goffs, young and amiable women, to bake bread, and do every other menial office to fupply the rebels. A party of them one day afked his benediftion, having knelt down for that purpofe; but he refufed to give it but to fuch as produced their pikes ft;ained with the blood of heretieks.

It was mentioned before that general Moore was to take poft at Foulkes’s mill, ten miles from V/exford, to prevent the rebels in their flight from Vinegar-hill, from efcaping by Clomines. He remained in the demelne of Mr. Sutton, of Longraige,J which is quite clofe to it, on the evening of the nineteenth of June.

Next morning, general Moore had a fmart a£lion with the rebels, which is defcribed by him in a letter to general Lake.f

3   2 I have

* Sie in the Index, under the title of fcapular, a. fall explanation of this religious emblem; and in Plate V. a figure of one. i PlateIII. C,, 7. t Appendix, No. XXI. 2.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

I have been affured by perfons well acquainted with the defigns of the irebel general that this adion was brought on in the following manner :

That general Roche intended to have taken poffeffion of Rofs, when general Johnfon had left it; that he fent one party to Horetown, to watch the motions and engage the attention of general Moore, while the mainbody proceeded to Rofs; that the former fuddenly and unexpeftedly came on general Moore’s army, and had a fkirmifli with them.

The main body having heard the firing, went to their afliftance, which brought on a general adion.

Roche, after being defeated, meant to have kept one divifion of his army in the woods of Horetown, to the north, the other in thofe of Rofsgarland, to the fouth; and to have renewed the attack in the night, when aided by the darknefs, which would have been favourable to the charge of his pikemen, and relying on the fuperiority of his numbers,* he entertained flrong hopes of fuccefs; but the arrival of the 29th and the Queen’s regiment as a reinforcement to general Moore baffled his expeftations.

There were many priefts in the rebel army, exhorting their troops, and often horfewhipping, and even threatening the run-aways with fwords and piftols, to compel them to return to their ranks.

Having mentioned the occurrences which preceded and occafioned the evacuation of Wexford, I ftiall now relate that event, and the dreadful malTacre of proteftants which took place the day before, and which has caft fuch an indelible ftain on that county, that every Irilhman who feels for the honour of his native country, fhould wifh that its very name was expunged from the map of Ireland. From the fanguinary fpirit which the rebels manifefted on all occafions during the rebellion towards that fed of chriftians, there is not a doubt but that they meant to extirpate them as foon as they had obtained a decided fuperiority over the government; and their leaders never failed to praftife every artifice they could devife, to make them believe they were in a fair way of attaining it : But when their delufions were removed, and they faw a very numerous and well-appointed army march into the county of Wexford, they

were

• He had at leaft fifteen thoufand. ^General Moore had not more than one thoufaivd two hundred.

♦

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 485

were flung with defpair, and refolved to indulge their fanatical hatred againfl: proteftants, by murdering fuch of them as were their prifoners.

Jofeph Gladwin, the gaoler of Wexford, an Englilhman, and reputed a man of veracity and humanity, has declared that Thomas Dixon propofed to get rid of the proteftant prifoners at once, by fetting fire to the gaol; but Gladwin faid, that it would be impoffible to accomplifti it, as the floors in every flory were arched. He then propofed to burn them in the ftreet; on which Gladwin flipped backwards, and related the infamous defign of Dixon to Bagenal Harvey, who expreflTed great horror at it; and faid, he did not think that matters would ever have proceeded to that dreadful excefs, and that he did not know how foon it might be his own cafe.

I fliall give the reader an account of this tragical affair, as related to me by fome refpeftable perfons who refided in Mr. Hatchel’s houfe,* very near the bridge, where it was perpetrated, and were eye-witneflfes of it,

*’ Between the hours of ten and eleven o’clock on the morning of the twentieth of June, we faw a body of rebels coming over the bridge, bearing a black flag, with a crofs, and the letters M W S infcribed on it in white; which was fuppofed to mean murder without fm; and on the other fide a red crofs. After having made a proceflion through part of the tov/n, they fixed that woeful harbinger of death on the cufl:om-houfe quay, near the fatal fpot where fo much blood was foon after fhed; and where it remained flying for about two hours before the butchery began.|

“ Soon after they arrived on the quay, they feemed to difperfe; however many of them remained there, and repaired to one particular place, where drink was given to them; and where a priefl: was very bufy in diftribuiing it, and who, they believed, remained there till they left the quay, fliouting, “ To the gaol! to the gaol!” when they all disappeared, but returned about four o’clock to the bridge, with a number of prifoners, whom they maflacred. They thus continued till about feven o’clock to convey parties of prifoners from ten to twenty, from the gaol and the

market

• Plate VI.

\ Some refpedlable proteftant ladies, prifoners at that time, affured me, that at that awful moment, they were informed, and with apparent forrow, by fome popifli women, in whofe houfes they lodged, that the hour was come, when every perfon in Wexford of their religion, would be put to death. Others received this melancholy intelligence tie cveniHg of the preceding day.

486

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

market-houfe, where many of them were confined, to the bridge, where they butchered them. Every proceffion was preceded by the black flag,, and the prifoners were furrounded by ruthlefs pikemen, as guards, who often infultingly defired them tO’ blefs themfelves.f

“The mob, confiftingof more women than men, expreffed their favage joy on the immolation of each of th^ victims, by loud huzzas.

“ The manner, in general, of putting them to death, was thus : Two rebels puflied their pikes into the bread of the vi(5t;im, and two into his hack; and in that Itate (writhing with torture) they held him fufpended, till dead, and then threw him over the bridge into the water.

“ After they had maflacred ninety -feven prifoners in that manner, and before they could proceed further in the bufinefs, an exprefs rode up in great hade, and bid them beat to arms, as Vinegar-hill was befet, and reinforcements were wanting. There was immediately a cry, ** To camp! to camp!” The rebels feemed in fuch confufion,. that the ma£I’acre was difcontinued.

“ In the moment of confufion, the reverend Mr. Corrin, parifh prieft of Wexford, arrived on the bridge, to divert them from their fanguinary defignp, and which, it is faid, he did. to the utmoft of his power. Soon ikfter his arrival, he knelt down on the very fpot where the blood had been fpillcd, and faid fome prayers. After which the rebels rofe from their-knees, and exclaimed, Come on^ boys, in the name of God, to the camp! Thank God, we have fent thefe fouls to hell!” They then accordingly fet out for the camp.

“ Ic is remarkable that the favage pikemen knelt down, lifted up their hands, and prayed apparently with devotion, before they proceeded to commit any of the murders.”

A lady, who was in Mr. Hatchel’s houfe, near the bridge, where this fanguinary fcenetook place, deferibes it thus in her diary, which I quoted before : “ About three o’clock, captain Dixon came to the quay, calling out, “ To the gaol 1” He was followed up the cuftomhoufe lane by numbers. They returned fome time after to the bridge. I thought fome alarm induced them to leave the town, and fat eagerly watching, till I beheld, yes, I faw, abfolutely faw, a poor fellow cry for life, and was then moil barbaroufly murdered.

« I’o

t See Appendix, No. XX. a.

I

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 487

To give an account of this hellifh fcene is beyond my ftrength, nor could any perfon defire to hear it. No favages ever put their prifoners to more deliberate torture. I faw a boat go to the prifon fliip, and bring my friends and acquaintances (who on landing paffed by our door) to torture and death. I faw the horrid wretches kneel on the quay, lift up their hands, feeming to pray with the greatefl devotion, then rife and join, or take place of other murderers. I’heir yells of deh’ght at the fufferings of their viftims will ever, I believe, found in my ears.

** To defcribe what we all fuftered, would be impoffible. I never Ihed a tear, but felt all over in the moft bodily pain. We expected life only till the prifons and the Ihip* were emptied; when an exprefs came, to fay the army were marching againfl Vinegar-hill camp, and that if they did not reinforce it immediately, all was loft. The town priefts then, and not till then, made their appearance. The leader of the murderers called to his men, in thefe v^’ords, which I diftindly heard, “ Come, my lads! we will now go; bleffed be God we have fent fome of their fouls to hell!” They went off really as if they had been performing a praifeworthy and religious aflion.”

Mr. James Goodall, who had been taken out of the prifon ftiip, and conveyed to the bridge, to be murdered, but was faved by the interference of Roche, the lay-general, declared upon oath on his trial, “ That the alTaflins on the bridge were like a pack of ftarving hounds rufliing on their game.”

Mr. Corrin had flept the preceding night at Clonard, two miles off, to chriften a child for Mr. Kellett, who was in the prifon-lhip, and whofe wife w^s of the popilh perfuafion. She, Mrs. Bland and Mrs. Crump earneftly entreated him to fave the lives of their hufbands, who were in the prifon-fhip, and he faithfully promifed to do fo. This I beard from one of thefe ladies.

Previous to his departure, he feemed fo much agitated by fear, as the king’s frigates and gun-boats appeared outfide the harbour, that he could fcarce go through the ceremony of baptizing the child; and he piteoully befought them to protect him, as he would proteft their hufbands.

When they had put to death on the bridge between thirty and forty of the prifoners confined in the gaol, they feat a boat to the prifon-fhip,* ‘ and called for Meifrs. Cox and Turner.  After having plunged two pikes

into

• It was but twentyfiv« tons burden, and twenty-two gentlemen were confined three weeks in its hold.

488 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

into the bofom of the former, he jumped into the water from the bridge, but was (hot as foon as he rofe.*

Mr. Turner, a magiftrate, who beheld this woeful fpedacle, was next brought forward. They confulted about raifmg his body on their pikes, and carrying it through the ftreets, as they harboured the moft infatiable revenge againfl; him, becaufe he was an adive juftice of the peace, and a zealous loyalift. His own poftillion, Thomas Cleary,{ infifted on having the gratification of fhedding his blood; but the intemperate eagernefs of the pikemen for carnage operated like mercy towards him, for a number of them joined him in perforating his body with pikes, and threw it over the bridge.

Mr. Lehunte was next fent for to the prifon-fhip, but he fortunately happened to be in the gaol, where he eluded their fearch in ihe corner of a cell. Their miftake, and the delay occafioned by it, very fortunately faved his life, as the exprefs arrived, and the alarm took place in the mean time.

Mr. Hore, of Harper’s-town, nephew to the earl of Courtown, a moll amiable inoffenfive gentleman, and Mr. Kellett, were next brought from the prifon-lhip. The former was alked, Whether he had any perfon who could fpeak in his favour? He faid, he had not, but requefted time to find a perfon who could do fo. He was then afked. Whether he was not connected with Mr. Boyd, member for the town? He anfwered, by faying, that Mr. Boyd was married to his fifter; to which the rebels replied, that is enough; and having immediately malfacred him with their pikes, they threw his body into the river. §

Mr. Edwards, taken out of the prifon-fhip, was faved, becaufe he was married to a popifh wife. It was alked by one rebel, whether he had ever prevented his wife from going to mafs? Another, who was friendly to him, anfwered in the negative, and faid, he had often attended his wife to the chapel, and had gone for her when mafs was over; on which he was difcharged.

Mr.

* He commanded the Taghmon cavalry, had been a captain in the 5th regiment of foot, and had retired on half-pay.  He was taken at Coolcliffe. i See Cleary’s confeffion in Appendix, No, XX. 21.

§ As Mr. Boyd’s family were zealous loyalifts, they, and every perfon conneded with thenij were peculiarly the objeits of rebel vengeance.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 489

Mr. Samuel Atkin, married to a proteftant, was murdered.

Another perfon of the fame name, and his two fons, were faved, becaufe, it was believed, the father was married to a popifh wife.

The bloody Thomas Dixon, and his wife, were prefent at, and fuperintended this dreadful fcene of carnage on horfeback.

When the rebels retreated from the bridge, on the alarm given bygeneral Roche, Dixon and his wife attempted to follow them; but their horfes ftartled at the immenfe quantity of blood which was (bed on the bridge, and refufed to pafs through it; on which they difmounted, and led their horfes over the bridge; flie, at the fame time, holding up her riding habit, left it fhould be ftained with blood. She was heard to defire the rebels not to wafte their ammunition, but to give the prifoners plenty of piking.

It will refleft indelible difgrace on the popifh priefts of Wexford, of whom there were no lefs than fifteen or fixteen in the town during the perpetration of thefe maffacres, that none of them, except father Corrin, ever interfered to prevent them. They evinced the moft uiibounded influence on all occafions; for no proteftant was ever injured who had been fo fortunate as to obtain a proteftion from one of them. It has been faid in defence of the priefts, that they were totally ignorant of the maflfacres till Mr. Kellett fent to father Corrin.

It was well known, at an early hour, that the rebels meditated thefe fcenes of favage cruelty, and their intention was announced by the proceflion which they made with a black flag. The aflaflinations began at the gaol about two, on the bridge between three and four, and ended between feven and eight. At different times, the prifoners were conveyed in numbers of from ten to twenty, furrounded by ferocious pikemen, and preceded by that enfign of death, through the principal part of the town.

When every perfon of humanity in Wexford was petrified with horror at fuch tragic fcenes, . which continued for five hours, could the priefts alone have remained ignorant of them in fo fmall a town as Wexford? The idea is too abfurd.

1 have been informed, that a young man from Rofs, who afted with the rebels, but who had more humanity than moft of them, went to dodor Caulfield, informed him of the maffacres which were going forward,

3 R and

49©

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

and befought him to prevent them; but he refufed to interfere himfelf, but fa:id he would fend father Roche, his chaplain, who was prefent, for that purpofe; but he never was known to exert himfelf. The perfon who gave this notice to doftor Caulfield, with whom father Corrin had dined, related it to many perfons who affured me of it.

Mr. George Taylor, a man of great veracity, wrote a hiftory of the rebellion in the county of Wexford, of which he is a native; and he tells us, “ That while this work was going on, a rebel captain, being fliocked at the cries of the victims, ran to the popifli bifhop, who was then drinking wine with the utmoft compofure after dinner; and knowing that he could ftop the maflacre fooner than any other perfon, entreated him, for the mercy of God, to come and fave the prifoners. He in a very unconcerned manner replied, “ It was no affair of his and requefted the captain would fit down and take a glafs of wine with him; adding, “ That the people mull be gratified.” The captain refufed the bifliop’s invitation; and, filled with abhorrence and diftrefs of mind, walked filently away.

Mrs. O’Neil went to the dodor to complain of the murder of her iiephew, Mr. Turner, on the bridge : He was one of the firft perfons taken out of the prifon-fhip, yet dodor Caulfield did not interfere, nor did Mr. Corrin, though he was prefent, till Mr. Kellett fent a mefI’enger for him; and there were many perfons maffacred in the interval between Mrs. O’Neil’s complaint and the deliverance of Mr. Kellett.

While they were difpatching Mr. Hore, of Harper’s-town, Mr. Kellett, who was the next intended victim, fent a perfon in the crowd, who had formerly lived with him as fervant, for Mr. Corrin, who dined at dodor Caulfield’s, the popifh bifhop, to let him know his perilous fituation; and he inftantly repaired to the bridge, threw himfelf between Mr.^^Kelleit and the pikemen, faying that they fhould not kill him, without firft butchering him. Having thus refcued him, he firft led him to his own houfe, and afterwards to Clonard, about two miles off, the feat of Mr. Kellett, who kept Mr. Corrin at his houfe till next day, to proted him from the military, who were expefted in Wexford. It was univerfally believed, that father Corrin’s interference did not proceed from pure motives of humanity, but from a preconcerted agreement with Mr. Kellett, for the following reafons; He did not approach the bridge, or ufe any exertion,

tiU

i

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 491

till he received Mr. Kellett*s meflage at the bifhop*s; and when he led him away under his proteftion, he left the other prifoners on their knees in the hands of the ruthlefs pikemen, without offering to interfere for their prefervation.

The following circumflance tends ftrongly to confirm this opinion : A gentleman of very great refpeftability, who was on board the prifonfhip, aflured me, that on the morning of the maflacre, a fervant of Mr. Crump, went on board, and from the general tenor of his converfation, they could infer, that Meffrs. Crump, Kellett and Bland, would be faved at all events; which we may fuppofe was in confequence of the promife made to their wives by Mr. Corrin the evening before.

Charles Jackfon, an Englifhman, who had pradifed the trade of a carver and gilder at Wexford, was among the lafl party of prifoners fuppofed to have been faved by Mr. Corrin. . He publiflied a narrative of his fufferings, and of the events which occurred at Wexford during the rebellion. The popilh clergy of that town have relied much on his veracity; and it is moll certain that his relation of the events of which he was an eye-witnefs is ftriftly true.

A popilh prieft of Wexford wrote a pamphlet under the fignature of Veritas, with the alTiftance, and under the direftion of do£lor Caulfield, merely for the purpofe of vindicating the condudt of the Romifh clergy j. in which he often quoted Jackfon’s narrative, which gives a faithful reprefentation of the events which occurred, except while he was in prifon; and his account of them during that period was erroneous, for the following very obvious reafon : They were communicated to him by his wife, who being a rigid papift, was completely under the influence of the priefts.

He gives the following account of the efcape of himfelf and his fellow prifoners on the bridge :

“ General Roche rode up in great hafte, and bid them beat to arras; faying, “ That Vinegar-hill camp was befet, and that reinforcements were wanting that this operated like lightning on the rebels, who inftantly quitted the bridge, and left Jackfon and the other vidimson their knees. That the mob, (confifting of more women than men,) who had been fpeftators, alfo inftantly difperfed in every direftion, fuppofing the king’s troops were at hand : That the prifoners, ftupified with horror, remained

3 R 2 fome

492

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

fome time on their knees, without making any effort to efcape : That the rebel guard foon returned, took them back to gaol, telling them, that they fhould not efcape any longer than the next day, when neither man, woman or child of the proteftants fhould be left alive.”

Different perfons at that time in Wexford, and fome who lived near the bridge, have unanimoufly concurred with Jackfon’s relation of it.

A perfon of the utmofl veracity, who was led out to execution, and narrowly efcaped, has pofitively afferted, that he believes father Corrin would not have interfered at all, but that he imagined there was a complete reverfe of fortune, in confequence of the alarm occafioned by the arrival of the meffenger from Vinegar -hill; but this perfon was ignorant of the fecret compact which he had made with Mrs. Kellett.

As flrong fufpicions were entertained, and infmuations were thrown out, foon after the malTacre at the bridge, that the popifli priefls in Wexford had more influence than any other perfons there, and that they could have protefted thofe whom they chofe; father Corrin went to Mr. George Taylor, one of the prifoners who efcaped, when Mr. Kellett was refcued, and afked him to fign a paper, containing a contradidion of it, and a general approbation of the conduft of the prieflhood in Wexford during the rebellion. He refufed to do fo, but at his inftance gave him the following certificate :

“ I do hereby certify, that the reverend John Corrin, by his humane exertion, has been the inftrument in the hands of God, in faving my life, and even others of my fellow-prifoners, the twentieth of June, being the day of the general maffacre on the bridge of Wexford.

Ballywalter, GEORGE TAYLOR.”

Augufl 28th, 1798.

Mr. Taylor, on giving Mr. Corrin this certificate, afked him, “ What ufe he meant to make of it?” he anfwered, “ To employ it in my defence.” The reader will draw but one inference from this anticipated defence againfl an accufation which was not at that time even thought of. As MefTrs. Taylor and Jackfon, who efcaped from the maffacre on the bridge, differed from each other in the relation of this dreadful event, I lhall endeavour to account for their apparent contradidion.

Taylor imputes their prefervation folely to the interference of Mr. Corrin: Jackfon to the alarm and confufion occafioned by the arrival of the

exprefs.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

493

exprefs, in which every one concurs with him except George Taylor. The former fays, they were led away from the bridge by Mr. Corrin. The latter, that they were left in the hands of the pikemen. I fliould give greater credit to the relation of Jackfon, than that of Taylor^ for the following reafons : Mr. Kellett perfonally afTured me, that Mr. Corrin led him away from the bridge; and it is mod certain, that the remainder of the prifoners were led back to the gaol by the pikemen, where they remained until the king’s troops entered the town. If Mr. Corrin had influence enough over the mob to check the maflagre, and to refcue Mr. Kellett, why did he leave the remainder of the prifoners in the hands of the ferocious rebels, who might have butchered them after his departure? In the flate of ftupefaftion to which the prifoners were reduced by terror, as Jackfon obferves, it is very poffible that Taylor might have miftaken the real caufe of their prefervation. They were furrounded by an immenfe mob, befides the pikemen; and as many fpedtators in the houfe of Mr. Hatchell, near the bridge, have unanimoufly agreed, that the alarm and difperfion of the rebels took place rather before the arrival of Mr. Corrin, it is poflible that Mr. Taylor might have miftaken the real caufe of it, particularly, as he could not have feen Mr. Corrin until the multitude difperfed; befides he is uncommonly nearfighted. I fhall not pretend to difpute his veracity, but I really believe he was miftaken.

The following occurrence muft diminifti our belief of father Corrin’s having aded from pure motives of humanity : Mrs. Margaret Lett, the wife of a brewer of Ennifcorthy, having been examined as a witnefs on the trial of Thomas Clooney on the fifth of July, 1799, at Wexford,, depofed : That ihe had the proteftion of father Corrin; that her hufband was a prifoner in the gaol of Wexford; that Clooney wrote on the back of the proteftion, that he would go bail for Mr. Lett’s good behaviour, and that he would not leave Wexford, if Mr. Corrin would allow bim * to be taken out of gaol; and that fhe went with the paper to Mr. Corrin, but he would not allow him to be liberated; that Clooney

afterward?

*,This fhews that Mr. Corrin was confidcred as a perfon of great influence over the rebcls,^, which be exerted on this occafion, and not for a humane purpofe.

494

MEMOIRS OF THE D-IFFERENT

afterwards went to the prifon, took him out, and left him at her lodgings.

In this manner they put ninety-feven proteftants to death, at Wexford, on the twentieth of June. Some perfons have faid that the number did not exceed ninety-five; but the bloody calendar of all the proteftant prifoners there, which I have in my pofleflion, puts this beyond a doubt.

On the trials of Peter Byrne and Ignatius RolTiter, at Wexford, the former the fourteenth of June, 1799, the latter the twentieth of February, 1800, two members of the bloody committee that fat in the gaol, the following fads were proved upon oath : Kennet Mathewfon, John Atkin, Richard and Jofeph Ganford, proteftants, and prifoners in the gaol, were led before that fanguinary tribunal to be tried. One of the prifoners having afked Rofliter, “ What they meant to do with them?” he replied, that “ They were on the black lift.” Peter Byrne, member of the committee, had a piftol in his hand, and on feeing the prifoners, exclaimed in a rage, “ It is not by two or three that you are to let us have the prifoners, (meaning to execute) for if you do not let us have

them by the dozen, by; s, I will blow up the gaol in two minutes.”

John Rofliter, another member of the committee, ftiewed John Atkin the form of an oath which he faid the committee had taken, and the ‘inftructions which they had received to regulate the manner of proceeding;* that early on that day, a man went to him where he was confined, and (hewed him a lift which he faid was the black lift, which he had got from the committee fitting below ftairs. The prifoners were then led to the committee-room door, but were kept out fide it. The man who firft accufed Mathewfon, rufhed into the room with a party of the rebels, who dragged him out. When the bloody committee were going out to fee Mathewfon put to death, John Rofliter having a regard for Atkin, and wifliing to fave his life, put him into the committee-room, defired him to ftiut himfelf in, and not to appear at the windows, left he fliould be Ihot. * He entered the room, and faw Mathewfon fliot and butchered with pikes in

the ftreet. There was a table in the committee-room, on which there were

pens,

• It is evident that the monfters who compofcd the bloody committee were guided and governed by feme fuperior power; that they took an oath to proceed in the bloody bulineis, and had written inftrudions how to aft.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

A95

pens, ink, and paper, and a green book, which, having put into his pocket, he crept under a bed, where he lay concealed, till John RolTiter afterwards, when the committee had adjourned, led him back to his cell, where he concealed the book, containing a calendar of all the proteftants at that, time prifoners in Wexford; the committee were much incenfed at the lofs of their book,* but could not account for it. The reader may well conceive the perturbation of ■ John Atkin, who lay concealed under the bed, while the members of the committee were vowing vengeance againft the perfon vi^ho carried off their book.

The amiable lady, whofe diary I have quoted, fays in it, “ Mr. R — , f a Roman catholick, and one of the committee for provifions, came to us the evening of the day the malTacre was committed. He was like ourfelves, half dead with horror, and declared that he entreated the priefts to come down with their crucifixes, and prevent the maffacre; but they all refufed to do fo. We told him that father Broe faid he had faved nineteen prifoners.

This Mr. R denied, and faid, it was the exprefs that faved them.

He told us, that the black flag meant that every one of that party had taken the black teft oath. He faid, that a man went into a fliop where he was, and afked another to give him the black tefl oath. This was refufed, and the perfon he alked left the fhop 5 on which the man who wanted to take the oath, faid, “ That fellow fhall be one of the firft I will kill; but as to the oath, I don*t care, for another will give it to me.’* This oath is to be found at the end of Appendix, No. XX. 7. and was found in various places, and on different rebels who were killed,’*

In many inftances it has appeared, that the Roman catholicks even in the meaneft fituation, could fave proteftants. The following is a notable proof of it :

John Tate, a proteftant, but carrying a gun among the rebels for the prefervation of his life, addreffed himfelf to a common man, a rebel in their camp at Little Limerick, faying, “ There is a brother-in-law of mine in prifon at Wexford, I fhall be obliged to you, when you go there^

to

* See a copy of it, Appendix, No. XX. 44.

+’ As he is no more, I may tell the reader that this was Mr. Pat. Redmond, a man of humanity, who filled his fituation with reluctance,

496 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

to take him out and fet him at liberty.” This man, whofe name is James Murphy, never thought of the requeft made by Tate, until the day and inftant they were murdering the prifoners on the bridge; when recolleding that the name of the man he wiflied to liberate was Ifaac Stephens, he fearched the different prifons until he found him among a great number in the market-houfe of Wexford, and not only brought him with him and preferved him, but two more loyal yeomen who were in the fame prifon, and begged of him, for God’s fake, to fave them. He brought out thefe three men in the midfl of near one hundred pikemen who guarded the door, and faved them. Their names were, Ifaac Stephens, cooper, at Caftle-bridge, Samuel Maud, farmer, and John Stedman, weaver.

The confeflion of James Beaghan,* one of the murderers of the reverend Mr. Hayden in the ftreets of Ennifcorthy, clearly proves what part the popifh priefts took in the confpiracy and rebellion; and that the name of Orangemen was fabricated merely to make the publick believe that the fanguinary fpirit of the rebels was not direded againft proteftants in general, but merely againft fuch of them as were members of that political fed.

The evidence upon oath of dodor Mc. Nevin, a member of the Irifh diredory, before a fecret committee of the houfe of lords, dated the thirtieth of Auguft, 1798, proves that they. were deeply concerned in it : His words are, “ That the catholick priefts had ceafed to be alarmed at the calumnies which had been propagated of French irreligion, and were well aftefted to the caufe; that fome of them had rendered great fervice in propagating with difcreet zeal f the fyftem of the Irifh union.”

Many perfons of undoubted veracity affured me, that the popifh bifhop, dodor Caulfield, gave his benedidion to the favage pikemen as they proceeded to the maffacre on the bridge; yet I fliould not think of inferting it in this hiftory, if it were not authenticated On the oath of a refpeftable gentlewoman who beheld it; becaufe, however fanguine the do6lor might have been in the caufe, I could not have fuppofed that he would have been fo void of difcretion. Mrs. Crane, fifter to judge Chamberlain, made this affidavit. |

I fhull

• See Appendix, No. XIX. 8.

t He puts thofe who aded with difci-eet zeal in coiitradiftinftion to thofe who appeared without difguife and in a military capacity. :t See Appendix, No. XX. 23.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 497

I lhall not take upon me to fay, whether the doftor on this occafion. afted in obedience to the councils of Lateran, Conftance, Toledo or Trent, all which are mandatory on perfons of his perfuafion to extirpate hereticks; or whether he aded according to his oath of inauguration, which requires that he fliould, to the utmoft of his power, perfecute and impugn all hereticks, fchifmaticks, and rebels, againft his fovereign lord the pope; but in writing a hiftory of the rebellion, I thought that I could not leave fo extraordinary a tranfa^tion unrecorded.

On Monday the nineteenth of March, 1800, doftor CaulHeld wrote a letter to Bryan Murphy, a prieft of Taghmon, reproving him for having prefumed to give abfolution for fm, without having obtained a faculty for that purpofe. This letter, and two more on the fame fubjed, one from faid Murphy to a proteftant clergyman, and the other from father Kelly, parifh prieft of Taghmon, to dodor Caulfield, the reader will find in Appendix, No. XX. 23. Bryan Murphy is the perfon alluded to in Michael Aikin’s affidavit relative to Scullabogue, Appendix, No. XX. 9.

It is moft certain, that a refpedable inhabitant of Wexford fent a meffage to the friary near the chapel, to requeft the friars would order the rebels to defift from the maffacres; but they faid, that they would advife but not order them to do fo,

A proteftant clergyman of Wexford aflured me of the following fad : About fix o’clock on the morning after the malTacre, one of the friars expreffed great joy to him on the profped of peace, (as the defeat of the rebels at Foulkes’s mill was known); and he expreffed great concern that the priefts happened to be out of the way, and were ignorant of the maifacre, for other wife they could have flopped it \ but foon after he faid, *’ We knew from the talk of the people in the morning, that we could not have faved Mr. Turner.”

The black flag was carried in proceflion again on the morning of the twenty-firft of June by Thomas Dixon, and his band of affaffins, as a fignal to murder the reft of the proteftant prifoners; but the large army which had furrounded Vinegar-hill the day before, and the vidory obtained by general Moore the preceding evening at Foulkes’s mill, had intimidated the blood-hounds fo much, that they fearing left they

3 S might

498 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

might provoke the vengeance of the royal army, refolved to fue for mercy.

Dodlor Jacob and his family, were not molefted for the following reafon : Being a gentleman of great medical (kill, not only as a phyfician, but as a furgeon, and as the rebels compelled him to take care of their fick and wounded men, as before-mentioned, they were not only anxious to preferve his life, but fliewed confiderable refpedt for him and his family who were lodged in Mr. Hatchel’s houfe.

The news of the victory at Foulkes’s-mill having been received at Wexford the fame evening it was gained, a number of rebel leaders, who had been prefent at the maffacre, affembled at governor Keugh’s houfe, and concerted meafures of conciliation, in hopes of procuring an amnefty. Next morning they waited on lord Kingfborough, requefting that he would be their mediator, and write to the different general officers to fpare the inhabitants of Wexford and their property, on laying down their arms, and returning to their allegiance; which he agreed to do, on their invefting him with the military command of the town, and reinftating the civil magiftrates. •

During this negociation, the bloody Thomas Dixon, and many other rebel officers and privates, flocked to his lodgings, and implored his protection in confideration of their humane conduct in having faved the lives of many proteftants.

General Keugh and his friends having acceded to lord Kingfborough ‘s defires, his lordfhip agreed to forward the following propofals made by them to the different general officers :

“ That captain Mc. Manus* fhall proceed from Wexford towards Oulartjt accompanied by Mr. E. Hay, appointed by the inhabitants of all religious perfuafions, to inform the officer commanding the king’s troops, that they are ready to deliver up the town of Wexford without oppofition, lay down their arms, and return to their allegiance, provided their perfons and property are guaranteed by the commanding officer; and that they will ufe every influence in their power to induce

the

* Captain Mc. Manus of the Antrim, was a prifoner.  E. Hay, was a rcbil leader, who went to protcft him. + Plate III. a.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

499

the people of the country at large to return to their allegiance alfo. Thefe terms, we hope, captain Mc. Manus will be able to procure.

Signed by order of the inhabitants of Wexford,

MATT. KEUGH.”

Captain Mc. Manus was to have gone to general Needham to Oulart but finding that he had changed his pofition, he repaired direftly to general Lake at Ennifcorthy, where he found captain O’Hea of the North Cork, and captain Burke of the Mayo, who were fent on the fame errand, the former to general Lake, and the latter to, general Moore.

Soon after the departure of captain Mc. Manus, the rebel leaders being uneafy left the viftorious army of general Moore fhould arrive before their terms had been accepted by general Lake, urged lord Kingfborough to fend a fecond meflenger to general Moore, to requeft he would encamp at Carrick-bridge,* before he advanced to the town. His lordfliip employed for that purpofe enfign Harman of his own regim^ent, who was attended by one Carthy, a rebel captain.

Soon after he left the town, he was met by father John Murphy, and one Whelan his aid-de-camp, who were leading a large rebel column from Vinegar-hill. Murphy afked Harman, (who unfortunately was in full uniform,) whither he was going? he anfwered, to propofe terms to general Moore on the part of the people of Wexford. Murphy faid, in a great rage, “ I will hear of no terms Then addrefling his aid-decamp, and pointing to Harman, he faid, *’ That fellow ought to die, for he has been condemned by a committee j” on which Whelan drew a piftol, and ihot Mr. Harman through the head.

As captain O’Hea met one of the rebel columns retreating from Vinegar-hill, I give the reader his defcription of it : He was accompanied by two rebel captains, one of the name of Clooney, as guides and protedlors. The column which he met was very numerous, and many of the men who formed it were well armed with mulkets, piftols, and blunderbufles, and the remainder with pikes. General Edward Fitzgerald, who commanded, and rod6 at the head of the column, on feeing captain O’Hea in his regimentals, halted it 5 and after a cool falute, demanded his difpatches, which he read and returned, with an appearance of diiTatisfaction. Many of the rebels cheered him, and feemed much pleafed with the idea of peace; and but a few curfed the idea, and faid, they would

3 S 2 ftill :

• Plate in, 5, 6, now called Carrickferry.

500 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

flill fight. At the rear of the column he met Edward Roche, the laygeneral, who faluted him, and fufFered him to pafs, when Clooney had explained the purport of his embafly.

General Lake gave the foUo^ving anfwer to Keugh’s letter :

‘* Lieutenant-general Lake cannot attend to any terms offered by rebels in arms againfl their fovereign; while they fo remain, he muft ufe the force entrufled to him, with the utmoft energy, for their deftruftion.

“ To the deluded multitude, he promifes pardon, on their delivering into his hands their leaders, furrendering their arms, and returning with fmcerity to their allegiance.

Ennifcorthy, 2 2d June, 1798. G. LAKE.’*

The inhabitants of Wexford, who faw this rebel column advancing at a great diftance, were very much alarmed, dreading thar they would plunder and burn the town.

When lord Kingjfborough was invefted with the command of it, he fent a note to Scallion,* who was on board the prifon-fliip, to defire he would bring Mr. Solomon Richards of Solfborough to him, as he wanted his advice and alTillance, in the critical fituation in which he then ftood. The rebels attempted to fmk the boat in which he went, as he palTed under the bridge, which was very high, by darting their pikes through it; and would have effeded it, but that they were prevented by Scallion.

Soon after Mr. Richards waited on lord Kingfborough, the rebel column entered the town, headed by father Murphy, who advanced to his lordfliip’s lodgings, mounted on a fine horfe fully caparifoned, having a cafe of piftols and a broad fword. Lord Kingfborough addreffed him from his window, and told him he would endeavour to obtain favourable terms for him and his friends, provided they conduced themfelves properly; and faid, he hoped he was coming to give up his arms : On which, the facerdotal hero, in a paroxyfm of rage, difmounted, and afcending to his lordfhip’s apartment, afked him, with much rudenefs and petulance, who he was? and on being informed, he faid, with great indignation, “ I had you tried and condemned this morning at the camp at Vinegar-hill, and I’ll have you taken out and executed this night.”

Doaor

* He was created an admiral by the fepublick, for having taien his lordftiip prifoner.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

Doftor Caulfield, the titular bifliop, who had juft arrived, began to expoftulate with him; on which lord Kingfborough defired him to refpeft his bifhop; but Murphy flourifhed his hand over the biftiop’s head» faying, “ I was once your prieft; but I am now a general.” However, when his anger cooled, he knelt down, kiffed his hand, and acknowledged his fuperiority.

Whelan, Murphy’s aid-de-camp, who was prcfent, had a large whifl^ey bottle in his pocket, and a piftol in his hand; and he boafted that he had juft fhot his officer outfide the town, alluding to the murder of enfign Harman. He alfo faid, he would Ihoot lord Kinglborough; on which his lordfhip cocked his piftol, prefented it at his breaft, and declared he would fhoot him, if he moved his hand, which prevented the perpetration of his fanguinary defign.

Mrs. Richards, her fifter, ar.d fome officers wives, had fought an afylum at his lordfhip’s lodgings at this critical and alarming moment; and fearing that they Ihould all be maffacred if lord Kingfborough fhot Murphy, or his aid-de-camp, one was in hyftericks, another fainted, and another fell on her knees to deprecate his lordfhip’s anger.

While they were in this ftate of perturbation. Perry the rebel general entered his lordlhip’s apartment, and carried Murphy and Whelan off; and foon after he led the band of rebel affaffins out of town, but left his two aid-de-camps, who were wounded, with lord Kingfborough, who had them taken care of.

The fudden flight of the rebels is principally to be imputed to their fear of the king’s troops, who were advancing; and the fudden arrival of a few brave yeomen, which I fhall defcribe, and whom they took for the advanced guard of our army, occafioned their precipitate retreat.

It is certain that doftor Caulfield ufed eveiy means in his power, and fucceeded in preventing the rebels from murdering lord Kingfborough; partly by his fpiritual authority, and partly by telling them that he was a valuable hoftage; and that by preferving his life, and conciliating him, he would probably obtain favourable terms for them and their friends, and prevent the foldiers from defolating the town and the country.

When general Moore’s army was within about tv/o miles of Wexford tkey perceived the houfe of a proteftant in the fuburbs on fire, from which they concluded, that the rebels were , burning the town,  Mr. John Boyd,

reprefentativc

^2 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

reprefentative for the town, who commanded the Wexford cavalry, trembling for the fate of his wife and children, alked permiffion of the general for him and as many of the yeomen cavalry as would accompany him, to pulh forward to the town, and to make a defperate effort to fave their families and their property. The following pcrfons, with great magnanimity, volunteered in that perilous fervice, and ran a rifli of devoting their own lives to fave the property and lives of the protcflant inhabitants who remained in the town; they were all members of the corps but one. Captain James Boyd, member of parliament, lieutenant Perceval, high fheriff for the county, corporal John Stetham, corporal William Hughes, A. H. Jacob, of the Ennifcorthy corps; and the following privates, John Tench, Jofeph Sutton, Archer Bayly, Marcus Doyle, Abraham Howlin, John Byrne, and William M’Cabe, Mr. Boyd’s fervant. Chriftopher Irwine, permanent ferjeant of the troop, followed them rapidly on foot, his horfe having been fliot. They dafhed into the town with a degree of valour bordering on defpair, and announced with a loud voice, that the army was at their heels. This gave the rebels fuch an eledrick fhock, that, fianick flruck, they fled in all diredions, fome over the bridge, others to the barony of Forth. Their confternation was fo great, that very few of them attempted on their flight to injure the inhabitants of the town. One rebel fixed at MefTrs. Jacob and Rudd, but the latter foon difpatched him. A rebel fired at lord Kingiborough in the ftreet, foy which another perfon, a loyalift, inftantly fliot him.

During this fcene of confufion which their flight occafioned, the bloody Thomas Dixon, mounted on a very fine horfe which he had taken from Mr. Cadwallader Edwards, rode through the ftreets, with a broad fword drawn, and upbraided the rebels for their timidity and their dllatorinefs; and faid, “ If you had followed my advice in putting all the hereticks to death three or four days ago, it would not have come to this pafs, Mrs. Dixon, who accompanied him on horfeback, with a fword and a cafe of piftols, clapped the rebels on the back, and encouraged them, by faying, “ We muft conquer : I know we mufl: conquer and (he exclaimed repeatedly, “ My Saviour tells rae we mufl conquer!”

They repaired to the bridge to flop the retreat of the rebels, but in vain, though Mrs. Dixon drew a piflol, and fwore vehemently that flie would flioot any one of them who would refufe to return with her to put

the

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

the remainder of the hereticks to death. They endeavoured to raife the. portcullis of the bridge, to prevent their retreat, but were unable to do fo.

Governor Keugh came into the ftreet, and cried aloud, “ Gentlemen, ‘ fly to the camp at the mountain of Forth; you have nothing elfe for it : Go there and defend yourfelves.” Some of them as they were retreating (but particularly young M’Gauley, of Oulart, who was afterwards hanged) cried out, “ Let us fet fire to the town!” but they had not time to do fo, for in a few minutes there was not a rebel in it.

A very refpedable lady informed me, that father Roche, the general, “ on horfeback, and with a drawn fword, harangued the rebels in the ftreet, and endeavoured to infpire them with courage, before her window. He told them, “ That they were of the only true faith, which was the faith of Jefus Chrift; and that if they would fupport him in the extirpation of hereticks, they would foon have but one religion but they were deaf to his exhortations, and fome of them faid, “ By my foul, father Roche, we have ftood by you too long; we are forry we ever came to you, for you have deceived and ruined us!” I have already quoted the journal of a refpeftable lady, who refided near the bridge. I fiiall now give the reader her obfervations on the events which took place the day that the town was evacuated. She mentioned before that the black flag had been carried about in proceflion to announce that the maffacre v/ss to be renewed.

*’ About four o’clock Mr. R— — , and doftor Jacob came to us.’ They had been fired at in the ftreet.  The dodor was as compofed as I am now; but I really never fav/ fuch firmnefs of mind as he pofTelTes on

all occafions.  Mr. R     faid, *’ The general maffacre is going to

begin, and that he came to fave us, or rather to fhare our fate, for he feared we could not efcape however h-e had got a boat, with men on whom he thought he could rely, to the end of our houfe, that we fhould try to get into it, ftand the fire of the rebels from the quay and in palf• ing under the bridge; and if we got clear, throw ourfelves on the mercy of the gun-boats. This was truly defperate : I walked up ftairs, and went to a window; the rebels were fettling themfelves as before, on the bridge, and fending a boat to the prifon-fhip; when, conceive my aftonifhment, I faw them all begin to run.  I flew down ftairs, doubting my fenfes,

to

S04

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

to tell dodor Jacob. He came to the window. It was no illufion : Ran they did, in fuch confufion, that I was amazed numbers were not trampled to death. A general cry, “ The army are come, they are in the town,” explained their flight. Wretches ran out of the infirmary in their fhirts. In an incredible fliort fpace of time the ftreets were almoft clear. Above fifty armed rebels ruflied into our houfe, tore out their green cockades, threw their arms under the beds; and hoped to efcape by being found under doftor Jacob’s roof. He put on his regimentals, and went into the ftreet. A villain that was going off, turned about, and fired at him, but miffed him.

*’ Mr. Perceval, the fhcriff, galloped down the quay to our door, and faid, “ Here are twelve thoufand foldiers with us.” Imagine, if you can, our feelings! I never ftiall forget Elizabeth’s countenance as flie came down ftairs and fhook us by the hand. The boat that was fent to bring them* to torture and to death, brought them to liberty and to rapture. Several came to us. No kind of decorum was obferved. Nothing but kiffmg and embracing. Moft of the men cried violently. I faw above five thoufand men fly from one horfeman. It was fuppofed that four thoufand of them fled from one end of the town. My bridge acquaintances are thofe who, under the command of Perry and Fitzgerald, have fince fpread mifery and den:ru£lion over the counties of Wexford and Wicklow. We never learned what became of Dixon. None of us faw him go over the bridge; and as he is a very large man, and rode a tall white horfe, he could hardly efcape the obfervation of twelve of us who were anxious to fee him depart. Mrs. Boyd told me, that flie and lady Ann Hore were fitting in their lodgings, expefting the entrance of the murderers, when they heard a horfe gallop and flop at their door.”

The lady whofe journal I quote, and many others who were in Wexford at that time, have declared, that the prefei-vation of the town and proteftant inhabitants can be imputed to nothing but the determination of the rebels to murder lord Kingfborough, to whofe lodgings they repaired with father Murphy, and that that objed diverted them from their nefarious defign, till the alarm, which I have mentioned, occafioned their general difperfion and flight.

About

* The prifoners from the prifon-fhip.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 505

About eight o’clock in the morning of the twenty-firll, the day of their deliverance, father Broe the friar having vifited the prifon-fhip, and recommended to the prifoners to be chriftened, as he faid it might be th’,means of faving them from the rage of the rabble, about fifteen of them confented. He gave thofe who fubmitted to that ceremony the following certificate :

“ I hereby certify that A. of B. in the parifh of C. has done his duty, and proved himfelf a Roman catholick, and has made a voluntary oath that he never was an orangeman, nor took the orange oath. Dated Wexford, June twenty-firft, 1798.

F. JOHN BROE.” This unqueftionably proves that father Broe knew that a fecond maflacre was intended; and that there was no falvation for any perfoii but a Roman catholick.

As the rebels were retreating over the bridge, one of them fired at the gentlemen on the deck of the prifon-fhip, but the ball pafled over their heads.

General Moore having fent the Queen’s regiment into Wexford, between eight and nine o’clock, encamped that night about two miles from it, on the fouth of the Slaney. The army under generals Lake and Dundas encamped on the north fide of the Slaney, between Temple-hill* and Carrickferry.f As they were encamping, they found in the hedges about fifty rebels, with their pikes, who had fled from Vinegar-hill, whom they (hot; which induced them to fearch fome brufhwood which was contiguous, and they found thete many more, whom they alfo put to death.

General Johnfon remained on the fouth fide of the Slaney, and not far from general Moore. General Lake entered Wexford on the morning of the twenty-fecond of June, and eftablifhed his ftaff in Keugli’s hr>afe, where he, as governor of the town, and a rebel general, had held his ftaff a few hours before.

As many falfe and fcandalous reports were propagated by the difaffefted, that feveral wanton and barbarous outrages were committed by the king’s troops on their entering Wexford, that many perfons were immediately and without any criminal procefs put to death, I think it right to iay, that fuch

3 T infamous

* See Plate 111. 4, 5

t Ibid. ,6

MEr^lOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

famous calupinies were perfectly groundlefij; that peace and good order were preferved there, and that none but ihofe who took a very aftive part ill the rebellion were puniflied. I give the reader in Appendix, No. XXI. 4. a lift of the delinquents who fuffered there.

To palliate the atrocities committed inWexford by the rebels, it has been falfely infinuated, that they were provoked to perpetrate them by lord Kingfborough’s having violated the terms which he had made with them, but this is totally without foundation.

Keugh on his trial made a very able and manly defence, during the whole of which he was cool and deliberate, and fo eloquent and pathetick, as to excite the moft tender emotions in the breafts of his auditors. Lord Kingfborough, Mr. Lehiinte, and other refpeftable witneffes, proved that he afted on all occafions with fingular humanity, and endeavoured to prevent the effufion of blood; and that they owed their Hves to his aftive interference. He faid, “ That after the maffacre on the evening of the twentieth of June, he was fitting in his own houfe, when he received the following meflage from the commander in chief, Roche, the prieft, by Thomas Dixon, that as he was leaving town, on particular bufmefs, he ordered him under pain of death, on the next morning before twelve o’clock, to put to death one hundred more of the prifoners* in the fame manner that ninety-feven had fulfered that day. He then ftated that his brother, who had lived many years in his houfe, and had long ferved the king with reputation as an officer,! was as noted for his loyalty, as for every moral virtue : That on hearing the fanguinary mandate of Roche, delivered by Dixon, he ordered himfelf to be put to bed-, as, from feeblenefs and decrepitude, he had not been able for many years, to move from one place to another: That next morning he crept, all fours, to the governor’s apartment, in his abfence, where having found a cafe of piftols, he blew out his brains. He was frequently inter^ rupted in the courfe of this doleful narration, by crying and fobbing. He declared that his only objeft was to reform and improve the conftitution; but that popifli fanaticifm had defeated his defigns, and borne down every thing..  He lamented that he had totally neglefted the cultivation of the

proteftant

*This fliews that the maffacre intended next morning, which was announced by a fecond proceffion with the black flag, was a deliberate a<ft, and planned by the rebel leaders, t He was regarded as a very amiable old man, and was very loyal.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

5-7

proteflant religion in which he had been bred; however, he was attended in his lafl: moments by a proteflant clergyman. After having prayed devoutly on his knees, he rofe and then prayed aloud and fervently for the king and royal family, and that his majefty might long fit upon the throne, and that the conflitution in church and flate might never be overthrown. His pathetick eloquence and ftrength of argument on his trial moved the audience fo much, that a general officer, who was prefent ran haftily to general Lake, and requefted that he might be refpited; but he aflured him, that be I found among his papers fufficient indications of his guilt. See in Appendix, No. XXL 5. a lift of rebel leaders found among them. Roche, the prieft and the commander in chief, one Fenlon a fchoolmafter, and two obfcure perfons were executed at the fame time with Keugh. The former, about forty years old, was tall and corpulent, and had a ferocious countenance. While Keugh and the other prifoners were on their knees he continued motionlefs, and fhewed no appearance of devotion, except that when they were preparing for his execution, he knelt down and kiffed the ground.*

Soon after Roche was fufpended, the rope broke and he fell fenfelefs on the ground; but on recovering, he arofe and exclaimed, “ G-d’s blood, what are you about? why do you pull my ftock fo tight He then mounted the fatal ftep a fecond time, and was launched into eternity!

Some of our officers who converfed with him, while in prifon, aifured me that they thought he was born a general, from the judicious remarks which he made on fome actions, particularly that of Vinegar-hill. He faid, that they were very much deceived in the county of Wexford, as they imagined that the infurrettion would have been general all over the kingdom, and then they muft have fucceeded. He allowed that the obje£l of the Irilh union was the fubverfion of the conftitution.

John Hay, the rebel general, was taken at his own place, hiding in a fhrubbery, by general Dundas’s army who encamped near it on the twentyfecond of June, and was hanged next day. He was of an ancient popifli family, and the fon of Mr. Harvey Hay of Ballankeele,t noted for his hof’ pitality. He had lived a great while in France, and had ferved in the French army. Though his manners were poliffied, and he appeared generous and Hberal, he was a bigot, and difplayed a moft cruel and fanguinary

3 T 2 difpofition

* A common pra^lice among his favage fedaries.

t Plate HI. 3.

50 8 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

difpofition during the rebellion. He was fo befotted with fuperflitlon, as to wear a fcapular, which was found hanging on his breaft when they were going to execute him.

On the trial of general Edward Roche, Thomas Hatchell praved that he heard Mr. Hay at Vinegar-hill propofe the murder of all the proteftants, and that Roche oppofed it. The cold-blooded murder committed by him of Gray Thomas, at the fame place, was alfo proved on Roche’s trial.*  Thomas Smithfon confirmed the evidence of Thomas Hatchell.

The arrefl of B. B. Harvey and John Colclough was attended with fome curious circumflances, which I fliall relate. On the flight of the rebels from Wexford the twenty-firft of June, they retreated to the largeft of the Saltee iflands,| which Mr. Colclough rented from Mr^ Grogan. Dodor Waddy, a phyfician, who ferved in the yeomanry, having got intelligence of their retreat, applied to general Lake for a proper party, and an armed vefTel, to go in quell of them, which he readily obtained.

About three o’clock on Sunday evening the twenty-third day of June, he fet fail in the Rutland cutter of ten guns, commanded by captain Willoughby, with lieutenant Turner of the Queen’s, a detachment of his regiment, and a man of war’s boat^ with a party of failors well armed* The illand is about fix leagues from Wexford, and four or five miles from’ the fouthern coaft of the county.  The weather was fo tempeftuous, that they were obliged to reef their fails; and the wind being adverfe, they did not defcry the ifland till about four o’clock in the morning, and could not call anchor along fide it till eight.  When they were approaching it, they faw a fmall boat pafs from the ifland to the main land..  As it is furrounded with high precipices, and is inaccelTible but in one place, and as they expeQed to be oppofed by a party of armed rebels, who it was believed had accompanied Harvey and Colclough, captain Willoughby prepared to cover their landing with the cutter’s guns, and they were attended for the fame purpofe by the man of war’s boat.  On landing, they repaired to the only houfe on the ifland, occupied by one Furlong, who rented it from Mr. Colclough.  They found there an excellent feather-bed, with fine fheets, which were warm, a handfome tea equipage, fome genteel wearing apparel, belonging to both fexes; particularly, a pair of pantaloons.

* See Appendix, No. XX, 9,

t Plate III. u.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 5or

Ipons, which doftor Waddy had feen on Mr. Colclough before the rebellion; and near the houfe fome filk fhoes and other articles, hid in high ferns. They fearched every fufpeded fpot in the ifland, particularly a place called the Otters cave, but in vain; though they had not a doubt of their having been there, as they had found, among other things, a cheft of plate in a concealed place belonging to Colclough.

The dodor refolved to make another effort, by going round the ifland in a boat, for the purpofe of reconnoitring the fides of it : In doing fo, he perceived on the edge of a high precipice, one rock lighter-coloured than the adjoining ones; and as the earth near it feemed to have been recently ftirred, he fufpedled that they had been making preparations there for their concealment. He therefore again afcended the ifland, and found that the approach to the place which he wifhed to explore was fteep, ferpentine, and through fome crags. The light-coloured flone covered the mouth of the cave, and above it there was an aperture to let in the light.. The doftor called out to Colclough, and told him, that if he did not furrender immediately, and without refiilance, he fhould receive no quarter. Colclough afked, “ Is that dodlor Waddy?” and on his faying,” Yes,” he faid he would furrender; and foon after he, at the dodtor’s defire, gave up his arms through the hole in the cave. The dodtor threw down the precipice the flone which covered the mouth of it, which fell with a monftrous crafli; on which Mr. and Mrs. Colclough came forth, dreffed in the meaneft habits of peafants, for the purpofe of difguifmg themfelves.. Then. B. Harvey came out, faying, “ My God! my God!” and fo pale and weak from fatigue and anxiety of mind, that the doftor was obliged to fupport him. He alio had a cheil of plate concealed, which he gave in charge to the dodlor and his party.

They arrived in Wexfurd harbour about nine at night; but as the tide was out, the prifoners could not be committed till next morning.

Meffrs. Grogan and Harvey, and Patrick Prendergaft, a rich raakfter, were executed at the fame time..

The former was a weak man, who fell a facrifice to the malign influence ‘ of bafe and defigning men, who cherifhed in hun difaffedicn to the ftate;

which made him a fanguine advocate for reforming our conftitution; the various excellencies of. which he was as incapable of difcerning, as aninfedt wasthe grandeur and the elegance of a magnificent. edifice.

Mr,.

510 MEMOIRS OF TliE DIFFERENT

Mr. Grogan, who was executed at the fame time, denied his guilt, and declared on his trial that he had a£ted by compulfion; but it was proved that he had been frequently feen with a green cockade, marching in and out of Wexford, at the head of a large body of rebels; and that as commiffary to the repubHck, he had feized the provifions of different people ill its vicinity, fo as to leave their families quite deftitute.

Mr. Harvey, in his defence on his trial, laid, “ That he became amember of the Irifh union three years before, but that he imagined the only object was to reform the conftitution; and that he did not till recently difcover that the popifli priefts were deeply concerned in it, and that the extermination of proteflants was their main defign :* That having oppofed their fanguinary views, he was depofed, and the command was given to that infamous villain father Roche : That he was then carried to the Threerock camp as a prifoner, where he remained a few days, and was fo far at liberty as to be allowed fo walk about; but fo clofely watched, that with every wifli to make his efcape, he found it impoflible, till the evening the rebels fled in every diredlion on the approach of the king’s troops.”

He died in a very decent manner, having been attended by a proteftant clergyman, and prayed moft fervently. A fliort time before his trial, a particular friend of his and mine, having afked him, how he came to conlent to the bloody bufinefs of Scullabogue, he, very much fhocked, replied, *’ That it was brought about by an infamous fanguinary popifti fadion.”

Mr. Harvey wrote the following letter to lord Kingfborough, a Ihort time before his execution. It was the laft grafp for life, and fhews manifefi: figns of perturbation;

“ My lord,

“ I take the liberty of requefting your lordfliip will let me have an opportunity of feeing your lordfhip before you leave Wexford. You cannot but recolleft how repeatedly I wifhed to fpeak to your lordfhip alone; that I was always prevented by fear; and whenever I m.et you and was allowed to fpeak to you, I was ever ready to accede to propofals of reftoring order and government.

I am, with fubmiffion.

Your lordfliip’s moft obedient,

B. B. HARVEY.”

Mr.

* This was kept a profound fecret from the proteftant leaders.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 511

Mr. Harvey, in a numerous company, and at the houfe of a relation in Dublin, in the year 1796, began to broach fome of his republican opinions, which I endeavoured to refute. At laft, I faid to him, with much emphafis, “ Beware that your life and property do not fall a facrifice to your abfurd republican notions!”

The following fa£t proves that he was a man of humanity : The reverend Mr. Wilfon, minifter of the parifh of Mulranken, in which he lived, . and fuch of his proteftant parilhioners as could not make their efcape were taken prifoners, and fent to Wexford gaol, on the firft of June; but Mr. Harvey ordered them home, on their taking the united Irilhman’s oath.

From the following incidents we may infer, that with the beft military talents, and the warmeft zeal in the rebel caufe, his power could not have been of any duration, Mr. Solomon Richards affured me, that a priefl refufed to grant him a protedion the day after our troops evacuated Wexford; but on applying to B. Harvey he gave him one, which afforded him liberty and fecurity till Mr. Harvey’s power began to decline, and then no refpeft was paid to it, and he was committed to prifon.

Matthew Green, an inhabitant of Wexford, who was hanged there for being a rebel captain, and for having been concerned in the murder of Murphy on the third of June, went on board the prifon-(hip, and faid, with an air of infolence, to Mr. Richards, “ So, you would not take my advice in joining us, and in taking a command. See whether B. Harvey’s advice or mine is beft, and whether he or I will be the greateft man in a day or two; but mark my words, that he and all the proteftant generals and prifoners will go, for we will have but one people. I doubt whether you can efcape with your life.’*

John Colclough, of Ballyteige,* died with much decency and firmnefs. He was the only perfon of his name who was a papift, and v/ho was publickly accufed of being a rebel. He was defcended from John Colclough, who became a convert to popery about the beginning of this century, and who from his great bigotry was called the Saint. He left only one child, an infant fon, who he defired might be bred a proteftant; confcious, I fuppofe, that the religion which he profe(fed, would have a tendency to make him a bad fubjed of a proteftant ftate. With a loud voice, and much . compofure, he exhorted the bye-ftanders to avoid the abfurd prejudices

and;

*■ Plate III.

512 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

and opmions which had brought him to an untimely and ignominious death; and he expatiated on the extreme folly of endeavouring to overturn a regular and well-eftabliflied government and he ended with thefc notable words, *’ From what I have feen thefe lafl: three weeks, I am not ferry for dying.’*  Alluding, I fuppofe, to the maffacres.

Fanaticifm had made the lower clafs of people fo blind to their own interefi:, and fo infenfible to danger, that fome of them were convided in Wexford, foon after the king’s troops arrived there, of ufing feditious language, and of endeavouring to feduce them; though fo many of their fellow-traitors had recently fuffered capital punifliment.

Some attempts of this kind were made on the Qiieen’s regiment, the firfl which entered the town on the twenty-firft of June; though it confided of Engliflimen. Thomas Graham, an inhabitant of Wexford, was convicted of trying to feduce John Nailor of that regiment, while a fentry on his poft, a few days after the regiment had landed in Ireland.

The faiiors continued fo difaffeded, that they refufed, in the autumn of the year 1798, to convey goods from Dublin to Wexford for a Roman <:atholick merchant of that town, becaufe he was notorious for his loyalty, though he had offered a very high price for the freight. Tliis fpirit of difaffeftion and combination was inveftigated, aad fully proved, before a committee of the houfe of commons.

Soon after the maffacres at Wexford, on the twentieth of June, the following fentences were carved on the rails of the portcullis of the bridge, the place where they were perpetrated; and they were legible in the month of June, f79’9: “Sacred to the chriftian dodrine of fending orangemen to the meadows of eafe, June 1798 : The holy hereticks that were flain.”

The rebel column, which, after the defeat at Vinegar-hill, had retreated to the north of the county of Wexford, and the county of Wicklow, were joined hy a large body belonging to the latter, headed by Garret Byrne, of Ballymanus, and his brother William, and continued to fpread defolation there, burning the houfes of proteftants, and murdering fuch of their occupiers as fell into their hands. The firft achievement which they endeavoured to perform in this new fcene of adion, was an attempt to deltroy Hacketftown.*

* There was an attack made on this town the twentyfifth of May, by a numerous body of rebels; but they were repulfed by the yeomen and a fmall party of the Antrim militia.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

As numbers of the people of the country were feen on the twentyfourth of June, alTembling on all the adjacent: hills, no doubt for the puvpofe of joining the column which I have already mentioned, the garrifon, confifling but of forty of the Antrim militia, commanded by lieutenant Gardner, and fifty of the Hacketftown infantry, commanded by captain Hardy, fent intelligence of it to the officers commanding yeomen corps in ihc neighbourhood.

At fix o’clock on the morning of tlie twenty-fifth, captain Chamney,Viith thirty of his infantry, captain Hume, with thirty of the Talbot’stown cavalry, and lieutenant Braddell, with tw€nty-four of the Shillelah cavalry, reinforced the garrifon, and marched with them a fhort diftance from the town, to meet the rebels who were thought to be thirteen thoufand ftrong, and were commanded by generals Garret and William Byrne, MelTrs. Perry, Mc. Mahon, Michael Reynolds, and Edward Fitzgerald. The garrifon had got but a fhort diftance from the town, when the rebels began to file off on each fide, for the purpofe of furrounding them. In Gonfequence of this, the Talbot’s-town and Shillelah cavalry were obliged to retreat, for fear of being cut off, by the road to Clonmore, and could not afterwards return to affift in defending the town.

In the retreat, captain Hardy, a brave and intelligent officer and a mofl amiable gentleman, and four men were killed. The infantry, about one hundred and twenty in number, took pofl in the barrack, part of them having lined a breafl-work which the captain had raifed fome days before in the rear of it.  The remainder defended the front.

The reverend James Me. Ghee colleded nine proteftants, and with them occupied and refolved to defend a houfe which commanded the main flreet, and one fide of the barrack, which w^as thatched, and which thofe infide it could not defend. The family of Mr. Mc. Ghee, all the proteftant women of the town, and even the wife of general Byrne, (whom, it is faid, he wifhed to get rid of,) took refuge in it. Mr. Mc.Ghee barricaded the lower part of the houfe, placed four of his men in its rear to prevent it from being burnt, and the other five in the front, not only for its defence, but to cover the fide of the barrack which was expofed.

The town was foon furrounded by a prodigious number of pikemen, v/ho fet fire to it in different quarters, and one thoufand and fifty mufketeers commenced a heavy fire on it.  In about two hours the whole

3 U town,

514   ‘ MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

town, except the barrack and two houfes more, was in flames, which prefented a terrifick fcene, the horrors of which were much heightened by the inceflant fire which the rebels maintained, and the very thick fmoke in which the town was involved, and which entered even into the houfe, fo that its defenders could fcarcely fee each other. About one o’clock the houfes fell in, and a wind having fprung up which difperfed the fmoke, they were able again to fee the rebels; who finding that they could not fet fire to the barrack, which was ably defended by captain Chamney, without having burnt the houfe in which Mr. Mc. Ghee kept garrifon, they relinquiflied the former, and approached the latter in great numbers, and with dreadful yells, crying, “ Liberty or Death!” having their colours flying, and founding their bugle-horns, they puflied cars before them with feather-beds in them as breafl;-works cover their approach. A well-direded fire from the houfe, for about twenty minutes, made them retreat, leaving behind them their cars, and twenty-eight men killed.

During the engagement, which lafl:ed from fix in the morning till half after three in the afternoon, the lofs of the proteftants was but eleven men killed and fifteen wounded. It was univerfally believed, that no lefs than five hundred of the rebels were killed. They carried off upwards of twenty car loads of dead and wounded. When any of their men were fo badly wounded as to be unfit for fervice, they threw them into the flames, in which they alfo burnt many of their killed. It was a common pradlice with the rebels to put their wounded men to death, lefl: they might turn informers.

Next day great numbers of dead bodies were found in ditches; and immediately behind Mr. Mc. Ghee’s garrifon they found fifty dead men with their pikes, and thirty over whom a little clay had been thrown. That gallant party would have been unable to defend themfelves for want of ammunition, had not lieutenant Fenton, of the Talbot’s-town cavalry, been providentially prevented from attending his duty by a contufion, occafioned by a fall from his horfe, as he fat behind a pier between two windows making cartridges; and to the immortal honour of Mrs. Fenton, fhe continued to go about the houfe, and to fupply the befieged with refrefliment during their laborious and perilous fervice; and when their flock of balls was exhaufl:ed, flie broke up her pewter plates, and cafl: bullets of them with her own hands, which her hufl^and made up into cartridges.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 515

The garrifon were obliged to retreat to TuUow the evening of the action, for the following reafons; They were exhaufted with fatigue; their ammunition was expended; and all the houfes in the town, except three, were confumed, and the rebels returned and burned them. Thus circumftanqed, had they waited for a fecond attack in the night, which the enemy meditated, it mufl have been fatal to the garrifon.

This body of rebels burnt every proteftant houfe within fix miles of Hacketftown, in every direction, and murdered fuch of their ‘inmates as they could feize.

Wherever they encamped, they, as ufual, fent out parties in queft of proteflants, whom they murdered. Mr. William Byrne, of Ballymanus, frequently was prefent at, and gave orders at the malfacres, for which he was foon after hanged.

Ifaac Langrell, a proteftant, was piked near Gorey; after which, as fome figns of life appeared in him, a ruffian, with a hay knife on the end of a ftick, gave him a ftroke acrofs the neck, which almoft fevered his head from his body; on which William Byrne, who was prefent with a drawn fword, and feemed to command the party, ordered them to march off, faying, “ For the heretick will rife no more.”

The following faft was proved on a court-martial at Wexford, the nineteenth of May, 1800: Henry Hinch, a proteftant, was taken from his own houfe, near Gorey, by a band of affaffins, and conveyed to the rebel camp, where Mary Forde faw him on his knees, begging his hfe; when Mary Redmond, his neighbour, whom he had regarded as a friend, rnfifted that he ftiould be killed; on which he was ftiot, and when he fell fhe ftruck his body with a ftone, and called him an orange rogue. Then a rebel of the name of Philips fired another fliot at him. This poor man, who had lived by his induftry, left a wife and nine children.

As that column ftill continued to infeft the country contiguous to Gorey ,t general Needham, on the morning of the thirtieth of June, fent Hunter Gowen, captain of the Tinahely cavalry, with a part of his corps, to reconnoitre near Moneyfeed.* From a hill near that town, about three o’clock in the morning, he perceived the rebels in a hollow under him in very great force, having received great reinforcements fince

* ‘ 3 U 2 their

t Plate II. 4.

* Plate II. 3, 4.

Si6 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

•their flight from Vinegar-hill. He fent intelligence of it to general Needham, who ordered colonel Puleflon, of the Ancient Britons, to join him immediately with detachments from his own regiment, the 4th and 5th dragoons, the Ballaghkeene, Gorey, and Wingheld yeomen cavalry.’ The latter, before the reinforcement arrived, killed eight or ten fcattered rebels, and among them one Brien, who the day before went to general Needham, pretended to return to his allegiance, furrendered a pike, and in confequence of it obtained a protection; but on that day he was armed with a mufl^et.

The rebels advanced to Tlnahely,* and having turned off to Wingfield,! burned the old manfion there, and then proceeded to Ivloneyfeed, where our troops firfl: got fight of them. From thence they purfued them for two miles, to a place called Ballyellis,| where the rebels, being clofely preffed, placed their baggage and their cars in the road, and pofted a number of pikemen in their front. As foon as our cavalry came in fight of them, at the turn of a road, they charged them with great impetuofity; but when they were within a ftiort diftance of them, the pikemen leaped over the hedges at each fide, on which the horfes in front were entangled in the cars; and thofe in their rear preffing on, them, a fhocking fcene of confufion enfued; both men and horfes were involved, and tumbled oyer each other : The rebels fired on them from behind the hedges and a park wall which was near, and while ihey were in this ftate of embarraifment, killed numbers of them with their mufkets, and piked fuch of them as happened to be unhorfed.

Colonel Puleflon, whofe horfe they fliot or piked, was with difficulty faved by his men. Captain Giffard, of the Ancient Britons, and Mr. Farfons, adjutant of the Ballaghkeene cavalry, who had ferved with reputation abroad, and about fixty privates of the military and yeomen, were killed.

I have been aflured, that this aftlon would have been more fatal to the loyalifts, but that the Wingfield corps who were on the right, went through a lane to a hill which commanded the rebels, whom they put into confufion by a well-directed fire, and pf whom they killed from twenty to thirty,

Tbe

• Plate H. I. t Ibid. i. i Ibid. 4.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 51;

The defign of the rebels was to furprife the town of Carnew, which was about a mile diftant, to have killed fifty yeomen, who garrifoned it, and to have burnt the few houfes which they had not deflroyed before; but the garrifon having been apprized of their defign by fome of the cavalry in their retreat, took poit in a malt-houfe, and defended the town fo well, that the rebels, unable to pafs through it, retired to Ballyellls,| and in their retreat burnt a fine new houfe of fir John Jervis White.

They then took poft on Kilcavan-hill,* near Money feed, and to the north weft of Gorey, where the Wexford rebels feparated from thofe of the county of Wicklow, who were commanded by Garret Byrne of Ballymanus; for, foon after the battle of Vinegar-hill, they had united and co-operated. This feparation was occafioned by a difpute between their leaders. They repaired from Kilcavan, where they remained but an hour, to Ballyraheene-hill, which lies between Carnew and Tinahely.

In their progrefs they killed twelve proteftants, among others a farmer of the name of Driver, and burned fome houfes. They were purfued by detachments of the Wingfield and Shillela cavalry, the Tinahely infantry commanded by captain Morton, the Coolatin by captain Chamney, and the Coolkenna, by captain Nixon, the whole making about one hundred and twenty. They endeavoured to gain the hill of Ballyraheene, which was high and fteep, before the rebels, but could not fucceed. However, though they were polled on an eminence, and behind hedges, and notwithftanding their great fuperiority of numbers, the brave and loyal yeomanry, with a degree of valour bordering on raflinefs, attacked and enjgaged them for three quarters of an hour; but were at lafi: obliged to retreat, as the rebels were endeavouring to furround them. Captains Chamney and Nixon, and feventeen privates were killed, and many were wounded. Though Garret Byrne had been the particular friend of captain Chamney, he ordered his houfe, which was within a quarter of a mile of the aftion, to be burnt; but lieutenant Chimney having taken pofl: in it with forty yeomen, defended it all night againft the whole hofl of rebels, of whom they killed great numbers. One of them was fhot in endeavouring to fet fire to the hall-door, bearing a feather bed on his back for his defence. This engagement took place the fecond of July, two miles from Tiijahely, ajid four from Carnew.

Garret

^ Plate II. 4. • Ibid. 3, 4

5i8

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Garret and William Byrne of Ballymanus, who headed the banditti^ who committed thefe outrages and barbarities, piqued themfelves on the antiquity of their family. Garret, the eldeft brother, had an eflate, and was reputed a gentleman, from his birth, property, and education. Edward Fitzgerald alfo was a man of independent fortune, and received a good education.

On the fourth of July, general Needham, who was ftationed at Gorey with a fmail force, rec’eived information that this body of rebels had for two nights been alfembled at the White heaps,* a very elevated fpot, which had an extenfive plain on the top. It is about fix miles to the north of Gorey, and near the village of Coolgreney. Thinking it a very favourable opportunity for attacking them, he concerted meafures for that purpofe with general fir James Duff and the marquis of Huntley; the former commanded at Carnew,| the latter at Arklow.||

General Duff’s column was deftined to cut off the retreat of the rebels by the Wicklow gap, that of the marquis of Huntley was to occupy the fummit of Croghan-mountain,§ which lies to the north of Coolgreney, and to intercept their flight by that afcent.

‘ General Needham was to make the attack. At dawn of day he approached within half a mile of the White heaps, when his advanced guard was perceived by fome videttes of the rebels, polled near a farm-houfe, in which feveral of the rebel leaders had flept the preceding night. Thefe videttes gave the alarm to the main body, and it unfortunately happened that foon after a fog arofe, fo thick, as to retard the movement of our troops, and to afford a cover to the rebels to efcape. When general Needham. arrived on the White heaps, he found very vifible marks of the enemy having flept there the night before; however he met but a few fl:ragglers, who were put to death. About twelve o’clock, the fog clearing off, he obferved the rebels afcending Croghan mountain, where, meeting by furprife, the marquis of Huntley’s corps, they defcended rapidly, and endeavoured to efcape by Wicklow-gap, which lies to the fouth-wefl: of Croghan; where, approaching in the fog, clofe to fir James Duff’s column, a few rounds of grape fliot compelled them to change the courfe of their flight towards a hill near Moneyfeed, where they were clofely purlued by fir James, when, on the difperfion of the fog,

they

* Plate II. i> a. t Ibid. 4, S Ibid. i. § Ibid.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 519

they were perceived by general Needham, who, though at two miles dlf’ tance, joined in the purfuit; and finding that his infantry could not advance with fufficient celerity, he pufhed on his cavalry, which joined that of fir James Duff. At length the rebels, after having been purfued and haraffed by our cavalry, for above twelve miles, and finding themfelves unable to proceed, refolved to try the iflue of a conteft, and for that purpofe formed behind hedges, and under cover of a coppice wood, at Ballygullen, near Mount Nebo,* and three miles from Gorey.

They waited our attack, which began by grape {hot, from four fixpound curricle guns, but finding that our guns were proteded by cavalry only, and the few gunners who worked them, they made many defperate efforts to take them, having maintained a very heavy fire of mufketry, and advanced a numerous body of pikemen; but they were repulfed by the fingular bravery and fleadinefs of lieutenant Hemmings, who commanded the artillery, and captain Ledwell with a detachment of lord Roden’s fencibles. At length the head of fir James Duff’s column arriving, the rebels were foon routed, and a vigorous purfuit was made, in which the earl of Roden,t at the head of his regiment, afted with his ufual fpirit and gallantry. About three hundred of the rebels were thought to have fallen. On that day the yeomen cavalry under captain White, cut off great numbers of the rebels.

Some farmers and labourers who were concerned in this affair, declared to their landlords, after an amnefly had been granted by government, that in this purfuit they threw away their clothes to lighten themfelves; and that they were fo much overcome with hunger and fatigue, that they wiflied for death. After this defeat the rebels never appeared in any part of the county of Wexford, in fuch force as to meet the military or the yeomen in a pitched battle; but many bands of afTaiTms continued to rob and murder. Part of thofe who were difperfed on this occafion, went into the counties of Kildare, Carlow and Meath, under Fitzgerald, Aylmer, Ga;rret Byrne, Perry and Kearns, and fpread defolation in their progrefs. The two former furrendered themfelves at the caflle; the two latter were hanged at Edeuderry. Many of their followers died by the fword and the gibbet; ethers turned robbers; and but few returned to their refpective homes.

The

• Plate ir. 4.

t That gallant nobleman was in the moft perilous (ervicc during the rebellion, and volunteered whenever his regiment was not on duty.

520

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

T-h’e mountains of Wicklow continued for many months after rh’e afylum of a defperate banditti, who, under I loit and Hacfcet as leaders, committed plunder and affaffiuatron in all the adjacent country. That county,, from the ftrong polls and faftnefles which its fteeps, craggy moimtains and deep defiles afford, was the laft place in Ireland in which rebellion was fubdued in the reigns of Elizabeth, Charles I. and king William.

Some perfons of acute difcernraent in the counties of Wexford and Wicklow have made the following obfervations tome, wliith proves that the war was a religious one : That no papift ever lamented, or does fo to this hour, the relations they have loft in the rebellion : No wife was ever feen to fhed a tear for the death of her hufband, or a father or mo3 her for the lofs of a fon. In. one inftance only, nature prevailed,, and a,; ear ftarted from the eye.

Another circumftance obferved by the feme perfons proves it to have been founded in religious bigotry : That men who bore formerly ver^ excellent moral characters, were guilty of murder, robbery, and perjury without remorfe; and that numbers were perfuaded, contrary to the fentiments of nature, and the obligations of true religion, not only to negleft,. but to violate, all the ties of duty, friendfhip, gratitude and humanity, in profecuting the war.

In the courfe of the rebellion, forae parifiies were more cruel and fanguinary than others. Wherever the rebels happened to be encamped and to have the country at their devotion, they maffacred proteftants for fome miles round them which is fully proved by the atrocities ‘‘perpetrated by them in the vicinity of Carrickbyrne, Eimifcorthy, and Gorey.

In the parifhes of Killan, Roffdroit, Clonmore, Adamftown, and Newbawn, no proteftant was fpared. In the former, which lies near the weftfide of the Black-ftair* mountains, the rebels were on the point of committing the following barbarous a<5t : A band of aflaffins was fent out to colled all the proteftant women and children in it, in order to burnthem in the church. They drove the vidlims into an out-houfe, belonging to a Mrs. Kelly, within gun-fliot of it, where they were to be kept till’ they could procure a fuifficient number of faggots to accomplifli their horrid, defign.  The ruffians who were employed in it, frequently called the

church

‘Sec Plate III. 1,

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

church the proteftant pie. In this dreadful fituation were thefe helplefs and miferable women, embracing each other, and preffing to their bofoms, for a lafl; farcwel, their innocent babes, when Providence interfered, and faved them in a mod miraculous manner. The army commanded by general Johnfon, in their way to Ennifcorthy, drove the rebels from Lackenhill. One of them, a native of Killan, fled home in great confternatlon with the news, and added that the king’s troops were clofe at his heels. The guilty keepers, fearing the juft punilhment of their crimes, forfook their charge and fled. A few, more brutal than the reft, detained twelve of the youngeft girls all night, and forced and dreadfully abufed them. Four of thefe aflTaflins were afterwards convided of thefe crimes at NewtoM’n-barry, and, by the orders of general Taylor, were executed in the village of Killan, on the twenty-eighth of November, 1798, oppofite to the houfe where they had committed that brutal ad, and not far diflant from the fpot which gave them birth. All thefe circumftances were proved on the trial of thefe monft:ers by the concurrent teftimony of the luflferers.

Michael M’Grath proved, by aflidavit, that a few days before the adion at Vinegar-hill, he faw five proteftant girls, viz. Eliza and Hannah Shields, Anne and Hannah James, and Rachael Murphy, all in tears, in cuftody of Chriftopher Drohan and four other men; that he aflced Drohan, where he was conducing them? that he anfwered to Killan prifon; and that at the riflv of his life, he rcfcued them from faid perfons.

Rachael Murphy, Anne and Hannah James fwore on the trial of thefe men, that Drohan, while they were his prifoners, informed them, that their intention was (meaning himfelf and his party) to ravifti them, viz. the faid five girls, that night, and to burn them next morning; and that previous to this, their fathers had been murdered.

The following paper was found in the pocket of a rebel, who was fhot near Coolgreney, by captain Hugh Moore, of the 5th dragoonguards :

« Jefus I H S Miiria « I truft  A Thee. ** This is meafured of the wounds of the fide of our Lord Jefus Chrift, which was brought from Conftantinople unto the emperor Charles, within a gold cheft, as a rehef moft precious to that eflfed, that no evil or any thing might take him which reads it, hears it, wears it, cannot be

3 X hurted

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

hurted by any tempeft, fire, water, knife, fword, lance or bullet. Neither the devil lhall hurt him; he fhall be vidorious, and never die an unnatural death, and fhall be a fure fafety to women with child.”

Many of the fame purport were found in the county of Wexford during the rebellion. One of them was found on Pat. Prendergalt, a rebel in the county of Mayo, while the rebellion raged there. One of them is to be feen in dodor Bernard’s hiftory of th^ fiege of Drogheda.

Another piece of fuperflition to which the common people in Ireland of the Roniifh religion are rauch attached, is the fcapular, a religious order, the myfteries of which are various and profound. f Its fedaries wear on their llioulder or breaft, and next to their (kin, a piece of cloth, about three inches fquare, with I H S. worked on it; meaning Jefus hominum Salvator. It is fuppofed to avert much moral and phyfical evil; and that it will prevent a perfon from dying, though (hot through the heart, till he receives the rites of his church.

I mentioned before a pradice of putting red tape on the necks of popilh children : It prevailed much in that part of the county of Carlow bordering on the county of Wexford.

A popifh fchoolmafter at Tuilow infli<aed a fevere punifliment on a proteflant boy, for having worn it. A magiftrate received information, that John Hannigan, parifh prieft of the parifties of Coolkenno and Clonmore, ordered pieces of red tape to be put on the necks of popilh children, to diftinguilh them from proteftants; and that he knew that a niaflacre of the proteftants was to take place.

Some officers who, when on duty, traverfed many parts of the county of Wexford, alTured me, that they faw, in various places, the fign of the crofs on the doors of fome dwelling-houfes; and on others, the following words : “ Proteftion for this houfe.” They were infcribed on the houfe of Mr. Devereux, of Carrigmannon, and even on the gates leading t€^ it; which, it is believed, was done becaufe he was a Roman catholick.

\n the neighbourhood of Gorey, the chapels of father Francis Kavenagh and fome other priefts, who had aded very treacheroufly and cruelly to. wards the proteftants, were burnt by the latter, who compelled them to

fly

+ They are to be found in a little book called the Scapular, publlflied by Elfancr Kelly, m DuWin.  The form of one of them is to be found Ta Plate V.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAm 51J

ily to Wexford, where they continued to receive their paroclilal dues. During their refidence there, the priefl of each parifti announced, by letter,to his parifhioners, that he would fay mafs precifely at a certain hour; and they went regularly at that hour to the walls of their refpeftive chapels, where they prayed, and went through the ceremony of inafs, at the time appointed, with as much devotion as if the priefts were prefent, on a fuppofition that they were ading in unifon with them*

The following calculation of the inhabitants of the county of Wexford, ■will in a great meafure fliew the reader theirnumber, and the proportion of thofe who were in afitual rebellion againfl: the bed of kings, and the only conftitution in Europe that affords its fubjeds any degree of rational liberty. It will alfo prove by induction,, that’ the population of Ireland is much lefs than is generally imagined,

A hearthmoney coUedtor, well verfed in calculation, made aft exa;£l’’ cenfus of the people In three baronies and a half, fo late as the month of March, 1 800; and He included in it the populous town of Wexford. Thefe baronies contain at Icafl one-third of the population of the county, and they were lefs depopulated’ than any other parts of it; befides, this calculation has been made fmce the rebellion.

I confider the county of Wexford, which is very populous, a good average from which to deduce the number of inhabitants in Irelarid, according to the quantity of fquare acres which it contains, in proportion to thofe in the kingdom at Targe; and I conceive that it Is nearly a thirty-fourth part of it. The following table will in a great meafure cllablifh the pofitions which I have made :

n    . Ti   w » I Population of the county

Baronies. Population. Total. *^ Wexford

Wexford,. 7*405’

Forth, 5,575.

Bargy, 6,07,2Shelmaller, weft of>

the river Slaney 5 3»977 23,029 09,087

WeVfoX”*^ Acres in Ireland. Population of Wexford^ Population of Ireland. 343,000 11,607,650 69,087 0,348,958

Dublin 200,000

Totalof the ptopulation of Ireland 3,548,958

3 2C 2 Oti

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERElTT

On the trial of Mr. William Byrne, of Ballymanus, at Wicklow, on the twenty-fourth of July, 1 799, it was proved, that he. Perry and Redmond, who were leaders, made a regular mufter of the rebel army before they marched from Gorey to attack Arklow, and that they amounted to thirty-one thoufand.

The inhabitants of the county of Wexford, 69,087

The army that attacked Arklow,    31,000 There were three large rebel camps befides, one at the mountain of Forth, one on Vinegar-hill, one on Carrickbyrne, and allowing 5000 for each, 15,000

Allow for fmall rebel pofts, 3,000

 49,000

2®,o87

On the fame trial it was proved, that when the rebel army under William Byrne went to burn Tinahely in the night, they ordered fuch of the inhabitants as were Roman catholicks to put up lights in their houfes, which they did; and none of them, in confequence of it, were burnt, but that all thofe of the proteftants we’re. It was proved alfo, that father Toole, a prieft, faid mafs near the town, while it was in a ftate of conflagration.

It is aflonilhing how fuccefsful the rebels were in their endeavours to feduce the king’s troops, and they never failed to exert themfelves for that purpofe, though they might have been quartered ever fo fliort a time in one place.

Lord Blayney aflured me, that there was a dreadful mutiny in the 4th light brigade of militia under his command, at Ferns,t in the month of Auguft, 1798 : That he difcovered one morning, that they were to have rifen that night, and to have murdered him and all the proteftant officers and privates in the brigade; but he feafonably defeated their defign, by fuddenly marching them off to another camp at Scarawallh-bridge.| It appeared that they had been plentifully fupplied with money, and had a conftant and unremitting intercourfe with a neighbouring prieft, who lord Blayney had the ftrongeft reafon to think was a£tive in feducing them.

The following proofs appeared of the mutinous ftate in which they were by the examinations of ferjeant Mc. Man, and other foldiers of the Antrim

t Plate II. 6, 7. \ Ibid. 8.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 525

trim regiment, fworn before Cornelius Wallace and William Moore, efquires, both magiftrates, on the thirteenth of Auguft, 1798; that there was a confpiracy in the 4th light brigade of infantry quartered at Ferns, to murder their officers and all orangemen, and that lord Blayney was to be the firfl: murdered.

By informations fworn before colonel Hugh Clinton, it appeared, that they were to have attacked and fhormed the camp at Ferns, and then to have proceeded to that of Scarawalfh; and that part of the Clare, Kildare, Queen’s county, Antrim, Kilkenny, and Donegal regiments, were engaged in it; and that one Dogherty, a foldier in the latter, faid he muft go and confult the prieft about it.

Patrick Mc. Mahon, of the Clare militia, ftated in his examinations, fworn before William Moore, efquire, the thirteenth of Auguft, 1798; that Murray and Gallagher, privates in the fame regiment, alked him, in the church yard of Ferns, to be fworn to be true to them and their caufe, meaning an infurre£lion; but added at the fame time, that if he had any underftatiding of his religion, there would be no occafion to fwear him.

By a court-martial, held at Waterford, the thirteenth of November, 1798, by order of general Johnfon, the mutiny of the 4th light battalion was proved in the cleareft manner : That it was to have taken place the night they marched from Ferns; and that they were to have murdered their officers, and all the orangemen and proteftants of the regiment.

It is furprifing how fimilar the rebellions in Ireland have been in their origin and progrefs, and how uniformly deftruftive in their efFeds.

The county of Wexford was defolated in the year 1641; and the lioufes of the bilhop of Ferns and Mr. Ram of Ramsford, were deftroyed as well in the rebellion of that period as in the late one; which appears by an affidavit, fworn by Mr. Ram the twelfth of January, 1 641, and lodged in Birmingham-tower.J

The rebels, who efcaped from our troops after the battle of Whiteheaps, fled into the county of Kildare, xmder the command of Garret and William Byrne, Edward Fitzgerald, general Perry, and Kearns, a

popife

♦ See it in Appendix, No. XX!.

52d

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

popifh prieft, having been inducad to join rheir fellow-traitors there by jVIichael Reynolds, who being reinforced by them,was encouraged to^ undertake, what he had long meditated, an attack on tfee little garrilba/ of Clonard,§ defended’ by a few yeomen, commanded by lieutenant! Tyrrell, of Kilreny, high fherifi” of the county, and of whom I made; mention before.

A report having prevailed, that they had this in contemplation, lieutenant Tyrreir aded for fome time on the defenfive. i\t lafi, about eleven, o’clock on the morning of the eleventh of July, his-nepliew Mr. Ricluird Allen, who was a member of his corpSj galloped into the yard, and announced that he had been clofely purfued by a large party of rebels^ that he narrowly efcaped being taken> and that he was fure they were advancing to Glonard.

It unfortunately happened that fome of the guards were abfent, not having the moft remote fufpicion that the garrifon would be attacked* Lieutenant Tyrrell, notwithftandlng his utmoft exertions, could mufter but twenty-feven men, three of whom were his own fons, the eldefl; not feventeen years old, the youngefl but twelve. He had no fooner clofed the gate of the court-yard, than the firing, began.

Though lieutenant Tyrrell had. never adted in any military capacity, the coolnefs, the (kill, the good fenfe,. and energy of mind, which he fhewed in this critical and perilous Ctuation, would have done honour to a veteran. He ftationed, in a turret in the garden, which commanded the road by which the rebels were expeded to advance, fix of his corps, including Mr. Allen and his fon, only fifteen years old. After fixing fome other out-pofls, he retired into the barrack with the main body, of whom he felefted the beft markfmen, placed them at thofe windows from which they were molt likely to annoy the enemy, and defircd them not to fire without taking good aim.

The advanced guard of the rebels, confifling of about three hundred cavalry, approached towards the turret, in a full trot, without apprehending any danger. Their leader, one Farrell, was mortally wounded’ by the fir ft Ihot fired by young Mr, Tyrrell; and the main body having been thrown into confufion by a general volley, fled out of the reach of

tbeir*

5 Plate I. 6, 7.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 5-7

•their fire. The rebel infantry then coming up, pafTcd by the turret under cover of a wall, and part of them having taken poft behind a hedge, maintained a conflant fire on it, but without effed. The remainder joined another party, who came by a crofs road from a different quarter, for their objedl was to have furrounded the town. They then ftationed a guard on the bridge, to prevent any reinforcement from arriving in that diredion. The markfmen from the windows foon difperfed and put to flight that guard, after having killed about a dozen of them. This proved afterwards to be of the utmoft confequence to the little garrifon, as it preferved a communication with the weftern road.

The rebels, difappointed in their attack both on the houfe and the turret, refolved to make one defperate effort to ftorm the latter. A party of them having penetrated into the garden, ruftied into the turret. The yeomen ftationed there had the precaution to draw up through a trapdoor the ladder by which they afcended to the loft. The rebels endeavoured to mount to it on each other’s Ihoulders, but were conftantly killed in the attempt. Some fired through the floor, others drove their pikes through it, but without elfed. The rebels perfevered in the attempt with inflexible obftinacy, though twenty-feven of them lay dead on the ground-floor. At laft they let fire to a large quantity of ftraw under the turret, which was foon in flames.

Two of the befieged, Mr. George Tyrrell and Mr. Michael Cufack, were /hot in en<ieavouring to make their efcape, by rufliing through the fmoke. The remainder eluded the vigilance of the rebels, and arrived fafe to the main body, by leaping from a very high window, and palling ‘jnder cover of a wall.

Afterwards they fet fire to the toU-houfe, and fome cabbins near the bridge, and threw fome of the dead bodies into the flames, for the purpofe of confuming them, left their numbers ftiould be known.

The conflict had now lafted fix hours, and the rebels feemed determined to maintain it; but very fortunately an event happened, which at the fame time that it depreflTed their courage, infpired the loyal garrifon with renovated valour. One of the guard, who had been excluded on the fudden fliutting of the gates in the morning, fled to Kinnegad, and informed the garrifon . there of the perilous fituation of his friend* at Clonard; on which, eleven of the Northumberland fencibles, under a

ferjeantj

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

ferjeant, and fourteen of the Kinnegad infantry, under lieutenant Houghton, marched for Clonard.

Lieutenant Tyrrell, with great gallantry fallied forth from the houfe, and formed a junction with them. After having pofled this reinforcement in the moft advantageous fituation, to gall the enemy, he, with a few picked men, undertook to drive the rebels from the garden, which about four hundred of them Hill continued to occupy. Some of them were on a mount thickly planted with fir trees, which afibrded them a protection, and prevented them from being feen; the remainder were intrenched behind a privet hedge. Lieutenant Tyrrell, with great gallantry, diflodged the latter, who fled to their friends on the mount.

The conflid then became very warm, the rebels appearing determined to maintain this advantageous po(t; and the yeomen, but few in number, though fix of them were badly wounded, and the remainder were overcome with fatigue, refolved to die fooner than retreat.

Mr. Richard Allen received a ball which pafTed through his arm, and lodged in his fide.* At laft, lieutenant Tyrrell’s party, after having difr played prodigies of valour, routed the party on the mount, and drove them out of the garden; and the Northumberland and Kinnegad corps killed many of them in their flight. This viftory, obtained by a handful of loyalifts over a numerous body of rebels, was one of the moft fplendid achievements performed in the courfe of the rebellion. No lefs than one hundred and fifty of the rebels were killed, and a. great many wounded.

During the engagement, the rebels plundered the houfes of lieutenant Tyrrell at Kilreny, and Mr. George Tyrrell at BaUinderry, and deftroyed the whole of the furniture in both.

The joy which lieutenant Tyrrell and his garrifon might have felt^ on gaining fo fplendid a victory, was loft in their great folicitude for Mrs. Tyrrell, who had gone in her chaife to her houfe at Kilreny that morning, about fome domeftick concerns; and on hearing that the rebels were approaching, (he drove back, and endeavoured to arrive at Clonard before them : But fhe had not gone far, before fhe heard the noife of mulketry, which convinced her of the impoffibility of accomplifhing it, and therefore turned back; but was foon overtaken and ftopped by two

meg

* He di«d of his wounds.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

men on horfeback with drawn fwords, who after many oaths and imprecations, compelled the poftillion to turn about, and proceed towards Clonard : They met in their way two hundred men armed with fwords, pikes and mulkets, who fearched the carriage for arms. Then three men, armed with mufkets, mounted the boot of the chaife, and three behind it, attended by the reft, compelled the fervant to drive to the other end of the village of Clonard, where they had a warm altercation about the treatment which Mrs. Tyrrell fhould receive; fome urging that fhe fhould be treated with civility, others with brutality. At laft (he prevailed on them to permit her to go into a cottage, where two men armed with mufkets were ported over her as fentinels. She remained there, till the whole body of them, when retreating, flopped at the cottage; and one of their officers approaching her, informed her, that fhe muft go into her carriage, and accompany them. She implored them in the moft pathetick manner to let her remain behind, and as an inducement to do fo, fhe offered her carriage and horfes to general Perry; At firft he feemed obdurate, but on her falling on her knees, he granted her requeft. Soon after he left her, a common fellow feized her by the arm, dragged her to the door, and faid, fhe muft attend them on horfeback, as fome of their wounded men muft go in her chaife. She addrefTed herfelf again to the officer, who had been fo kind to her before; but he faid, that fhe muft go and remain with them as a hoftage, till the fate of one of their general officers, a prifoner at Clonard, was determined; but added, that llie would be permitted to go in her chaife.

When they had proceeded about a mile, general Perry requeft ed to join her in the carriage : Soon after, a low fellow ftopped it, and got into it, faying, “ That he had a right to it, as it was he that firft obtained it and notwithftanding the rank of general Perry, he could not prevent his intrufion, nor check his infolence. At laft, one Kearns, a popifti prieft, rode up to the carriage, and as he had been kindly and hofpitably entertained at different times by Mrs. Tyrrell for a week together, flie implored him to interfere in obtaining her releafe; but he coldly anfwered, by faying, “ Oh! yes madam!” and having retired, {he faw no more of him. At laft, Mrs. Tyrrell was liberated by a captain Byrne,* and permitted to return to her family at Clonard, but on foot.

3 Y The

» This was Mr. Garret Byrne, of BaUymanus, who afterwards obtained his pardon o* furrendering bitnfclf.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

The rebels, after their defeat, retreated to Carbery, where they got pofleffion of lord Harberton’s houfe, which they plundered of various articles, and pafled the night in drinking what liquors they found in his lordfliip’s cellars.

On the twelfth of July, they marched into the county of Meath, by Johnftown and the Nineteen-mile houfe : They were purfued by colonel Gough, who, with but fixty infantry and twenty cavalry, attacked and routed them with confiderable flaughter. They were next purfued by general Myers, with detachments of the Dublin yeomanry and Bucklnghamfhire militia, and though he was not fo fortunate as to overtake them, lie drove them towards Slane, where general Meyrick encountered and killed many of them. They were afterwards attacked by different detachments of the military, who in the courfe of a few days cut off great numbers of them, and finally difperfed them.

Perry and Kearns made their efcape into the King’s county, where attempting to crofs a bog near Clonballogue, they were apprehended by Meffrs. Robinfon and Ridgeway, of the Edenderry yeomen, who conveyed them to that town, where they were tried and executed by martial law. Perry was chearful and communicative, acknowledged the part he had taken in the rebellion, and feemed to glory in it. Kearns was fullen and filent, except when he upbraided Perry for his candour in frankly confeffmg his guiltr

This reverend gentleman was at Paris in the year 1794, when in tha adminiflration of Roberfpiere, the ‘French were extirpating the Romifh clergy. He was aftually hung up at Paris, but the weight of his body (as he was of a huge ftature) bent the iron of a lamp-poff to which h« was fufpended fo much, that his toes touched the ground, and prevented animal life from being extinguifhed. An Iriffj phyfician, who perceived this, had him conveyed to his houfe, and recovered him. . Having fled to his native country, he was appointed curate of a chapel near Clonard. From the vehemence with which he unremittingly inveighed againfl: French republican principles, and the warm encomiums which he beftowed on our conftitution, he was regarded as a fteady loyahft, and a good fubjed; in confequence of which he was well received, and even at times domefticated in the houfes of fome of the mofl; refpe^lable gentlemen in the counties of Meath, Kildare, and the King’s county.

As

*

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 531

As the defenders were at that time formidable in thofe counties, he was not only admitted to the conferences of the magiftrates, but even aflifted them in their nightly patroles againfl: thofe mifcreants.

It having been difcovered that he betrayed the counfels of the magiftrates to the rebels, he was excluded from their conferences; and pofitive information having been received, that he had incited fome perfons to commit a murder, he fled into the county of Wexford, where he became a rebel leader.

On Sunday morning the fecond of June, intelligence having been received, that a number of rebels had appeared in force near the Scalp and Ennifkerry, in the county of Wicklow, the drums beat to arms, and in lefs than three hours, a large body of yeomen, confiding of detachments from the Stephen’s-green and Rotunda divifions, the Lawyers and Attornies cavalry and infantry, with their ufual fpirit and alacrity fet out to meet the infurgents, under the command of general Myers.

On June the ninth, a detachment of captain Beresford’s corps patrolling near Rathfarnham, came up with a party of rebels who were on their way from Dublin to the Wicklow mountains, conveying ammunition to the banditti who infefted them. They were armed, and had a green flag and green cockades in their hats. Three or four of them were killed, and three who had afted with fmgular treachery by firing after they had furrendered themfelves, were hanged at Rathfarnham; five more were led into town as prifoners.

A numerous body of rebels who efcaped from Vinegar-hill retreated into the county of Kilkenny, under the command of father John Murphy, of Boulavogue, by the Scullagh gap,* and thence they proceeded to Caft-lecomer, deftroying the houfes snd property of proteftants, and murdering fuch of their inhabitants as fell into their hands.

Lieutenant Dixon, of the Wexford regiment, was ftationed at Gore’sbridge,|| a neat village on the river Barrow, and county of Kilkenny, with twenty-five of his own regiment, and a fmall party of the 4th dragoon guards.

On the twenty.fecond of June, they received intelligence that father John Murphy’s column was in motion, and on that night they burned

3 Y 2 the

* Plafe n. 6, 7,?.

!! Ibid.

53*

r/IEMOlRS OF THE DIFFERENT

the village of Kil Edmond. An exprefs was fent to fir Charles Afgillf to Kilkenny, efcorted by all the dragoons quartered at Gore’s-bridge, to inform him of their movements; but as the hedges at each fide the ‘^oad were thickly befet with rebels, who kept up a conftant fire on them, they were under the necelTity of returning. This was towards the morning of the twenty-third. Lieutenant Dixon being determined to protedl the village of Gore’s-bridge, and to prevent it from fliaring the fate of Kil Edmond, flationed his men on the bridge, which crofTes the river, not fufpeding that the main body of the rebels were near him. He had no fooner taken his port, than he faw the adjacent hills covered with them, and at the fame time faw a column, of which he could not difcover the extent, move along the road from Kil Edmond. Not knowing that the river was fordable, which it happened to be in many places, he thought there might be a poflibility to maintain his pofition till a reinforcement Ihould arrive; but he foon perceived their intention to furround him, having crofled over the river for that purpofe, and that they meant to break and embarrafs his party, by driving a number of cattle againft them, which they were collefting in the adjacent fields; a common expedient among the rebels. Wifliing to provide againft this artifice, he procured a number of cars, and made a barricade of them in his front.

But he foon perceived from the greatnefs-^ their numbers, and the fmart fire the rebels kept up, that they had no other refource but to retreat. Befides, the rebels had brought a fwivel to bear on the bridge, and had alfo planted fome large pieces of cannon in a commanding fituation. When they had retreated to Low Grange, they were furrounded by the rebels, who alTured them, they fhould receive no injury if they laid down their arms. At that moment, Heutenant Dixon was fo fortunate as to make his efcape, having mounted behind a quarter-mafter of dragoons, who was retreating; and at the fame time he heard the rebels exclaim, “ Have we got the officer?” The rebels then proceeded to Kellymount, where they put nine of their proteftant prifoners to death, with circumftances of favage cruelty.

It appeared by the joint information of the foldiers who efcaped, fworn before lieutenant-colonel Ram, that the following circumftances attended the murder of the foldiers : That Walter Devereux, who faid

he

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

535

fie was commander in chief in the abfence of the general, (meaning father John Murphy,) ordered the proteftant prifoners to be feleded from the reft; and they were pointed out by one of their own foldiers, of the name of Bruton, of the Romifli perfuafion : They were furrounded by a circle of about eight thoufand rebels, when Devereux ordered corporal Orange to be dragged out of the circle and fliot, having faid, infultirgly to him, “ Orange by name, and Orange by nature.”

They proceeded in the fame manner to put to death fix of the Wex-^ ford regiment, and two dragoons : That they remained prifoners with them till the twenty-fixth of June, when the rebels were routed with great flaughter at Kilcomney, near Gore’s-bridge, where the Wexford foldiers made their efcape : That while they remained prifoners with the rebels, they had no other food but raw meat and water.

Walter Devereux had been principally concerned in the malTacre at Scullabogue, and yet he remained unnoticed till the month af November, 1798, when being on the point of embarking on board a fhip at the Cove of Cork, to fall for America, he was fortunately recognifed by fome of the Wexford foldiers, who had been his prifoners, was apprehended, and afterwards hanged. When arrefted, he had the protedtions of five general officers.

The rebels, in their progrefs to Caftlecomer,* maflacred two more of the Wexford foldiers.

The prifoners declared, that they received the moft favage treatment from this band of traitors. Half famifhed, and overcome with fatigue, they were hurried on precipitately without reft, except when their priefts ftopped for a few minutes to fay mafs; which they frequently did, for the purpofe of kindling fanaticifm in them, as their courage emanated from no other fource, and as it never failed to animate them, even when overcome with the want of food and fleep.

OnSaturday morning the twenty-third of June, a man arrived atKilkenny, and informed fir Charles Afgill, that he had been taken prifoner by the rebels at Gorey, and had been obliged to repair with them to their camp at Vinegar-hill; that he had been compelled to attend a numerous body of them, thirty thoufand in number, as he believed, who had fled from thence, and who under the command of father John Murphy had marched into the county of Kilkenny, through the Scullagh-gap, and that he was

detained

• Plate I. 8, 9.

534 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

.detained by them till that morning, when he made his efcape; on which fir Charles Afgill ordered the garrifon under arms, and marched from Kilkenny in purfuit of the rebels, between eight and nine o’clock; and having proceeded about three miles, in the line where the rebels were fuppofed to be, he halted, and called the honourable vifcount Loftus and the honourable colonel Howard, whofe regiments were on that fervice, and conferred with them and the other field officers on the plan which . he intended to adopt.

On deliberation, they concluded it would be imprudent to proceed farther, without knowing the number ol the enemy, and the route they had taken, as fir Charles had left in Kilkenny a large quantity of ammunition, and had well-grounded apprehenfions that its difaflefted inhabitants only waited for an opportunity of rifing; befides, fhould he mifs the rebels in purfuing them, they might have flipped by him and come to Kilkenny, and have plundered and burnt it in his abfence. He had fent, in the mean time, major Lawder, a gallant and inteUigent officer, with a party of dragoons acrofs the country towards Leighlin-bridge, to reconnoitre the rebels, and bring intelligence of their movements. Juft before he returned, the wives of fome of the men who had been taken by the rebels at Gore’s-bridge, and had efcaped, arrived, and informed him of their po(ition, and of their numbers, which appeared to have been much lefs than he imagined; and foon after major Lawder arrived, and confirmed their account. On this he ordered the troops to move forward to Kellymount, but they had quitted it, and proceeded towards Caftlecomer.

As the troops had been fafting and under arms all day, he returned to Kilkenny, after he had fent a large detachment of the cavalry to reconnoitre them; and they having approached very near the rebels, would have attacked them, but that a bog happened to intervene.

I fhall now proceed to defcribe the progrefs of the Wexford rebels, who found in the county of Kilkenny the popifh multitude as much difaffeded as themfelves. The town of Caftlecomer being contiguous to extenfive collieries, it was to be apprehended that the perfons who worked in them would be very fufceptible of being infeded with the dodrines of united Iriflimen, as they are under Httle or no control of their employers, as they are led, from the nature of their laborious occupations, to ufe ftrong

liquors,

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

535

liquors, and they are more prone to turbulence, difcontent, and combinaLtion, than any other fet of men.

ATROCITIES COMMITTED AT CASTLECOMER AND IN

ITS VICINITY.

On the night of the twenty-third of May, the colliers firft appeared in arms, and attacked the barrack of Doonane, (about three miles from. Caftlecomer,) in which there was a company of the Waterford militia. The obje£V. of the rebels was, it is faid, after taking the barrack, and putting all the loyaUfts to death, to march to Carlow, and join the body deftined for the attack of that town. It unfortunately happened, that moft of the Waterford were billeted through the village of Doonane; however, the few that were in the barrack, though taken by furprife, completely beat the rebels off, confiding of at lead feven hundred men. Several of the foldiers turned out of the barrack in their fhirts, and kept up a fmart fire for a few minutes, when the rebels fled precipitately. As they carried with them their killed and wounded, it never was afcertained how many fell in that adion.

The honourable James Butler, brother to the earl of Ormond, who commanded the Faflaghdineen yeomen cavalry, as foon as he got intelligence of the attack on Doonane, collefted as many of his corps as were near the town of Caftlecomer; and, together with a detachment of the Waterford militia then quartered in the town, marched with the utmoft fpeed to the relief of Doonane; howevei’, too late to come up with the rebels, who by that time had gained the mountains, and were difperfing^.

It providentially happened, that the proteftants of Caftlecomer were not attacked that night, while the garrifon had marched to Doonane; as they muft have inevitably fallen a facrifice to their favage fury. Had they fucceeded in the attempt on the barrack of Doonane, they would unqueftionably have afterwards attacked the town.

On the twenty-fourth of May, captain Butler’s yeoman corps was ordered on permanent duty; and the day after a troop of the 5th, or Royal Irilh dragoons, under the command of captain Green, marched in, to ftrengthen the garrifon. With this reinforcement, they conceived themfelves tolerably fecure»

f.arly

\

536 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Early in the month of June, fir Charles Afgill received information againft feveral of the Faffaghdineen cavalry, as rebels, and in confequence ^^ven of them, all papifts, were lodged in Kilkenny gaol. The people of the neighbourhood continued to give up their pikes, and to take oaths of allegiance, in order to lull the magiftrates and proteftant inhabitants into a fupine and fatal fecurity.

They vi^ere frequently alarmed by reports of the rebels coming to attack them, and the garrifon were feveral nights under arms; but thofe reports were generally occafioned by ill-grounded apprehenfions. The minds of the people were in fuch a ftate, that any unufual noife at night occafioned Infinite alarm. However, at length they heard that a body of rebels, who efcaped from Wexford, were making their way to that country, in order to join the colliers, and then proceed to attack Kilkenny.

In the courfe of Saturday the twenty-third, feveral loyalifts from the mountains, between Caftlecomer and Leighlin-bridge, brought intelligence, that the rebels were bending their courfe that way. They ftili remained in heedlefs fecurity. They had often been alarmed by falfe reports, that they would not now believe the approaching danger, though each fucceflive exprefs ftrengthened the former; and though a poor man who was moft dreadfully mangled and left for dead by the rebel advanceguard was brought into the town, to have his wounds drefled. It is impofTible to defcribe the diftreffing fcene which on that evening prefented itfelf, all the proteftants with their families flying from the mountains and the colliery. For feveral hours the roads were crowded with thofe unfortunate fugitives, with infancy and decrepitude in their train, dreading the fpirit of fanaticifm.

On Saturday night the garrifon was reinforced by a troop of the 4th dragoons, a company of the Waterford militia from Doonane, a company of the Downfliire, twenty of the CuUinagh infantry, and forty of the Cullinagh cavalry, fo that the whole might confift of nearly three hundred, but being moftly cavalry, they were not at all calculated for that country, where the ground is much broken up with coUiery pits. That night, the rebels flept at a place about five miles from Caftlecomer, on a ridge of mountains, near Leighlin-bridge.

Among the loyalifts who fled from the colliery and the adjacent country, there were about one hundred who had arms, but very little ammunition.

\

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

537

nition. They were ordered out in different parties, to ^v’atch the movements of the rebels, many of them with not more than fix rounds of cartridge. The whole force was drawn feparate on the bridge, and in the main ftreet; and a reconnoitring party, confiding of one hundred men, were fent out about four o’clock in the morning, to watch the rebels motions. There was fuch an immenfe fog early on Sunday morning, that it was utterly impbffible to difcern objects at twenty yards diftance.

About four o’clock, the rebels arrived at a place called Gurteen, near three miles from Caftlecomer,* where they heard mafs. It being St. John’s day, they had prayers again about two miles off, where they halted. They had proceeded under cover of the fog, fo that the troops who were fent to reconnoitre, were fired on before they could fee them. At length the fog began to difperfe a little, which opened to the afloniflied troops a view of not lefs than from eight to ten thoufand rebels, thofe armed with mufkets in the front, the pikemen in the rear. The main body had halted on the road, and two wings were extending themfelves on each fide; the whole formed a crefcent. In order to underftand the perilous fituation of our troops, it is neceffary to obferve, that for nearly two miles of the road to the town of Caftlecomer there is a long range of wall on each fide; and about half a mile of it is planted. While the fog was fo thick, the troops could not perceive that the wings of the rebel army had confiderably Ipread themfelves, and were advancing in a fmart trot, to furround the town, while the main body remained ftationed in the road; fo that when captain Green, judging from their numbers that all refiftance was fruitlefs, ordered a retreat; and the rebels who had got before them, and lined the walls, kept up a fmart fire on them. The retreat was very diforderly; and many of the infantry were overturned by the cavalry, and left expofed to the rebels fire.

An inftance of uncommon audacity occurred within a few perches of the town : A rebel captain, with a green falh, ruftied out from a bye road on .horfeback, and accofting captain Butler, at the head of his corps, defired him to furrender, and that he, his men, and the town fliould be faved. Captain Butley miffing fire at him, the rebel wheeled about, fired without effed, and was fliot by a yeoman within a few yards of the rebel armv.

3 Z The

Plate I. 8, 9,

MEMOIRS OF THE DIITT^RENT

The retreat of our troops had not been fo precipitate, but that many of the rebels had rufhed to the bridge, almoft as foon as the foldiers; but with fuch a confufed rapidity did the retreating party gallop into the town, overturning every thing before them, that the rell of our force that was ported on ihe bridge joined the throng, and fled up the flreet. A very few of the Waterford and Downftiire militia kept their ground on the bridge for a few minutes, killed feveral rebels, and gave the whole a checkAt length they took refuge in four houfes which were next to, and completely flanked the bridge and, together with a few loyahfts of the town, kept up a warm fire from the houfes. The right wing of the rebels forded the river above the town, and being joined by the traitorous inhabitants, fet fire to the fuburbs.

The perilous fituation of the loyal few in thofe houfes already mentioned, can be better imagined than defcribed; the bridge crowded with rebels, yelling with rage, crying out for blood, and not a foldier to oppofe them : the back-houfes all on fire. Here, amidft furrounding flames, and to the very breafts of the rebels, might be feen the gallant captain Butler, fmgle and unfupported, riding down the jftreet, within a few yards of the rebels, endeavouring to rally the fcattered force, calling them back in words that would animate the dead. Amidft balls thick as hail, twice did he ride up and down the ftreet, with an heroick intrepidity, as laudable as it was unavailing. And now commenced a v£ry fharp, but ill-direded fire from the rebels on the bridge, which was as warmly and more effedually anfwered from the houfes; for three hours and a half this fire was kept up, and not a rebel was fuffered to crofs the bridge alive. At length when their ammunition was almoft expended, general father Murphy, who had kept aloof from the heat of the adion, near the church, where they tried their prifoners, fent a black fervant of the countefs of Ormond, whom they had taken prifoner, to inform thofe who fired from the houfes, “ That if they marched out with their hats on the top of their guns, their lives fliould be faved; that it was in vain to refift any longer, as he expeded a reinforcement from Ballyragget immediately.” They detained his ambaflador for fome time, and at length fent the reverend general word, that they would fubmit if he would, by the fame meflenger, fend them a written affurance of mercy. This they did to gain time; and foon after they obferved the troops from Kilkenny lining the

hills.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 539

nills, and taking their pofitions to attack the rebels. General fir Charles Afgill with nine hundred men, went to their relief, and a few rounds of grape-fhot foon diflodged the rebels, who retreated the way they came, in a flow pace, and in, an irregular manner.

When fir Charles arrived near the town, he fent a detachment of the Wexford, under lieutenant-colonel Ram, (which were foon joined by the grenadiers of the Wicklow) and a party of cavalry, to take poft on a bridge contigueus to it, and on the Doonane fide of it; and after firing a few rounds of grape into Caillecomer,, they marched into it. At that time the rebels, a few (Iragglers excepted, had abandoned it; but two of them, who remained under the bridge, fired up the ftreet feveral times, and wounded two of the Wicklow regiment. Lady Ormond’s manfion, and feveral other houfes in the town were then in a blaze; and the heat was fo great, that the bombadier of the Wicklow regiment requefted that fir Charles would change his pofition, as he was afraid that the guns might go off; upon which he took poft on an eminence which commanded the town.

The family of Mr. Kane, agent to lady Ormond, had been in a deplorable ftate. The females had been prifoners in their own houfe, which the rebels locked up and fet on fire; and they retired to the cellar to avoid the flames, but the troops arrived and liberated them before it was confumed. They had taken Mr. Kane prifoner, and carried him before father Murphy, who continued in. the body of the church, trying, as orangemen,, > fuch proteftants as they had taken prifoners; and two of whom they maffacred before fir Charles arrived. He tried and would have had Mr. Kane put to death as an orangeman, but that fome poor women of the colliery by their tears arid entreaties (as he is a gentleman of great hmnanity); prevailed on the reverend general to let him efcape.

Sir Charles, having taken an elevated pofition, ported his guns fo as to ■ rake the woods, in which he killed a good many of the rebels, who compofed the rear guard of the main body, at that time two miles out of. the town, and fuppofed to be between fix and feven .thoufand men. ‘

As fir Charles Afgill returned to Kilkenny without leaving a foldier in Caftlecomer, the proteftants were obliged to defert their houfes, and leave them and their property to the mercy of thofe, of whom they foon found they had formed but too juft fufpicions.  To remain in the town,

3 Z 7. witfeout.

540

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

without military proteftion or ammunition, would furely have been madnefs; for at the time of the general’s orders to return, the rear of the rebel army was ftill in view.

I flvall not attempt, for I could not defcribe, the heart-breaking fight of all the proteftants quitting their homes.  The whole road, from Caftlecomer to Kilkenny, was one continued and melancholy train of fugitives, men, women and children, who but a few hours before were pofTelTed of peace and comfort, now outcafts from their houfes, feeking an afylum among Grangers, from the mercilefs hands of their popifh neighbours. That evening the rebels of the town burned every loyalift’s houfe; infuriate with the plunder of lady Ojmond’s cellar, they committed every excefs. From Sunday to Thurfday thofe favages rioted in the pillage of the toA\Ti, when at length fir Charles Afgill, on the twenty-eighth of June, fent a party of the Glangary fencibles and the Faflaghdineen cavalry, who furprifed them in the midft of their excelfes, and killed about twenty-four and took feveral prifoners, from whofe confeffion it appeared, that a party of Cufllecomer rebels, all Roman catholicks, had gone to meet the Wexford army, on Friday the twenty-fecond, and induced them to come on to attack it.  Moft of thefe have fince been hanged or tranfported.

It would be tedious to mention the feveral inftances of atrocity which occurred at that time in Caftlecomer and its vicinity : I fhall, however, fubjoin a few undoubted fads, which are well known.

On Sunday morning the twenty-fourth of June, James Anderfon, who was a vidette in the colliery, was met by the advance-guard of the rebels, as he was returning from his watch, not fufpeding that the rebels were in the neighbourhood. They afked him if he was a chrijlian; on anfwering that he was, they defired him to blefs himfelf as a proof of it. This he could not do; they then dragged him into a houfe on the road fide, drove a pike through him, under his arms, raifed him up from the ground on their pikes, and dabbing him under the ear, bled him like a pig, in a crock which had milk in it. He was a quiet, inoffenfive man. He was not an orangeman, but, what is the fame in the eyes of the rebels, a proteftant.

An inftance occurred, which very ftrongly marks the defigns and fentiments of the rebels : A poor man of the name of Coogan, was purfued by a party of rebels through lady Ormond’s plantation; he

was

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 54V

was overtaken, and mofl; miferably mangled with pikes; when almolV. expiring, he begged of them to fend for the pried. They curfed him for a ftupid vagabond, that he did not tell them at firfl; he was a chriftian,* and they would not have ufed him fo. This poor man luckily furvived to tell the ftory.

Arthur Williams, a quiet induftrious tradefman, was taken prifoner in Mr. Kane’s hcufe in Cafllecomer, and was brought to the church, and then was on the point of being fliot, when the army appearing in view, they took him with them to Wolf’s-hill, where his diftrafted wife followed him, and endeavoured to have him faved by the interference of a rebel captain; but as father Murphy was not then on the fpot, he could not be releafed.

The Downfhire militia from Maryborough appearing at a diftarice, the whole rebel army moved off about feven o’clock in the evening (Sunday) to Doonane, and thence to the Ridge, bringing Williams along with them. Here they put him on his knees, and in the ad of prayer, they run him through with pikes, and then fhot his face almoft off. This happened on Monday morning; his wife could not find him till Saturday after, when fhe difcovered him in a lonely part of the mountain, two miles off the road, fo disfigured, that fhe could fcarce recognife him : He was not an orangeman.

Two men of the name of Conn and Salter, having taken refuge in Cafllecomer the night before the attack, brought their families with them.  In the buflle and confufion of the engagement they were feparated from their wives and children : When the adion was over, anxioufly looking for their families, they met a man who had been a fervant for many years to the former, (Conn,) who told them that he would fhew them where their wives and children were; when bringing them about tvro miles from the town, colle6ling near twenty rebels, and fnatching a gun from his old mailer’s hand, he fhot him almofl in the prefence of his wife, and then they piked both him and Salter : They buried them immediately; the latter not quite dead : They then took the bodies up, fcooped out Salter’s eyes, and buried them in a place where they could never fince be found.

William

• Meaning thereby a papift.

$41 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENl”

William Bradley, his daughter Catherine Ne£bitt, and nephew David Leycock, going from their houfe on Wednefday the twenty-feventh of June acrofs the hills, in order to reach Kilkenny, were purfued by a party of Caftlecomer rebels, robbed and barbaroufly murdered : The woman was pregnant. Their bodies were not difcovered until the Chriftmas after.  Neither Bradley or Leycock were orangemen..

The county of Wexford rebels, after having burned Caftlecomer, encamped within four miles of Athy, intending to attack it next morning,, and thence to have joined Doorly, the traitorous yeoman and afiaffin of Rathangan, and William Aylmcr at Profperous.

General Dunn, at that time quartered at Monaftereven, hearing the perilous fituation of Athy,* with that fpirit which he difplayed on all occafions, flew to its afliftance, with a fix -pounder and one hundred of the city of Cork militia. His arrival gave fuch fpirit to the yeomanry, that they only wiflied to be led againft their enemies. The general felefted one hundred of the yeomen, in addition to the city of Cork detachment, and Gonfcious of the goodnefs of his caufe, at twelre o’clock St night marched to the attack of the rebel camp.  His intentions, were

fruftrated, as the moment he arrived at Athy, the reverend Mr. K

a popifti prieft, was feen porting to the rebel camp with great expedition, to inform them of the intended attack.

When the general arrived there, he found it had been deferted at an early hour in the night, and that they had retraced their fteps. He purr fued them for many miles without any fuccefs, except that in flying from him, they fell into the track of the gallant major Mathews of the Downftiire, who, with four hundred men, purfued them; and having^ apprifed fir Charles Afgill of it, he joined in the purfuit,. overtook them at Kilcomney, near G£)re’s-bridge, and completely defeated them.

A body of troops having marched from Maryborough, on the twentyfourth of June, by order of fir Charles Afgill, for the purpofe of cooperating with, him, proceeded towards the collieries of Caftlecomer and Doonane, and on the road they faw Caftlecomer on fire, after fir Charles Afgill had retreated from it to Kilkenny; they confifted of four hundred of the Royal Downftiire militia, commanded by major Mathews, captain Poole, with the Ballyfin yeomen cavalry, and captain Gore, with the Maryborough corps.

As

• Plate I. 8.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

543

As foon as they arrived at Moyad, they faw the rebels under father Murphy in great force, on the high grounds above Doonane. As it was iate in the day, they refolved on retiring to Timohoe, and to attack th^ni early next morning. Soon after they received an exprefs from fir Charles Afgill, defiring them to return to Maryborough; but they anfwered, by propofing to him to attack the rebels next morning on the Doonane fide, and tliat they would attack them on the road from Timohoe in the oppofite dire£lion : Sir Charles anfwered them next morning, at feven o’clock, ‘by faying that his troops were too much fatigued to co-operate with them, but that they might engage the rebels, Ihould circumftances prove favourable for that purpofe.

They then returned to Moyad, with an intention of attacking the rebels next day; but the cavalry who were fent out to reconnoitre, having brought intelligence that the rebels had retreated to the bridge of Old Leighlin, they again purfued them, but were difappointed in their defign of bringing them to a£lion, as they had marched to Gore’s-bridge. The ■cavalry having proceeded to Old Leighlin,* captain Poole fent an exprefs to fir Charles Afgill of the enem/s motions, and of their intention of attacking them the firft opportunity that offered. At Old Leighlin they met Mr. Vigors, an adive and intelligent officer, who had retired from the fervice; and he fupplied them with a number of cars to carry their men, as fome of them were overcome with hunger and excefs of fatigue; and he alfo accompanied them to the fcene of aftion, giving them at the fame time his advice, and every afliftance in his power.

About twelve o’clock at night, they arrived at Leighlin-bridge, and in two hours after received an exprefs from fir Charles Afgill, defiring them to meet him at Gore’s-bridge, at five o’clock in the morning. They inflantly marched in purfuit of the rebels; but foon after, major Mathews having received intelligence that they had bent their courfe towards the mountains, changed his route for the purpofe of intercepting them; and fent intelligence of his defign to fir Charles Afgill, by Mr, Moore, coliedor of Leighlin, who, with his brother, Mr. Pierce Moore, attended them, and to whofe advice and affiftance major Mathews attributed their having intercepted and overtaken the enemy.

After a march of three hours, they came in fight of the rebels ported i&R Kilcomney-hill, near Gore’s-bridge,J and fired fome cannon fliot at

them,

• Plate II. 3, 4. tibid. 6.

544 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

them, on which they retired about a mile and a half, to form their linCr Our troops followed them in column, with the caanon in front, and the cavalry in the rear. They no fooner formed, than they heard fir Charles Afgill’s cannon on the other fide of tin; hilL After a few difcharges of our artillery, the rebels were broken and fled, and our troopscontinued to purfue them for fix miles with great (laughter^

All their cannon, baggage, horfes, (lores and provifions, fell into our hands, and fome unfortunate foldicrs and proteilants, who happened tobe their prifoners, were retaken. The remainder of the rebels fled into the county of Wexford, through the Scullagh-gap.

Father John Murphy, a prieil, who atled as aid-de-camp to the great facerdotal hero John Murphy, of Boulavogue, and who had accompanied him from Vinegar-hill, fell in this adion. He had a dove and a crucifix on his buttons; and letters direded to him were foimd in his pocket, recommending to him proper places for encamping.

Father John Murphy, the commander in chief^ who fled from the field of battle, was taken at an alehoufe by three yeomen, one of them, of the name of Mc. Cabe, and was led a prifoner to Tullow,* the headquarters of fir James Duff. He was introduced into a room where the general, his aid-de-camps, colonels Fofter and Pigot, the earl of Roden^ captain Mc. Clintock, and in all about twenty officers were fitting. Major Hall having aflced him fome queftions which gave him offence, he in a violent rage made a blow of his fift at the major, which would have knocked him down, but that he warded it off with his arm, on which he received a fevere contufion. On fearching him^ they found in his pockets his veftments, and fome letters from Mrs. Richards and other ladies prifoners at Wexford, imploring him to fave the lives of” their hufbands and relations. He was hanged on the fame day. His body was burned, and his head was fixed on the market-houfe of Tullow. He was about, forty-five year^ old, light complexioned, bald-pated, and about five feetnine inches high; He was well made,, uniting ftrength and agility : He was irafcible, and when in a paffion, had fomewhat the afpe£t of a tiger* His pix, his oil (lock, and a fmall crucifix were found in his pocket.

In order to do away in fome degree the fl:ain which his infamous con, <iufl might bring on the Irifh prielthood, it has been feduloufly propagated that he was excommunicated; but this is abfolutely falfe, for he

continued

* Elate II. 1, 2.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND,

545

continued lo exercife his clerical funftion, and was regarded as a pious and learned prieft, till the breaking-out of the rebellion; when, “ He did fo ill tranflate himfelf,

“ Out of the fpeech of peace that bears fuch grace,

** Into the harfti and boifterous tongue of war,

“ Turning his books to glaives, his ink to blood,

*’ His pens to lances; and his tongue divine

“ To a loud trumpet, and a point of war.”

Shakspeare,

It is no lefs fingular than true, that the lower clafs of Irifti papifts never think that their priefts can fulfer any ftain or contamination from the commiflion of crimes, how heinous foever; juft as Shadrach, Mefhach, and Abednego remained uninjured from the flames.

Father Nicholas Sheehy is added to the bead roll of their faints; and I need not give any other proof of the reverence in which the memory of that famous facerdotal hero, John Murphy, is held, than the following :

A piece of fuperftitious trumpery is now printed by William Jones, No. 75, Thomas-ftreet, Dublin, entitled, “ Revelations revealed to faint Auguftine, faint Bridget, and faint Anne, by our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift.” The fecond part of it is faid to explain the twelve golden Fridays in the year; and the devotions, together vdth fome foh’tary ads, by the’ late reverend father John Murphy, D. D« In this he points out the number of paters and aves that are to be faid each golden Friday, and on certain holy days; and it is ftated in itj “ That what man or woman foever fliall carry it about them, fhall be not only free from our enemies, but alfo from a fudden and unprovided death; and if any woman travelling with child, fliall wear it about her, (he fliall be not only fafely delivered, . but likewife be free from the fear of death in child-bed > and what houfe or place it is kept in, fliall be free from evil fpirits; to him or her who fliall carry it about them, the blelTed Virgin fliall appear to forewarn them of their future blefled fl;ate : The devil fliall have no power over them at their lafl: hour : They fliall fee our blefled Saviour nailed to the crofs, (in the fame manner as he fuffered for our redemption,) before their death.”

This curious piece is in the hands of the popifh multitude in the fC)inty of Wexford, who regard this church militant hero as a martyr in the caufe •f French republican liberty and religion,

4 A EXPLA

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE.

1 . Where the rebel columns from Ballyclare and Templepatrick joined,

2. The rebels in clofe column with a fix-pounder in front, when the

curricle guns under lieutenant Neville .opened their fire on them.

3. Lieutenant Neville, with two fix-pounders, flanked by the yeomanry

and dragoons under colonel Lumley firing on the rebels.

4. Colonel Lumley charging the rebels after palfing the church-yard.

5. The church-yard lined with rebels, who are reprefented by the dot

ted lines, firing on the dragoons, charging as they palTed, and among whom they did great execution.

6. The guns under lieutenant Neville, after retreating from No. 3,

firing on the fecond column of the rebels advancing up Bow-lane.

7. The fecond rebel column,

8. The dragoons, after charging, drawn up under the dead wall of

Jord MalTareene’s garden, and covered on their left flank by a demj baftion.

9. The yeomanry firing over the wall on the rebels who attempted to

get pofleffion of the guns at No, 6, after the artillery had abanr doned them, and the dragoons had retreated acrofs the riyer. I o. The watering-place over which the dragoons retreated.

1 1. The entrance to lord Maflareene*s court, the dotted lines from

it, reprefent the road the yeomanry retreated to take poll in the garden where they could only be attacked by the narrow walk through which they got in,

12. Lord Maflareene’s caftle,

13. Lord Maflareene’s domain,

14. Lord Maflareene’s walled garden,

1 5. The Six-mile water,

1 6. Colonel Durham with the Monaghan militia, and captain Coulfon

of the artillery, firing onthe rebels retreating bytheBallymena road,

17. The light battalion from Blaris camp under colonel Clavering

drawn up,

18. Diftillery,

19. Barracks,

20. Doftor Macartney’s,

21. Flour -mills.

%2, Market-houfe with the prifoners.

23. Little guard-houfe, behind which lord O’Neil was killed.

34. The rebel refcrvc column under colonel Orr,

\

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 547

THE BATTLE OF ANTRIM.

The confpiracy had been more alarming in the north than m any other part of the kingdom, as numbers of prefbyterians concerned in it there had more improved intellects, more courage,and knew better the life of arms, than the inhabitants of Leinfter and Munfter; but the conciliatory meafures ufed by government had detached numbers from the union,’ and the falutary coercion ufed by the general officers in difarming the multitude, abated the fpirit of the confpirators, by diminifhing their hopes^ of fuccefs.

For thefe reafons we may fuppofe, the confpiracy did riot break out’ in the North for fome days after it exploded in the province of Leinflier.’ Though the detention of the mail coaches had been the fignal for a general infurredion, the prefbyterians, wary and cautious, hefitated to rife,till they had heard that their friends in the fouth were adually in arms^ and yet had made preparations for that purpofe; but in Leinfter, the war being purely religious, and tKe people being blinded by fanaticifm,: and impelled by the irrefiftible influence of their priefts, ruflied into action on the night of the twenty-third of May, appointed for the general rifing.

Lord O’Neil, who refided at Shane’s-caflle in the county of Antrim, having received certain intelligence that an infurreftion was ftiortly intended, as governor of the county, fummoned by publick notice the mag iftrates of it, to meet ar Antrim, on the feventh of June, 1798, for the’ purpofe of concerting meafures to prevent it. To counterai^t his defign, the leaders of the confpiracy refolved to bring forward the rifing on that day, to attack the town of Antrim, to feize his lordlhip and the magiftrates,and to keep them as hoftages; and they intended at the fame time to have feized a quantity of arms furrendered at different times, which were depofited in that town.’

General Nugent, having received intelligence of their intentionsj fent orders to Blaris camp for the fecond light battalion, confifting of the 64th regiment, and the light companies of the Kerry, Dublin, Tipperary, Armagh, and Monaghan rnihtia, and one hundred and fifty of the 2 2d light dragoons, with two curricle fix-pounders, and two five and a half inch howitzers, to march to Antrim with all pofTible difpatch 5 and two hundred

4 A a aad’

548

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

and fifty of the Monaghan militia, a troop of the 2 2d light dragoons, and the Belfaft: cavalry, under the command of colonel Durham, to march to Antrim, by Carmoney and Templepatrick; and the light battalion from Blaris, commanded by colonel Clavering, and the dragoons by the honourable colonel Lumley. He alfo difpatched orderly ferjeants to major Seddon at Antrim, to inform him of the intended attack, and of the reinforcements which were going to his afliftance.

The orderlies arrived at Antrim at nine o’clock, but did not perceive any extraordinary movement in the country, or any indication of infurredion. However, the drums immediately beat to arms, the yeomanry aflembled in a fliort time, and the inhabitants of the town were called on to turn out in its defence. In fending the fummonfes through the town, it was difcovered that all the notorious united Irilhmen had left it early in the morning, which convinced major Seddon that general Nugent’s information was well founded. Of four hundred man, capable of bearing arms, two hundred turned out on the occafion; but they could be fupplied with no more than eighty ftand of arms, as there were no more ferviceable; and there was fo great a fcarcity of ammunition, that after borrowing eight hundred rounds from major Seddon, the yeomanry had but twelve rounds a man, and thofe who volunteered but five.

About ten o’clock, many perfons came in from different parts of the country, with intelligence that the rebels were forcing great numbers to join them, and that the mafs of the people were in motion.

At twelve o’clock, James Stewart Moore, efquire, captain of the Dunfqoverick cavalry, and Mr. Gamble, lieutenant of the fame, with fifteen men, came into Antrim from Ballymena, after having cut their way through jibout two hundred rebels near Kells : Both thefe gentlemen were magiftrates.

Lord O’Neil flept at Hillfborough the night of the fixth of June, on his way from Dublin to Antrim, and pafTed through Lifburn at ten o’clock in the morning of the feventh, without being known, and got to Antrim at half paft twelve. He did not perceive any movement in the country, though his fervants, who were about ten minutes after him, were robbed of their arms by the rebels. Had lord O’Neil been known in Lifburn, he would have been prevented from proceeding, as general Nugent had fent

orders

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

549

orders to have the intended rifmg communicated to all the maglftrates in that neighbourhood, and to prevent them from going to Antrim.

The plan of the rebels was, to advance with four columns, one from the diftrift between Antrim and Belfaft, and to enter the town by theBelfaft road;* the fecond from Ballynure, Ballyclare and Doagh, to enter by the Carrickfergus road, and join the Belfaft column at the end of the Scotch quarter; a third from Connor, Kells, and Ballymena, and to enter it by Paty’s-lane; a fourth from Shane’s-caftle, Randalftown, and Dunoilty, to enter by Bow-lane. The three firft columns were to make their attack at half pafl: two o’clock; and at the fame moment, the fourth, under the command of colonel Samuel Orr, brother to the famous William Orr, was to make its attack a few minutes after. The two firft columns reached the end of the Scots quarter, juft as the advanced guard of our fecond battalion was coming over the bridge from Liftjum, which is at right angles with the main ftreet, and nearly the centre of the town.

The advanced guard was commanded by the honourable colonel Lumley, and confifted of one hundred of the 2 2d light dragoons, and two curricle guns, which opened with cafe Ihot from the centre of the main ftreet, oppofite the bridge, and were flanked by the yeomanry. The cavalry were diawn up in the rear.

The town of Antrim is nearly a mile long, and that fpace from the Scott quarter to the market-houfe, is about two-thirds of its length, and nearly a ftraight line. The main ftreet is a continuation of the Scots quarter* and is at right angles with the wall of lord MalTareene’s garden, which is about forty yards from the market-houfe, and lies nearly in the centre of the ftreet. The wall of the garden completely commands the main ftreet, and th> entrance to the market-houfe, which is a fquare building, fupported by ftone pillars, and very difficult to fet fire to. The guard-houfe wa« there, and a number of prifoners confined in it. There was a fecond wall at right angles with the garden wall, which flanks it, and commands Bowlane. The two walls are joined with each other, and with one part of aa old fortification. The wall is about fifteen feet high towards the ftreet, and being but four feet high on the garden fide, forms a good parapet or iireaft-work. The church is about half way between the market-houfe and the end of the Scots quarter.  It is built on a rifing ground, and is

furroundeaf

• See Plate IX.

550 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

furrounded by a v/all, which is about eight feet high Towards the ftreet, and* four on the infide. The church is nearly in a Hne with the houfes on one fide of the Scots quarter, and part of the wall is parallel to the houfes at ‘theoppofite fide, and the diflance between it and the houfes is about twelve yards*

The church is about feventy yards from Maffareene-bridge, where theguns began to play on the rebels, who were at that time about feventy yards above the church, advancing from the upper part of the Scots quarter, ina clofe column of about twenty -two in front, , and about four thoufand ftrong. Their front was compofed of about eight hundred mufketeers, who were excellent markfmen.  Whenever, they came within fight of the dragoons and yeomanry,, they commenced ftreet firing, and by the time they came within one hundred and fifty yards; of the army, they filed to the rear*. Their fix^pounder* was then in front;^ with which they fired tWd rounds of grape fhot, and did great execution, having killed and wounded three yeomen, two artillery men, and four or five dragoons.  The recoil of the fecond Ihot difabled the gun fo muchj that they could not fire any more. Tfie cafe fhot from our curricle guns; did fuch great execution, that the rebels perceived. they could not advance without immenfe lofsi However,their mufketeers prefled on, and got poffeflion of the churcL-yard, from.’ whence they maintained a heavy fire.

The greater part of the pikemen went acrofs the fields, and formed in ‘ Bow-lane, to take our army in the rear, which being perceived, the gunners were ordered to retreat under lord Maflareene’s wall, where the guns could play on the rebels advancing up that lane; and at the fame time the dragoons were ordered to charge, in order to cover the retreat of the guns : but before they could reach the rebel column, they had to pafs the church-yard,, within four or five yards of the rebel mufketry, planted in. fee urity behind, the walL About eighty dragoons, headed by the honourable colonel Lumley, having, made the charge, near twenty of them were killed and

wounded^

* They brought this gun from TcmpIc-patrlck, where they had it and another brafs fix« pounder, concealed under one of the feats of the difienting meeting-houfe. They cut a tree, of which they made a trail, and they mounted the gun on the wheels of Mr. MVickar’» carriage, lord Templeton’s agent, and had wedges to elevate and deprcfs it. It was formerly, attached to the Belfaft volunteers, but lay concealed for fix years. They had originally eight, which a!fo lay concealed, but fix of tkctn were difcovered by general Nugent about a week before.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

55»

mounded. However, they bravely cut their way through, totally broke the rebel column, returned and renewed the charge by the church-yard wall, after leaving feventeen men dead in the ftreet, about thirty v/ounded, and forty horfes killed, all in the fpace of about two minutes. The officers who made that charge, were colonel Lumley, major Seddon, captain Baker, cornet Dunn, cornet Reid, and Mr. Gamble of the yeomanry, of which, cornet Dunn and Mr. Gamble were killed; the former fiiot through the heart, the latter had his horfe fliot under him, and was afterwards perforated with pikes. Colonel Lumley, major Seddon, and cornet Reid, were wounded; the two latter with pikes. The former was fhot through the ankle bone. Quarter-mafter Simpfon was likewife killed. The yeomanry retreated, and took poffeflion of lord Maflareene’s garden, from whence they could command the main ftreet and Bow-lane, and in fome degree proted the guns, which were under the wall along with the dragoons. Lord O’Neil and the reverend doftor Macartney, of Antrim, had remained in the ftreet, with a party of dragoons, during the whole of the adion.

When the rebels came within the range of the cafe ftiot in Bow-lane, they were warmly received. However, they continued to advance with great intrepidity; on which, colonel Lumley, who was wounded, feeing the lofs he had fuftained in the charge, ordered a retreat, and the guns to be abandoned. The former retreated acrofs the river, and proceeding by the ftiore of the lake, to the Liftjurn road, joined the fecond battalion of our troops which were within two miles of the town. Lord O’Neil’s horfe having been wounded, became reftive and refufed to advance. Doftor Macartney ftaid with him a confiderable time, after the dragoons had retreated, endeavouring to get him to proceed with him; but finding it impoflible, he galloped his horfe through the rebels; and being unable to overtake the dragoons, he joined Mr. Staples, member for the county* and got with him into a boat, rowed acrofs tathe county of Tyrone, and informed general Knox, at Dungannon, of the events which had taken place at Antrim, and of which he had been ignorant until that moment. The general immediately alTembled all the yeomanry of the country, marched to Toome with one thoufand five hundred of them, and prevented the county of Derry rebels from rifing, and joining the other infurgents.

Lord

552 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Lord O’Neil, while endeavouring to get his horfe forward^ was knocked down by a pikeman, and then mortally wounded, within thirty yards of the yeomanry behind the wall. His lordfhip fhot one of the men who attacked him, and the yeomanry two more; but the man who had given him the mortal wound efcaped*

On the retreat of the dragoons, the rebels, flufhed with fuccefs, rufhed on with a horrid yell, and feized the curricle guns; but every man of that party was killed by the yeomen, and the remainder retreated into the houfes and bye lanes of the town. On that, Mr. John Macartney,* lieutenant of the Antrim yeomanry, affifted by his brother, Mr. Arthur Macartney, lieutenant of the Royal Irifh Artillery, who volunteered on the occaflon, made a fally from the garden, with twenty of the Antrim corps, and drew up, in the midft of the rebel fire, the guns and the ammunition cart; and having planted them on the garden wall, they diflodged the rebels by a few difcharges of round fliot; however, they affembled again in feveral places round the town, to renew the attack; but colonel Orr, frightened on hearing the cannon, marched his column, which was one thoufr^nd five hundred ftrong, back to Randalftown.

Before the rebels had arranged matters for a fecond attack, the reinforcement from Blaris and Belfaft arrived, on which they fled in all diredions. But a great many of them were killed by the dragoons and the Hght companies of the Armagh and Monaghan militia, who were detached acrofs the fields to cut oif ftrag-glers. Golbnel Durham on arriving over the town, was informed that the rebels were in pofleflion of it; and therefore opened his guns on it with round fhot, and was on the point of doing much mifchief before he found his miftake. The rebels left about one hundred and fifty dead in the town, , and nearly two hundred

were

* At that time this young gentleman was little more than fixtecn years old, and his brother was but in his eighteenth year. The courage and the loyalty of thefe amiable gentlemen render them an honour to their parents and their country. Mr. Arthur Macartney difplayed great fpirit and patriotifm^ in detedting and oppofing the bafc deligns of fome traitors who had infinuated themfelve* into the univerfUy of Dublin. Their father, the reverend dodor Macartney, a gentleman highly rcfpedtable, was the firft perfon who gave any important information to government on the alarming ftate of the confpiracy in the North. It confifts of papers inferted in the report of the fecret committee of the houfe of commons, under the bead of papers feized by a magiftcate in a diftant part of tb«county of Antrim,

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 555

were killed in the purfuit, in which lieutenant Murphy of the dragoons Was feverely wounded with a pike.

It has been fince difcovered, that a confiderable number of rebels had got into the town previous to the aftion in fmall parties, through lanes and the back doors of the houfes. About one o’clock, and before the rebels arrivedj feveral pikes were difcovered in a garden in the Scots quarter : in confequence of whichy the houfe to which the garden belonged was fet on fire, and the flames communicated to^feven more, which were confumed. The rebels having perceived the fire as they were marching towards the town, halted for near half an hour, doubtful if they fliould make the attack, not knowing the real caufe of the fire. During that delay, there arofe a difpute among the Roman catholicks and proteftants of Orr’s column; the former infifting on putting the orangemen in Antrim to death, but were oppofed by the latter, who declared they would not confent to any adt of cruelty.

,The attack upon Antrim was made a quarter before three o’clocko The reinforcements arrived at four. If the rebels had not halted on feeing the fire,, they would have been in Antrim before coionel Lumley arrived; and of courfe would have taken the town.

Nearly one half of the rebel force which attacked Antrim was compelled to join them by terror.  In their flight they left behind them about three thoufand pikes and muflcets; and as they could not mount the ^ two fix pounders at Temple-patrick, they fell into the hands of our army on the ninth of June.

The rebels attacked Randalflown at half paft one on the feventh of June, and got poflTeflion of the lower part of the market-houfe, in which there were fifty of the Toome yeomanry, andTet fire to it; on which they furrendered, and were taken out of the windows by ladders.

Colonel Clavering and colonel Durham marched to Shane’s caftle the evening of the feventh. The rebels evacuated Randalftown at ten that night, and marched to Toome, where they remained two days; and on feeing general Knox advancing towards them, they broke down the bridge to prevent him from crofling the Bann. The rebels went from Antrim* to Bally mena and Donegore bill, where they remained till Monday the eleventh, when colonel Clavering granted them an amnefty, on furrendering their arms, and promifing to return to their allegiance. The

4 B rebels ■

» See Plate I. 3.

554

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

rebels ported at Ballymena, faid to be ten thoufand ftrong, attacked Larne on the morning of the feventh, but were repulfed by a detachment ot the Tay fencibles, aided by the yeomanry, and the loyal inhabitants.

The death of lord O’Neil was univerfally and defervedly lamented, as he pofTefled in a very eminent degree every good and amiable quality. He was generous and humane, warm and fteady in friendfhip, and fo mild and beneficent, that he was ever ready to forgive injuries. He had fuch innate gocdnefs and philanthropy, that he could fcarce be induced to think ill of others ^ and he had fuch fine feelings, that he never heard a tale of woe without fympathizing with the fufFerer, and wifliing to ad. minifter to his relief.  It might be truly faid, that,

“ He had a tear for pity, and a hand

*’ Open as day for melting charity.”

BATTLES OF SAINTFIELD AND BALLYNAHINCH.

As a report prevailed on the ninth of June, that there was a rifing at Newtownards* in the county of Down, colonel Stapleton marched with a detachment of the York fencibles, and fome yeomen cavalry and infantry, and two pieces of cannon, towards Saintfield, and was informed between Comber and that town, that there was no appearance whatever pf a rifing. The main body of the rebels lay in ambufh, in a hollow way, through which he was to pafs, within a quarter of a mile of Saintfield. The hedges on each fide were very high and numerous, and the rebels who were concealed behind them and in fome plantations^ having fufFered the principal part of colonel Stapleton’s party to pafs unmolefted, opened a very heavy fire on their rear, confifting of the yeomen cavalry, whom they threw into confufion; as they were expofed to the enemy in a narrow road, where they could not deploy, or make any movement for their defence. The reverend Mr. Mortimer, vicar of Fortaferry, his nephew, and feven or eight yeomen, who had juft joined them, were inftantly killed. Thofe who attempted to crofs into the fields to form, were butchered with pikes. At laft, colonel Stapleton, with the moft cool intrepidity, difmounted^ went into the fields, and formed the grenadiers there. Captain Chetwynd, lieutenant Unit and enfign Sparks, in attempting to follow him, were killed. Colonel Stapleton having attacked the infurgents with the grenadiers and the cannon which he brought to bear upon them, repulfed and killed three hundred and fifty of them.

The

» See Plate I. 3.

I

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 555

The rebels having retreated towards Newtownards attacked, next day, a fmall party, confifting moftly of invalids and old men, vi^ho were polled in the market-houfe there, to guard a quantity of baggage and ammunition, and who repulfed them; but, expefting next day to be attacked by a much larger party, they capitulated, evacuated the town, and marched to Belfaft, eight miles off^

The rebels, fluflied with their fuccefs, and with the acquifition of a Gonfiderable quantity of ammunition, formed a committee, and having laid a plan for their future operations, fent horfemen round the country, to fummon their friends, and by force compelled thofe to join them who fliewed an unwillingnefs to do fo.

In confequence of this, a large body having aflembled, they, on Sunday, entered the town of Bangor, where they compelled great numbers to join them, and plundered Mr. Ward’s houfe of arms. The reverend James Clewlow, with laudable fortitude, and in the moft pathetick manner, reprefented to them the fatal confequences of their condudt, and advifed them to lay down their arms; but could not fucceed. They then repaired to a hilt near Newtownards, v/here, having difagreed, the Bangor people quitted them, returned and reftored Mr. Ward’s arms to Mr. Clewlow, in hopes of his getting for them a proteftion from general Nugent to obtain which, he repaired to Belfaft; but before he could return, two preibyterian clergymen, Meflrs. Townfend and Hull, abufed them as cowards and traitors to their caufe, compelled them to re-affume their arms, and marched them to a hill called Scrabo, near Newtown, and thence to Saintfield, where they took poiTeffion of the houfes of Meflrs. Price and Clewlow, which they plundered. They fent a party from Saintfield to the houfe of a farmer in the neighbourhood, and having fet fire to it, he and his whole family periflied in the flames. He was obnoxious to them, becaufe he had profecufed fome united Iriflimen. He, at firft, with very great bravery, beat off” a party of about twenty, but was overpowered by a large reinforcement. Though old, he difplayed great fpirit, having been feen firing at them in the midft of the flames.

A numerous body of rebels kept pofleflion of Saintfield, till Monday the eleventh of June, when they marched to Ballynahinch, and joined the main body, who were ported in what they called a camp, on the lawn before lord Moira’s houfe, which was a favourable pofition, on a

4 B 2 commanding

,55^

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

commandiiig eminence, and (kirted with thick wood. The commander in chief was general Henry Munroe, a linen draper, and inhabitant of Lifburn, who had been formerly adjutant to a volunteer company, and acquired fome reputation for military knowledge.

On the morning of the twelfth of June, general Nugent marched againfl: them from Belfall, with the Monaghan regiment of militia, part of the 2 2d dragoons, and fome yeomen infantry and cavalry; and was joined by lieutenant-colonel Stewart, near Ballynahinch, with his party from Downpatrick, making in all about one thoufand five hundred men. Information having been received at the rebel camp, that general Nugent was on his march to attack them^ a party of five hundred was detached by Munroe, under the command of one Johnfon, to annoy the general, and retard his progrefs. They advanced near four miles to Creei; , ^ocks, at the Ballynahinch fide of Saintfield, but were difperfed by the lianMag parties of the army, and did not return to their friends at Ballynahinch.

A numerous body of the rebels were ported on the Windmill hill, about a quarter of a mile from the town, but were foon driven from their pofition by the difcharge of the artillery, and joined the camp at lord Moira’s houfe. On that occafion, one M’Cullogh, a rebel colonel, was taken prifoner, and immediately hanged. General Nugent and his party then occupied the Windmill hill, where he halted that night, and made proper difpofitions for attacking them next morning.

A council was held in the rebel camp, in which the expediency of an immediate attack was debated with fome warmth. Munroe advifed them to wait till morning, and his recommendation ultimately prevailed.

Between two and three o’clock in the morning of the thirteenth, colonel Leflie and the Monaghan militia marched into the town, and were vigoroufly attacked by a detachment of the rebels, and obliged to fall back. They, however, immediately rallied, and repulfed them with confxderable flaughter. The rebels were fo furious in their charge as to lay their hands on the carriages of the battalion guns, and fome of theni were almoft burnt to a coal by their explofion.

The detachment under lieutenant general Stewart, confining of a part of the Argylelhire fencibles, and fome of the 2 2d dragoons, and fome yeomanry corps, were likewife attacked; but they defeated the rebels, and killed a great number of them.  The difperfion now became general,

and

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

557

and though the retreat was made in a confufcd and irregular manner, it “vvas much favoured by the woods and the nature of the country, which prevented the cavalry from any long or elFeftual purfuit. Near five hundred rebels are faid to have been killed. The town of Bally nahinch v, as burned by the military.

Munroe fled towards the mountains without any guard or efcort, and was afterwards accidentally difcovered and taken by three orangemen, as he lay concealed in a potatoe furrow, under fome litter, in an open field, about fix miles from Ballynahinch. He offered them forty guineas to let him efcape; but the loyalty of his captors was not to be corrupted. |,rhey brought him to Hillfborough, together with a young man of the name of Kane, taken with him in the fame furrow, and who was formerly employed as a clerk in the office of the Belfaft Northern Star. They were fent under a guard to Lifburn, where Munroe was tried by a court-martial, and executed oppofite to his own door. His head was fixed on a pike, and placed on the market-houfe. Juft before he was fufpended, he faid that he wifhed to fettle an account with a neighbour, to whom he was indebted. He accordingly got a pen and ink, and adjufted it with all the coolnefs of deliberation.

The rebel -army at Ballynahinch chiefly confifted of prefbyterians, and ■other denominations of proteftant diflenters, with few, if any, Roman catholicks, as they deferted the night before the battle, which inflamed ■the prefbyterians very much againft: them.

On the night of the ninth, and the morning of the tenth, the infurreftion from NewtoVnards to Portaferry was general; and a body of rebels, to the number of one thoufand, attacked the latter about four o’clock in the afternoon. They were faid to be chiefly under the direction of one Warwick, a prefbyterian probationer, fince hanged; and they were headed by one Mc. Mullin, of Portaferry, a Ihopkeeper, and two farmers in its vicinity. The town was gallantly defended by that brave veteran, captain Charles Mathews, and the Portaferry yeomanry, who took poll in the market-houfe, and converted it into a garrifon.

Captain Matjiews having received intelligence in the morning, that the town was to be attacked, had the arches of the building filled up with a dry temporary wall, to prevent the rebels from fetting fire to the loft, which their leaders had refolved to do.  Captain Hopkins being in

the

\

558 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

the river, with the revenue cruifer which he commanded, rendered the moft important fervice on the occafion with his guns. The lofs of the rebels was confiderable, while not a fmgle yeoman was hurt. Three volunteer loyalifls, who worked two fwivels oatfide the market-houfe, having no cover, were killed.

The event of this aftion was of the utmolt confequence, for had the rebels fucceeded in it, they were to have crofled the lake at Strangford; and the rebels in the barony of Lecale, who were numerous, were tohave joined them.* Downpatrick muft have fallen, and an immenfe force,, thus prevented, would have encreafed the army of Ballynahinchv

The boldnefs and courage which the infurgents in the Nortl^ difplayed^ during the very fhort period that the rebellion exifted, prove how dangerous and terrifick it would have been, but that government very wifely and feafonably averted the horrors of it, partly by conciliatory meafures, and partly by coercion; and the dreadful and cold-blooded maffacres of proteftants perpetrated in the fouth, having convinced the northern rebels of the cruelty and treachery of their Roman catholick confederates, and that their own deftrudion would be hivolved in that of the conftitution, detached them from the union, and completely extinguiflied the liame of rebellion in the north.

Dickey, a rebel leader, who was hanged at Belfaft, declared a fhorc lime before his execution, that the preibyterians of the north perceived, too late, that, if they had fucceeded in fubverting the conflitution, they would ultimately have to contend with the Roman catholicks..

Some refpedable gentlemen of the county of Donegal have afTured me^ that the prefbyterians and Roman catholicks of a large and populous dlftrift in it, called Fanet, were fo jealous and fufpicious of each other, as foon as the malTacres in the fouth were known, that they continued for fome time watching each other, without going to bed at night; the former dreading the fate of the proteftants in Leinller, and the latter fearing that the preibyterians would be revenged of them for the maffacre of their brethren. Numbers of prefbyterians who had been united, deferted their alTociates, joined the yeomanry, and became orangemen.

The judicious difpofition and aftive exertions of lord Henry Murray, under lord Cavan, from Coleraine, in June, 1798, aided by the yeomanry

♦* See Plate I. 1.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. ^59

manry of that town, and the like condudt on the part of colonel Leith, aided by the Londonderry and Bevagh corps of cavalry, not only checked the defigns of the ill-alFe£led in the country which they occupied, but completely checked the progrefs of the Antrim rebels, and kept them at the Antrim fide of the Bann; all the bridges of that river having been well fecured, and the boats drawn on fhore to the Derry fide.

The malTacres of the fouth alarmed and animated many thoufand proteftants, who fuddenly volunteered, armed themfelves, and joined general Knox, whofe approach from Moneymore, towards Toome, convinced the Antrim rebels, that they had no bufmefs to quit their own country; and he would have given them a complete overthrow, and have extinguiflied, for a century, a difpof^tion to rebellion in that county, but that colonel Clavering, who had made terms with them at Ballymena, went exprefs to Hop the general’s approach.

The amnefty grahted to the rebels by colonel Clavering, though it was done with the beft: intentions, has been condemned by many northern gentlemen of very good fenfe, as it was faid to have fed the flame of rebellion in the county of Antrim for many months after it took place, as much as general Dundas’s negotiation did in the county of Kiidare.

It fhould be remembered with the livelieft fenfe of gratitude by the loyal fubjefts of Ireland, that fome regiments of Englilh militia, feeling for their danger and diftrefs, voluntarily offered to go to their relief and afiiftance; that fome of them went there fo early as the month of June, 1798, and that no lefs than thirteen of them arrived there in that year.

It will refled immortal honour on the marquis of Hertford and the marquis of Buckingham, that they firft fet the example, and arrived in Dublin early in the month of June, at the head of their refpeclive regiments.

THE REBELLION IN THE COUNTIES OF MAYO AND SLIGO.

The gentlemen and landholders in the province of Connaught, piqued themfelves on the peaceable demeanour, and a refpeft for the laws, which the lower clafs of the people there continued to evince, when moft other parts of the kingdom were difturbed by the united Irilhmen. But it has fince appeared, that the mafs of the people were univerfally infedled with their malignant dodrines, though they had not broken out into adts of

open

560

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

open outrage; for at a provincial committee held at Dungannon,* the fourteenth of September, 1797, it was flated, that the province of Connaught was in a tolerable ftate of organization; that a great number of united Irifhmen had been made there, and more fince the proclamation. §

In the beginning of the year 1798, a number of fugitive families arrived in the counties of Mayo and Sligo, from the north of Ireland; who, as they alleged, fought for protection from the orangeraen,. who were perfecuting them on account of their religioni They were all Roman catholicks, and from their appearance of decency and induftry^ the plaufibility with which they reprefented their fufferings, and the knowledge which they poflelTed of the linen manufadure, they readily obtained an afylum from the gentlemen of the country, and were confidered as a great acquifition in it. They had alfo an apparent folemnity and fmcerity in their manners, and fhevved fuch attention to the duties of their reli^ gion, as procured them the efteem, not only of perfons of their own . perfuafion, but excited the pity of proteflants, who confidered them as an innocent perfecuted people^

This was the general idea entertained of them; but fome gentlemen,, who conceived that their improper conduct mull have been the caufe of their perfecution and expulfion, were not inclined to encourage or proled them. Neverthelefs, fome hundred families of them Tpread them-’ felves over the country, particularly near the fea-coaft, and for fome time demeaned themfelves in a peaceable and induflrious manner.

But it was foon difcovered, that they were much addicted to fpeculate on politicks; that they held clubs and meetingSj where newfpapers, for which they fubfcvibed, were conflantly read; and that they were perfedly. Vv^ell verfed in all the political fubje<B:s which were then the topicks of converfation. They alfo brought with them a number of flrange and abfurd prophecies, which they pretended were delivered by the ancienf Irifti bards and prophets, foretelling the wars and calamities which were fliortly to take place in the country, and which were to prove nearly fatal: to the catholicks4

Ih.

* Report of the fecret committee, Appendix, No. XIV. p. 104.

§ This alludes to the proclamation of the feventeenth of May, inviting the people to returir to their allegiance, and offering an amnefty to fuch as fhould do fo; and it proves the contumacy of the traitors in fpurniiig at the benign and conciliating meafures of government.

\ In the futeenth and feventeenth centuries, fuch prophecies were ufed during the civil wars,, to rouze the people, as may be fcen in Spenfer, Morrifon, Temple, Liurence, and Harris.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 561

In one of thefe it was afferted, that the upper part of the county of Mayo, particularly the mountain of Croagh Patrick, near Weftport,§ would be the fafeft place of refuge, whenever thefe calamities would commence; which induced numbers of people to repair there, fome for protefticn, others to perform pilgrimage, and to do other pious offices, as it has been always confidered as a holy place.

Thefe prophecies || have a very great effed on the minds of the lower clafs of people, who are perfuaded that the events predidled muft neceffarily come to pafs; and they were ready to catch at every rumour which feemed to correfpond with the ideas which they had infpired. They breathed nothing but death, bloodfhed and devaftation, painted the rivers as running crimfon with blood, and a peftilence raging through the country, occafioned by the effluvia of putrid carcafes, vi^hich remained unburied; with every other horror which a dreadful civil war produces.

Such prophecies were one of the many artifices ufed to excite hatred in the popifh multitude againft proteftants, who were figured under the title of the black army, and were deftined to commit thofe atrocities againft the catholicks; and to furnifti a pretext of malTacring them, whenever an opportunity ftiould prefent itfelf.

Thefe northern families were but a fhort time in the county of Mayo, when a perfon of high refpedability informed the magiftrates and country gentlemen, that they were deeply concerned in the confpiracy then carried on in the north, and that moft of them, confcious of their crimes, fled from a country, where they were clofely watched, and dreaded the vengeance of the law, to one where, not fubjedt to fufpicion, they might eafily execute their defigns.

Orange focieties had at that time commenced in the North, whofe avowed object was, to protect themfelves, and their country, from the machinations of a fet of popifli traitors, who had bound themfelves by the moil folemn ties to overturn the conftitution and extirpate the proteftants; and that in fo fecret a manner, that many thoufands were united before a difcovery could be obtained. At their fecret meetings, which were generally held at night, they methodized their operations, employed

4 C emiflaries

5 Plate X. 6.

J I have already mentioned that many popifh families had emigrated from the county of Tyrone to Connaugbt, in confequence of prophecies.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

cmiiTaries to propagate their doftrines; colle£led money for the purchafe of arms and ammunition; laid plans for attacking the houfes of proteftants, and taking away their arms; and finally concerted the means of a general rebellion and maflacre, in conjundion with the rebels of every other part of the kingdom.

The gentlemen and magiftrates of the country were well aware that fuch mifchiefs were hatching; but found it very difficult to procure full and convincing proofs to fubflantiate the facts, and to bring the traitors to punifliment.

It was in this critical ftate of things, that the fpirit and promptitude of the Orangemen, alive to the intereft of their country, and attached to that conftitution for which their anceflors fought under king William, affociated under the flrongeft bonds of loyalty and aft’eftion; and relying en the goodnefs of the caufe in which they had embarked, they, without fear or reftraint, hunted thefe traitors to their dens, developed their dark proceedings, and dragged them to punifliment. By their well-timed and Ipirited exertions, they delivered that part of the kingdom from thofc horrors, which were ready to burft upon the heads of the loyal inhabitants.

This was the perfecution which the difaffedled fo much complained of, and v/hich afforded a plaufible pretext for the outrages afterwards committed by the rebels.

The condud of thefe northern families on the landing of the French proves with what malignant defigns they were originally adluated; for, when that event took place, they threw off the veil of religion, and the cloak of humility, boldly affumed the iron front of war, prelTed forward to receive arms and ammunition from their new deliverers, chofe leaders among thcmfelves, ereded the ftandard of rebellion, and plundered and defolated the houfes and the property of their proteftant friends and benefadors.

It is very remarkable, that thefe men, defpifing the want of courage and abilities in the Connaught rebels, refufed to ferve promifcuoully with them, but formed a feparate corps, who kept tpgether during the rebellion.

The peafantry of the counties of Mayo and Sligo, (I mean of the Roman catholick perfuafion,) are favage, ignorant, and fuperftitious; and

.  . though

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 563

though they were organized and fworn to affifl; the French on their landing, yet I am convinced that they would not have had fpirit or refolution enough to rife in rebellion, if that event had not taken place, however well inclined they might have been.

The gentlemen and men of landed property, with but few exceptions, were proteflants of the church of England, and confequently loyal, and flrongly attached to the efl:abliflied government. To thefe were added an equally loyal and very refpeftable proteftant yeomanry, moftly freeholders, and planted rather thickly over the country. All thefe were tolerably expert in the ufe of arms, having ferved in the volunteer and yeomanry corps.

Thefe two bodies, united in common interefl:, and roufed by the danger which furrounded them, would have continued to overawe and reftrain an ignorant and unarmed rabble, without men of property or confequence at their head, and ftimulated to aftion only by fome low emiffaries from other countries; or by their weak and infatuated clergy, many of whom were found among the foremofl; in joining the enemy, and in ftrengthening the ranks of rebellion.

The landing of a little more than one thoufand French, achieved, almofl: inftantly, vvhat the united Irifhmen could never have effeded, notwithftanding all their arts to make the popifh multitude rife in rebellion.

Struck with a fudden panick at the unexpeded appearance of the French, the loyalifts, for the moft part, abandoned their houfes; the rebels, armed and encouraged by the French, elated with their firft fuccefs, and animated with a defire of vengeance, and the hope of plunder, entered fword in hand into the deferted abodes of the fugitive loyalifts; where, not content with pillage and rapine, they, with the moft favage barbarity, like the Goths of old, facrificed to wanton revenge every thing valuable, which art and fcience had formed and collected for the comfort and delight of the virtuous and intelligent; and in a few days defaced thofe ornaments and improvements which human induftry had been raifmg for a century before.

Another circumftance which contributed to promote the caufe of rebellion in thofe counties, and to cement its votaries, by a bond ftill more binding than the oath of the united Irifhmen, or defenders, was the propa

4 C 2 gation

564 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

gation of the myfteries of the Carmelites among the Roman cathollcks. This was originally a religious order, which was faid to have been inftituted for the advancement of piety and morality, but it was now perverted to the purpofe of affociating men for the exprefs purpofe of committing treafon, murder, facrilege, and robbery, with every other inferior crime, which depravity might fuggeft, or opportunity afford.

As its malignant influence operated much flronger in Connaught tKan in the province of Lein{ler, where alfo it was made a vehicle of rebellion, I fhall give the reader a more minute defcription of it. In the neighbourhood of Ballina,* there were fome mendicant friars, who were led, by the poverty of their fituation, to convert the credulity of the popifh multitude to their benefit, by inducing them to believe, that an admifTion into this fraternity would enfure them eternal happinefs; and this foundation being once laid, it was not difficult afterwards to perfuade them to pay a fmall fum of money for its attainment.

At their initiation they received a fquare piece of brown cloth, with the letters I. H. S. infcribed on it, meaning Jefus hominum Salvator,§ which was hung round the neck with a ftring, and lying on the fhoulder next to the Ikin, was, from its fituation, called a fcapular. The price of it on initiation was, to the poorer clafs, one fhilling; to thofc who could afford it, higher in proportion to their ability. This diftinguilhihg badge of the order, having received the prieft’s benediftion, was fuppofed to contain the virtue of preferving the difcjple, not only from outward dangers and injuries, but alfo from the attacks of the ghoftly enemy. They afcribed to thefe fcapulars the power of proteding a houfe in which one of them happened to be, from being confumed by fire, or of extinguifhing one on fire, if thrown into the flames; while the facred extinguiflier would remain perfedly fafe from the power of the fire, like the three Hebrews in the Babylonian furnace.

The ignorance and credulity of the popifli multitude were impofed on by the following device : The cloth of which thefe fcapulars was originally made, being compofed of the Afbeft:os, poflefTes a quality to refift fire; and on receiving the prieft’s benediction, they were committed to the flames, where, to the aftonifliment of the beholders, they were found

to

♦ Plate X. 3, 4.

§ Jefus. the Saviour of mankind. See it in Plate V.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

5^5

to preferve themfelves fafe and entire; and having undergone this fiery ordeal, the fupernatural power which produced it was afcribed to the prieft’s benediftion.

Many of thefe were cut off the necks of the rebels when taken prifoners, and their virtue was put to the tefl; by expofing them to the fire, where they gave a convincing proof of their frailty, by being (as the inventors themfelves have long fince been) reduced to duft and afiies.

The parifli priefts in the counties of Mayo and Sligo, either convinced of the efficacy and utility of this order, in promoting the caufe of reli* gion, or feeing that the fale of fcapulars was very profitable, procured a power from the friars before mentioned to difpofe of them, and admit candidates into this holy order. Bags of them have been often fent to fairs and markets, and fold to the credulous multitude.

The officiating prieft at Balllna, curate to the popifh bifhop, was the perfon then entrufted with the diftribution of this facred fymbol, a large number of which he conferred on the worthy claimants.

This foon became the fignal by which thofe of the true faith were to know each other, and the rallying point for thofe devotees who carried on the crufade againft the hereticks; and a fhop was opened foon after the lauding of the French, where all the fons of Erin,* with their pikes in their hands, were fupplied with fcapulars at regulated prices.

Thefe were intended, not only to unite them more ftrongly agalnfl the , .common enemy, but to arm them with frefti courage, and protect them from danger in the hour of trial. Good God! will that day ever arrive, when a pure, a fimple, a rational, and undefiled religion fhall be eflatliflied among the deluded natives of Ireland; when the clouds of fuperftition and ignorance, which fo much obfcure the human mind, fhall be difpelled by religion and reafon, thofe bright luminaries which the Deity has benignly afforded to erring man, to diredt his wandering fleps through the thorny paths of life, and tp guide his feet in the ways of peace?

We may fay to the popifh multitude of Ireland, in the words of holy ■writ, ** Ye do err, not knovdng the fcriptures.”  Mat. xxii. 29.

The better to inflame the paffions, and awaken the fanatical fury of the popifh multitude againfl proteflants, a report was univerfally propa?

gated

• The Irilh for Ireland.

566

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

gated in the counties of Mayo and Sligo, fome months before the French landed, that the orangemen had combined, and were determined to maffacre the Roman catholicks, a device which was praftifed in every part of Ireland.

At Balle, near Hollymount,* in the county of Mayo, a pattern was held fome time in the month of July, when the diflemination of that report had fuch an effed on the inhabitants of that town and its vicinity, that they remained in large bodies all night in the fields, where the leaders of rebellion organized and fwore them.

An adlive intelligent magiftrate informed me, that he expatiated on the dangerous tendency of fuch reports to the parifh prieft of Foxford,t fome time in the month of July, 1798, and recommended to him to undeceive his flock, by afluring them, from the altar, that they were falfe and groundlefs; but he objedted to it, alleging as an excufe, that it would offend fome of his moft refpe£lable parilhioners.

The leaders of rebellion had recourfe to another very curious invention, to incenfe the minds of the Roman catholicks againfl the proteftants, and inflame them with a fpirit of revenge; and though the abfurdity was more likely to excite ridicule than ferious attention, it had the wiihed-for effect on the femi-barbarous rabble.

A few days before the French landed, a report was induflriouljy circulated, that the proteftants had entered into a confpiracy to maffacre theRoman catholicks, and that they would not fpare man, woman, or child. It was faid that, for this purpofe, a large quantity of combuftible ftuff had been introduced by the orangemen, who made a kind of black candles of it; that they were of fuch a quahty, that they could not be extinguifhed when once lighted; and that in whatever houfe they ftiould be burnt, they would produce the deftrudion of every perfon in it.

It was faid alfo, that this deleterious fyftem was to be carried into effeft through the whole country in one night; and the people in th(» villages were cautioned not to fleep in their houfes, left they fliould be furprifed.+

Multitudes, Impreffed with this idea, fat up all night, or flept in the fields.

The

* Plate X. 7. t Ibid, s

} This impofition was praflifed in the county of Wexford.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 567

The magiflrates, finding that this report was univerfally credited by the lower clafs of people, polled up an advertifeinent at Ballina to undeceive them, and convince them of the futihty and abfurdity of this report; but they were taught to believe that this notice was only an artifice to lull them into fecurity, that they might more eafily become a prey to their perfecutors.

As foon as the French landed, one Crohan, who ferved as clerk to a popiHi chapel, was feized in the aft of proclaiming in the parifli of Kilmeckfhalgan, in the county of Sligo, that the orangemen were murdering the Roman catholicks.

Mofl of the parifh prisfts in the counties of Mayo and Sligo, to difarm the fufpicion, and lull the vigilance of government and the magiflrates, colleded their flocks, and with them fwore oaths of allegiance before magiflrates, whom they folicited to adminifler them.

In the month of April, 1798, father O’Donnell, parifh priefl of Kilmeckflialgan, afked Mr. Hillas, of Seaview, to attend him and his flock for that purpofe; and they, in the prefence of him and counfellor Webber, gave that tefl of their loyalty; yet as foon as the French landed, that fame priefl feized Mr. Hillas’s bed horfe, and joined them.

The priefls of difi^erent parifties, after the French landed, were heard to fay to their flock, from the altar, “ God help you, poor people! Pray for your fouls; I cannot anfwer for your fafety; the king’s troops and the orangemen will put you all to death.”

In the courfe of the fummer of 1798, it was obferved, that the petty fhop-keepers, mechanicks and fervants, of the popifh perfuafion, ufed to hold frequent meetings at the low tipphng houfes in Ballina, and its vicinity, which induced well grounded fufpicions that they entertained defigns of a treafonable tendency; particularly as fuch aflbciations were conltantly attended by fome of the northerns, who were a6live and zealous in making profelytes to their pernicious dodrines. They alfo kept up a conflant intercourfe with their friends in the north, by means of emiflaries, who paflTed and re-paffed in the guife of hawkers and pedlars. This intelligence having been privately communicated to the reverend Mr. Neligan, of Ballina, a very adive and intelligent magiflrate, (whofe zealous exertions on this and other occafions became a fource of many future calamities to himfelf and his numerous family) he and a few friends, in whom

he

5^8

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

he could confide, were conllantly on the watch, in order to deted and counterad the treafonable plans of this party; but they were conduded with fuch fecrefy, as to elude their vigilance, and prevent them from receiving any certain information of their real defigns; however it had the good effed of filling them with alarm and diffidence, and of preventing them from difleminating their dodrine in as wide a circle, and with as much rapidity as before.

Mr. Nefigan, ever attentive to the duties of his office and the peace of foeiety, kaving learned that an idle young man of the name of Reynolds, l^ho often frequented the town of Boyle,* as a pedlar, was deeply concerned in the machinations of thofe traitors, wrote to a fiiend there, to have him arrefled, and interrogated on the fubjed. On his examination, he affumed an appearance of the moft perfed innocence, and denied every charge which was brought againfl: him; but a few laflies of a cato’nine-tails having been inflided on him by order of the ofiicer commanding at Boyle, he difcovered the whole plot, and thofe who were affociated with him. The information having been fent to Mr. Neligan, he was aftoniflied at the number and refpedability of the perfons concerned in it; however, the events which took place in the courfe of the rebellion, verified his allegations; for the perfons whom he charged were the Hioft dangerous and defperate in it.

From the very critical (late of the country, it would have been very dajir gerous to attempt the arreft of fo many perfons of the before mentioned defcription; for there was n© military in the country, except a fmall detachment of the carabineers, a troop of yeoman cavalry, and a company of yeomen infantry; and above one half of the latter, according to Reynolds’s evidence, were united Iriftimen, having, regardlefs of their oath of allegiance, enlifted merely for the purpofe of procuring arms, and joining the French when they fhould land 5 an event which was ftrongly and earneftly expeded. It was then thought prudent to diffemble, and conceal a knowledge of the bufinefs, and to arreft but a few of the leaders, which might caft a damp on the fpirit of the party. Eight only then were taken up, and among thefe two of the name of Walfh, who weie fent to general Taylor, at Sligo,t for examination; but they were

difcharged

» Plate X. 5. t Ibid. a.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

566

difcharged by the interceffion of fome gentlemen and magiftrates of the neighbourhood, who aflured him of their upright charafters, their loyal and peaceable deportment, though it was declared upon oath, that they were the principal perfons to whom the rebels in the barony of Tyrawly were to look up to for advice and inftru£bion. Two of thefe magiftrates had foon reafon to retraft their opinions of their liberated friends; for the elder, dreading the punifliment due to his crimes, fled to America, after having defrauded one of the magift:rates at whofe inftance he was liberated. The younger Walfti was apprehended in the houfe of the other gentleman, who had been his encomiafl:, with a predatory party in arms, ready to eftablifli liberty and equality, at the expence of his benefador.

This fad afibrds a perfuafive leflTon to men of property and Influence, with what caution they Ihould interpofe between the criminal and the laws of his country, particularly when their interference is intended, not to elucidate the innocence of the accufed on his trial, but to refcue him before it takes place from the hands of juftice.

From the following circumflances, which preceded the arrival of the French, no perfon can doubt but that they were expefted by the rebels of Mayo and Sligo :

They had an immenfe quantity of pikes in readinefs : To inflame the Romanifts againft the proteftants, they fpread the ufual reports about orangiemen and their fanguinary defigns; and their priefl:s and their congregations were very eager to take oaths of allegiance, in imitation of thofe of the county of Wexford, to put the magiftrates off” their guard,, and to prevent the introduftion of troops into the country.

As fome of the Romifh clergy and their flocks in the county of Mayo exprefled a defire of teftifying their allegiance by taking oaths for that purpofe, doftor Stock, the bifliop, and fome of the magiftrates, defirous ©f encouraging fo laudable a defire in them, fuppofing that it would tend to keep the common people quiet and fteady to the government, held a meeting at Ballina, early in the month of June, 1798, entered into refoliutioiis, and formed a committee, for carrying, their intentions into effed.

An adive and intelligent magiftrate of my acquaintance entertained a very diff’erent opinion of that meafure, well knowing that treafon was then hatching among the people, and that it would foon burft forth into adion; and therefore he abfented himfelf from the meeting, though he had been

4 D • ‘ appointed

S70 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

. appointed one of the committee, as he had flrong reafons to doubt the “fincerky of the Roman catholicks.

According to the plan adopted, the magiftrates divided the country

.into diftricts; and in order to accommodate the lower clafs of people, they attended at the popifh chapels on fucceffive Sundays, where the priefts were directed to have their flocks aflembled, and where they had the oath folemnly adrairuftered to them, beginning with the prieft, and going through the whole of his congregation. By thefe means, (aided alfo by the feveral landlords who took care to bring their tenants forward) almoft the whole of the inhabitants, clergy and laity, had the oath adminiftered to them. The magiftrate, to whom I alluded, would not attend, becaufe he had many documents to prove, and was even informed by one of their own perfuafion, that they meditated the fubverfion of the conftitution, and that the favourite toafl at their convivial meetings was, “ A total extir-; pation of protellants I”

Similar perfidy, but ftill ftronger, -took place in a yeoman corps, commanded by captain Jones of Ballina. The magiftrate whom I mentioned, received pofitive information, that about thirty of them, who were Roman catholicks, had all been united men, and had been fworn to join the French on their landing, which he communicated to their commander, but he could not be prevailed on to give credit to .it. He, however, having mentioned it to them, they feemed very much hurt, and propofed that ^ very llrong teft, in addition to the oath of allegiance which they had fworn, Jliould be framed and adminiftered to them; and captain Jones having

-complied, they all took it with the greateft readinefs. This ferved as a mafk to their treachery for the prefent, but which they foon threw off, when an opportunity was afforded them of joining thq French, which they all did, except three, adding defertion, perfidy and perjury, to their former Crime of treafon.

There are two priefts in the neighbourhood of Ballina, who have not been taken up or put on their trial. One of thefe conftantly vifited the French and rebel generals at Killala, and gave direftions and orders to them; and when an alarm was given one day, while he was celebrating mafs, that the king’s troops were approaching, he ordered every man who had arms, and was able to march, to repair without delay to the French Itandard to oppofe them.  The other lived in a parifti the moft notorious

for

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 571

for difaifedion in the county of Sligo, and a letter from him was difcovered, written to a rebel commander at Killala, communicating the ftate of the country, and mentioning the neceffity of fending a quantity of fpirituous liquors to keep up the courage of his people, and to rpake them • ready for fervice.

There were at leaft a dozen Romifli priefts who went to pay their refpeds to the French, and lived in habits of intimacy with them atKillala, and other places, eating, drinking, and making merry with them, . on the fpoils of the unfortunate proteflants who had either fled or had been’ imprifoned; whilft none of the Romifli perfuafion, though reputed loyal, were known to fly the country, through apprehenfion of danger, or to join the king’s troops, or the armed loyahfl;s.

It was not uncommon to fee fome of thefe fpiritual guides introdut:ing’ into tire court-yard of Killala, fome of their half-naked raggamuffins, taking clothes out of the (lores, which were kept there for that purpofe, and: arraying them for adrual fervice. There were two, however, of this clafs, who could not be induced, either through fear or promifes, to partake with their flocks in the rebeHion, but ftrongly exhorted them to continue in their allegiance, and to attend to their induftry, forewarning them of the confequences of their difloyalty. One of thefe, was Mr. Conway, priell of Ardagh : The other, Mr. Grady, priefl: of Rathrea; of whom the latter was treated with great feverity, and dragged from the altar by his rebellious flock, becaufe he refufed to partake in their wickednefs, and accompany them to Killala. He had even the boldnefs to denounce yengeance on their guilty heads, fliould they perfevere in their treafonabl-e fchemes.

The perfecution levelled iig-ainfl: the proteftant clergymen, was not confined to the imprifonment of their perfons, joined to the infults and ‘ menaces offered to them, and the defl:ruQ:ion of their houfes and properties, but was extended even to the demolition of their churches, which they gutted of all the timber and carpenter’s work, and mofl: wantonly and infultingly abufed, and tore the books which they found in them.

Amongft the churches moft damaged, were thofe of Lackan, Eaiky, Killmaftige, and Ennifcrone, in the parish of Killglafs, and county of ^igo.Of the latter they tore up the floors, demolifhed the pews and the commujnion table, rifled the tomb with great indecency, and infaked

4P2. the..

57Z MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

the remains of the reverend Mr. Valentine, who had been vicar of, and refident in that parifli, fifty-three years, and who died in the year 1765, in his ninetieth year, noted and univerfally revered for his humane and charitable difpofition. He left 600 1. for the fupport of the widows of the clergy of the diocefe, and 400 I. for maintaining a charity-fchool in the parifh, and for apprenticing the children who were inftruded in it. Dodor William Cecil, bifhop of Killala, had a monument erefted to him, on which his virtues and good qualities were infcribed, as an example to his fucceffors.

The meeting-houfe belonging to the diffenting congregation of the Moy Water, near Ballina, fell a prey to their deftrudive rage. This was a colony brought there by fir Arthur Gore, from the north, near one hundred years ago; and from their preferving their primitive manners and dialed, and not holding much intercourfe with the common people of the country, they were more odious to the Roman catholicks than the proteftants of the eftabliftied church, and were treated with great feverity. They were diftinguiflied by the name of Albanaugh.*

The treatment which Mr. Little, vicar of Lackan, met with from thefe favages, deferves particular notice : T4«s gentleman refided conftantly at his glebe-houfe, and a great part of his time was employed in enquiring into, and relieving the wants of his poor pariftiioners, of every religious perfuafion.  He applied himfelf very much to the ftudy of phyfick, and went to no fmall expence in purchafmg medicine for their relief, which he beftowed liberally on them.  The Roman catholicks (who, from their numbers and poverty, were moft likely to be the objeds of his bounty) foon forgot the kind offices conferred on them, and requited his benevolence with unrelenting cruelty.  Though he and Mrs. Little were in a very feeble and declining ftate of health, they forced them from their houfe without a horfe to carry them, and fcarcely clothes to cover them, and then plundered them of every thing worth taking, wantonly deftroying a valuable library, and every other article which they could find no ufe for; and joined to all this, they demolilhed his church.

The reverend Mr. Neligan, of Ballina, a gentleman of elegant tafte and extenfive learning, and an adive and intelligent magiftrate, narrowly

efcaped

• This is much of the fame import with Saflinagh, which iignifies equally protellant and EnglUfeman; but alludes more particularly to the Scotch.

REBELUONS IN IRELAND. 573

efcaped from that town with fome more loyalifts; and after having pafled through a country infefted by banditti, who were roaming in quefl: of prote(tants,§ and after much peril and difficulty, arrived at Seaview, the feat of Mr. Hillas, in the county of Sligo. On his arrival there, fome of the popifti fervants of Mrs. Hillas informed her, that fhe would run a great rifle of having her houfe demoliflied by harbouring a proteftant clergyman.

At length, the event fo eagerly wiflied for by the Mayo and Sligo rebels arrived, for on the twenty-fecond of Auguft, 1798, three French frigates appeared in the bay of Killala,* a fmall town in the county of Mayo, which is the refidence of the bifhop; and as they had Englifh colours, Meflrs. Edwin and Arthur Stock, the bifliop’s fons, and Mr. James Rutledge, the port furveyor, were tempted to vifit them, and were not undeceived, till they were made prifoners.

As the bifliop held a vifitation at that time, and the town afforded bat very bad accommodation for ftrangers, his lordfliip had a very numerous company in his houfe. Soon after dinner, a meffenger arrived in the utmofl; confternation, to announce that three hundred French troops had landed about a mile from the town, and were marching towards it.

Two carabineer officers, who dined there, rode off inftantly to their quarters at Ballina, to convey intelligence of their landing, and to tranfmit it to Caftlebar.

The prince of Wales’s fencibles, and the yeomen of the town, in all about fifty, refilled them for fome time; but as they would foon have been overpowered by the great fuperiority of numbers, they retired into the caftle,t but not until Mr. Kirkwood, who commanded the yeomanry, after {landing many fliots, had fallen into their hands, and two of his corps had been killed.

The reverend dodor EUifon of Caftlebar, one of the bifliop’s guefts, with great gallantry, appeared in the ranks, with a mufket, and received a wound in the heel from a fpent ball.

Mr. Edwin Stock, and many other prifoners, appeared at the gate, following general Humbert.  The enemy entered the court yard of the

caaie.

S This praflice prevailed as much in Mayo and Sligo as in Wexford. • Plate X. 3.

+ The biftiop’s palace is fo called.

\

574 MEMOIRS GF THE DIFFERENl’

caftle, and made prifoners captain Cills and a party of the prince of Wales’s fencibles, but not without a very fpirited refiftance on the part of the captain, who wounded, in two places, the officer who led them on,, and then fliut the gate. ■ After having entered the yard, they called for the biihop; and on his lordflup’s appearing, the general declared, that he came to give them liberty,, and to free them from the Englifh yoke.

They put in requifition all his lordlhip’s horfes, and fome of his cowsand fheep, faying, at the fame time, that he {hould be paid for them by the Irifli directory, which would be immediately eflabliflied, in Connaught.

The French officers gave the following, account of the expedition : That about eighteen days before, one thoufand five hundred men, fome of whom^had ferved under Buonaparte in Italy, the reft had been of the, army of the Rhine, embarked on board three frigates at Rochelle, and of a very dark night, eluded (beyond their expedation) the vigilance o£ the Englifh fleet, which was clofe behind them. Two of them had fortyfour guns, eighteen pounders, the other thirty-eight guns,, twelve pounders. They faid alfo, that they brought nine pieces of cannon, and arms, for one hundred thoufand men; but this was a French gafconade, as. they had arms only for five thoufand five hundred men, and but Xwa four-pounders. The meager perfons, and the wan and fallow countenances of thefe troops, whofe numbers did not exceed one thoufand and fixty rank and file, and feventy officers, ftrongly indicated the fevere hardfhips which they muft have undergone.

They hoifted a green flag in front of the caftle, with the Irifli words, “ Erin go bragh!” infcribed on it, which fignifies in EngUfli, “ Ireland fcv ever!” and they invited the people to join them, having aflured them, that they would enjoy freedom -and happinefs by doing fo.

The firft 4ay they pafl’ed in landing their arms and ammunition; the fecond in clothing and arming the natives, of whom great multitudes flocked to their ftandard, and in granting commiffions to Irifii officers.

Every perfon endued with any degree of wifdom and virtue muft la? ment the ftate of the popifli multitude, who were fo perverted in principle, and blinded by fanaticifm, as to join a ferocious foreign enemy againi’l their king and country; though the paucity of their numbers precluded the moft diftant hope of being able, with their affiftance, to fubvert the government; and it is aftonifliing that their clergy, who had more im

prove.d ,

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

575

•proved iiitellefts, fhould have incited and ftimuiated them to do fo, as it mufl; have terminated in their inevitable deftruftion.

General Humbert, commander in chief, fent captain Cills and the prince of Wales’s fencibles on board fhip, and detained the yeomen twc days, but afterwards liberated the latter on their parole, having on al! occafions made a liriking difference between t-he native Irilh and the Englifh, from a fuppofition, that the former without diftinflion hated the latter, and wifhed to feparate Ireland from England.

The arms taken from the fencibles were delivered to the rebels, who faid, on receiving them, that they would kill every Englifhman and Orangeman in Ireland.

General Humbert told the bifhop, that the objeft of this invafion was, to refcue Ireland from the tyranny of England, and to give her a free conftitution, under the protection of France, and that he had not a doubt but that it would be accompliftied in the Ipace of one month, as another very powerful armament would foon arrive from France, to fecond •his operations.

He informed his lordfliip, that a direftory would fhortly be eftabliflied in Connaught, and faid, that he Ihould be glad to avail himfelf of. his lord/hip’s talents and confequence, to prefide over that important department; but he excufed himfelf, by faying, that he was bound to the king by repeated oaths of allegiance, which he could by no means think of violating.

General Humbert defired the bifhop to iiTue his edict, to have all the horfes and cars in the country coUefted, to convey his cannon, ammunition and baggage to Caftlebar. His lordfliip affured him, that he was but a fliort time refident in the country, and that he had not fufficient power and authority to effeduate his defires, but that he would do h’ls utmofl to ferve him.

Next morning, Humbert finding that no cars or horfes had been procured, became furious, uttered a torrent of vulgar abufe, prefented a piflol at the bifhop’s eldefl fon, and declared he would punifli his lordfhip’s difobedience, by fending him to France; and accordingly he fent him off towards the fhore, under a corporal’s guard. When he had advanced About half a mile, the general fent an exprefs on horfeback to recal him,,

and

576 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

and at his return, he made him an apology, and pleaded necefllty for what he had done.

On the morning of the twenty-fourth of Auguft, a fmall detachment of the French marched from Killala to Ballina, but meeting with a more fpirited oppofitlon than they expected, from a party of the carabineers and yeomen infantry, commanded by major Kerr, they returned the fame day.

In the evening, major Kerr having received confiderable reinforcements, advanced towards Killala, but was obliged to retire, after an unfuccefsful ikirmifli, in which two dragoons were wounded, one mortally; and the reverend Mr. Fortefcue, reftor of Ballina, and nephew of the earl of Clermont, received a ball in his groin, of which he died in a few days, in excruciating pain.

In one point, the Irifh rebels were very much difappointed, for they imagined that the invaders were to commence their career with the flaughter of the proteftants, and the deftrudion of their property; that the popifli religion was to be eftabliflied with the utmoft fplendor, on the fubverfion of the eftablifhed church; and that the eftates which had been forfeited in former rebellions, were to be reftored to the old Irifli families. But their aftonifhment was great, on being informed by the French, that their objed was to give them a new conftitution fimilar to that of France; that they would not fuffer any perfon to be perfecuted for religious opinions; and as they confidered both religions as ridiculous and abfurd, they laughed at thofe who contended about them.

On Sunday the twenty-fixth of Auguft, the main body marched towards Ballina, with a prodigious number of the native Irifh, whom they had armed and clothed; but they left behind them two hundred privates, and fix officers, for the purpofe, as the general faid, to proteft the proteftant inhabitants from the fanguinary fpirit of the popifli multitude f but it is prefumed they had alfo another objeft in contemplation, that of guarding a large quantity of ammunition, which they left at Killala, and of fecuring a retreat. They took five hoftages with them, of whom Mr. Edwin Stock, the bifliop’s fon, and the reverend Mr. Nickfon, were two.

When the French approached Ballina, they blindfolded the hoftages, and kd them to the houfe of colonel King, in the midft of a vaft con

courfe

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 577

courfe of pikemen, who infulted and reproached them as heretlcks in the moft opprobrious language. They paffed the night under the protedion of four Frenchmen, but were expofed to the inveftives of fome hundreds of the rebels, who threatened to force the guard, and put them to death.

As their horfes could not be found next day, general Humbert at his departure permitted them to return.

On fetting out for Caftlebar, he left one True, a French officer, of a favage difpofition and vulgar manners, to keep poffeffion of Ballina.

Our troops, before they left that town, hanged a man of the name of Walfh, whom they found recruiting for the French, a commiiiion from whom they found in his pocket. This was Walfli the younger, who was charged at Sligo, before general Taylor, of treafonable pradices, but whom he liberated in confequence of the excellent charader given of him by fome magiftrates and others.

The French officers having found his body fufpended when they entered the town, each of them gave it the fraternal embrace, and bedewed it with tears of fympathetic civifm; and after having expofed it fome time in the ftreet, to excite the indignation of the populace againft the loyalifts^ it was carried to the Romifli chapel, where it lay in ftate with as much pomp and ceremony as if he had been the greateft hero or patriot of the age.

On the twenty-eighth of Auguft, Mr. Richard Burke was brought a prifoner from Ballina, where he had been haranguing the populace, and inciting them to murder the proteftants, which they had been but too well inclined to do before.

The French were very much aftonifhed at finding that no proteftants would join them; for not a fingle perfon in the whole country of the eftablilhed church could be found to do fo, except two drunken vagabonds at Killala, who in reality were deftitute of all religious principle, though they paffed for proteftants; and they went through the ceremony of conforming to popery, and were baptized, thinking that it would recommend them to the French.

The bift^op might have made his efcape before the French arrived at his palace, but with laudable; fortitude he refolved on remaining, by which he

4 E materially

\

578

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

materially aflifted the French officers in maintaining focial order, and in preferving the lives and properties of the proteftant inhabitants.

The popifli priefts very foon difplayed an ardent zeal to promote the intereft of the French. Father Thomas Munnelly lived in a place called the Backs, where he officiated as curate in a parifli which belongs to the popiffi bilhop doftor Bellew : Soon after the invafion he repaired to Killala, and offered his fervices to the French, who gladly received them, well knowing the unbounded influence of the priefts over the popifh rabble.

He was employed in carrying them recruits, in equipping them with arms and clothes, and in fearching for orangemen, as the proteftants were indifcriminately called. Having heard that Mr. Knox of Bartra, brother to counfellor Francis Knox, a gentleman of good property, had fti 11 continued to defend his houfe, he voluntarily offered his fervice to vifit him, and to carry him a prifoner to the French. His offer having been accepted, he put himfelf at the head of a party of armed rebels, marched to Bartra, entered it by furprife, and with a piftol in his hand, forgetful of his allegiance, and of the facrednefs and refpedability of the facerdotal character, he defcended to the meannefs of a common robber, and obliged Mr. Knox to deliver his purfe, confifting of a few guineas, and then conveyed him, tied, as a prifoner, to the quarters of his new allies.

This villain defrauded the gallows of its due, for, after abfconding fomi time, he furrendered himfelf under the proclamation, and has been tranfported with many culprits of notoriety.

Father Sweeny lived near Weftport, in the county of Mayo, and enrolled himfelf in the fervice of the French, foon after they landed. He repaired to the bifhop’s palace, and though uninvited, ftationed himfelf there at bed and board, fuppofmg that his new allies would be defirous of availing themfelves of his influence over the popifli rabble.

He faid to the French officers, “ As every thing belonging to the proteftants will be confifcated, I ftiould be obliged to monfieur Charoft, if he would let me have the bifliop’s library, as I am fond of reading but Charoft turning from him with contempt, faid, “ The bifliop’s Hbrary is as much his own now as ever it was.”

This man took uncommon pains to prevail on the parifliioners of Mr. Conway, a loyal prieft, in the neighbourhood of Ballina, to take a part in the rebellion, in which he was ftrenuoufly oppofed by the other,

who

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 5,79

who conflantly preached up the duties they owed their king and countryj in which he had confiderable fuccefs.

Sweeny was apprehended and tried by a court-martial at Cafllebar, where he was convicted on the mod unqueflionable evidence; and the teftimony of the before-mentioned loyal prieft tended much to bring him to the fliameful and well merited death which he there fuifered, having been hanged for hip crimes.

From the very great contempt which the French (hewed for the bigotry of the common Irilh papifts, and the ftrong oppofition which they gave to their defire of maffacring and plundering proteftants, it is aftonifhing that they flocked to them in fuch numbers. The officers were filled with amazement on hearing the Irifli recruits fay, when they offered their fervice, that they came to take arms for France and the blefled Virgin,

It is aftonifliing alfo, that the priefts Ihould have been fo zealous for them, as they manifefted the moft ftriking diflike, mingled with contempt, towards them; though common policy required that they Ihould ufe every art to conciliate them, as they had unbounded influence over their flocks; and as many of them had a fmattering of French, they ferved them as interpreters.

Monfieur Charoft faid, “ That they had juft driven the pope out of Italy, and did not exped to find him fo fuddenly in Ireland.”

James Conroy, parifh prieft of Adergool, in the barony of Tyrawly and county of Mayo, a few weeks before the invafion of the French, took the oath of allegiance, in his own chapel, and in the prefence of fome hun dreds of his flock, who followed his example; and he exhorted them from the altar, to be loyal to the king and obedient to the laws, in a long fpeechj conceived in fuch forcible language, that the magiftrate, who adminiftered the oath, was convinced of his fincerity; and yet, in violation of it, he repaired to Killala, which was twenty miles diftant, as foon as the French landed there, embarked warmly in their intereft, and. was the firft perfon who fliewed them the pradicabiiity of marching to Caftltbar, by Barnagcehy, inftead of the ufual road by Foxford.*

As his houfe was in their route, he entertained the French and rebel oiEcers : He converted his chapel into a guard-houfe for them, his man

4 E 2 fion

• See Plate X. 5;

5$o MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

fion was their banqueting-houfe, and the oxen which they took from his neighbours were flaughtered in one of his out-offices.

It has been fmce difcovered, that a meffenger had been difpatched to general Hutchinfon, to inform him that the French were advancing towards Caftlebar, by Croffmalina, inftead of Foxford; but Conroy and his coadjutor ftopped him, made him fwear the united Iriftimen’s oath, and enrolled him in the rebel ranks. His name was William Burke. He was afterwards hanged at Caftlebar. The flopping him was the occafion of many calamities to this kingdom.

Conroy, confcious of his guilt, and fearing that he fhould be arrefted, kept guards conftantly round his houfe, after the arrival of our troops at Killaia; but a party detached by general Trench furprifed his vidette, killed two of them, wounded a third, and took the fourth prifoner. They were all in French arms and uniforms. They found in his houfe a French carabine, and fome cartridges; a printed proclamation of the French, offering liberty to the people of Ireland; and the entire correfpondence which had taken place between him and one Maguire of Crofsmalina,* a noted rebel leader.

He was hanged at Caftlebar, without either confeffing or denying his guilt; and though he was fure of eternal falvation for having oppofed an heretical ftate in fupport of the true faith, he had fcarce fufficient ftrength to afcend the fatal ftep.

On the firft of September, lieutenant-colonel Charoft received orders from general Humbert, to fend off all the French troops to Caftlebar, but that he fhould remain at Killaia, as commander of it, with another French officer of the name of Ponfon.

This intelligence filled all the proteftants with the moft gloomy apprehenfions, left the authority of the commandant would not be fufficient to proted them from that fanguinary fpirit which the lower clafs of people had fo often manifefted; and they dreaded the fate of the proteftant fufferers at Wexford-bridge, Vinegar -hill, and Scullabogue.

Charoft, a man of fenfe and honour, and naturally benevolent, fhewed great horror at the bigotry of the Romanifts, fympathized moft tenderly with the proteftants, and ufed the moft unremitted exertions to proteft them from its baneful effed«.  He had two hundred Irifh recruits under

his

• See Plate X. 4.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 581

his command, but the envenomed hatred which they had already (hewn towards all loyal fubjeds proved, that they could not place much reliance on their protedion. The commandant, wifliing to adopt meafures for fecuring the lives and property of the inhabitants of the town and the adjacent country againft robbers, invited them without any diftinftion of religion or party, to accept of arms, but on condition that they would return them when called for. The inhabitants of the town, and efpecially the proteftants, embraced the offer with alacrity, and the diftribution took place on the evening of September the firft.

The rebels objeded ftrongly againft fupplyingthe proteftants with arms, as they faid that they would turn them againft the French and their allies, as foon as an Englifli army appeared; and two of their officers, of the name of Mulheeran and Maguire, who were fpokefmen on the occafion, became clamorous and vehement, the former having manifefted his difguft fo much as to lay down his arms.

The proteftants, intimidated by the menaces of the rebel foldiers, refolved to furrender their arms, and to reft their defence on the fidelity of the Irifh recruits.

As the rebels continued their murmurs and complaints, and harrafled the proteftants with domiciliary vifits, in fearch of arms, the commandant, at the inftance of the latter, ilTued a proclamation, requiring that no perfon fhould appear in arms, except recruits for the French fervice.

In addition to the terror of being deprived of their arms, the proteftants were very much alarmed at the accounts which were conftantly received of depredations committed on the houfes of perfons of the eftablifhed church, in all the adjacent country. Every night feme houfe was plundered; and fcarce an hour palfed, in which the bifliop was not importuned to redrefs fome grievance, or to obtain from the commandant proteftion for fome houfe againft the rapacity of banditti.

Deal Caftle, the elegant feat of lord Tyrawly, was made a perfed wreck of. The commandant, therefore, iffued a proclamation for dividing the country into departments, and appointed a civil m-agiftrate, aided by a certain number of rebel foldiers over each. Mr. James Devitt, a Roman catholick tradefman, of good fenfe and moderation, was appointed to prefide over the town, and had one hundred and fifty Imen under his command.

About

^-S2 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

About twenty men mounted guard in the caflle, which was coafidered as the head-quarters of the allied army. This inftitution afforded in fom-i degree peace and prote6ion to the town : but the moft fhocking depredations continued to be committed on the houfes of proteftants in ail the adjacent country, by thofe very rebel guards who had been appointed to proted them.

This is not furprifmg, as the rebels were elate on the arrival of tht French, with the hope of being allowed to indulge their fanguinary ragg againft proteftants, and to plunder their property with impunity; and they were much vexed and difappointed when it was given out in publick orders, that any depredations committed on private property fhould be punifhed with death; and the rebel leaders fubmitted to fuch orders with the utmoft reluctance, for they were in many inftances little better in point of moraJ character than the femi-barbarous rabble whom they headed.

At Ballina, and its vicinity, any mifcreant who could influence forty or fifty ruffians, became captain of a company of pikemen, and obtained a commiflion from True the commandant; and the firft aft by which he fignalized himfelf was, by dragging in orangemen, by which they meant proteftants, and by plundering their houfes.

Before I proceed to defcribe the operations of the main body of the French army at Caftlebar, I will give the reader a (ketch of the characters of fome of the moft confpicuous rebel leaders in the neighbourhood of Ballina and Killala.

Henry O’Keon, was the fon of a cow-herd of lord Tyrawly, and was horn at Kilcomin, within three miles of the latter. Having acquired a fmattering of Latin at a hedge fchool, he repaired to Nantz in France, where he ftudied divinity, and received holy orders, in the year 1788.* On the abolition of his order in France, he enlifted in the fervice as a private foldier, and was gradually advanced to the rank of a captain of grenadiers.!

The following commiffion found among his papers, proves that he came as an interpreter to the French, and that their expedition was intended for the place where they landed :

“ Army

• His teftim nium was found among bis papers and produced oa bis trial, t Hie commiiTioQ wa« alfo prodoced.

t

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

“Army of? Liberty! . Equality!

expedition.  3     ‘ ^

“ General Humbert, on account of the civifm of citizen Henry 0*Keon,

has chofen him to be employed in quality of an interpreter, and he lhall be

confidered amongft the number of the ftafF.  Citizen O’Keon will embark

on board the Franchife frigate, with adjutant-general Fontaine, and fhall

be admitted in the number of the ftalF of general Humbert, commander

in chief of the expedition.

« HUMBERT.”

O’Keon, well knowing the fuperftitious credulity and the fanaticifm of the popifti multitude, aflembled a vafl concourfe of them in the ftreet of Ballina, and having mounted the roftrum, he related the following flory to them in his native tongue, which he fpoke better than French or Englifh : *’ That he dreamt one night in France, that the virgin Mary vifited him, and informed him that her votaries in Ireland were fulFering the mofl grievous perfecution, and Ihe recommended to him to go to their relief. As he regarded it merely as an idle dream, fhe made him a fecond vifit, and bemoaned, in the moft doleful accents, the ftate of her friends in Ireland, and repeated her former advice; but as he fliewed no regard to it, fhe made him a third vifit, and gave him a violent box in the ear. Convinced by this that her Holinefs was ferious, he repaired to the French diredory, and perfuaded them to undertake this expedition; and he affured them that there could not be a doubt of its fuccefs, as it was undertaken by the advice, and under the fandion of the blefled virgin.” The befofted multitude purfuaded of the truth of what he faid, teftified their joy and their approbation of it by vociferous acclamation.

O’Keon was humane, having upon all occafions oppofedthe bloodthirfty difpofition of the popifti multitude.

Father Prendergaft, lived near Weftport, and was of the order of men”, dicant friars who fupport themfelves by the voluntaryisdonations of fuch perfons in their neighbourhood as can afford to exercife ads of liberality; but he, like many others of his order, extorted very large contributions from the bigotted herd of papifls, who have an extraordinary fuperftitious reverence for their facerdotal guides of every defcription.

Suck

584 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Such was father Prendergaft, a (lout, fturdy, well fed prieft, who battened on the fat of the land, Epicuri de grege porcu^, without giving himfelf any trouble about his fpiritual concerns, except when he could turn them to profit.

The moll fruitful fource of lucre which his vocation afforded him, was the fale of fcapulars, of which he often fold a bafket at fairs or patrons.

He alfo dealt in charms and prophecies. One of the former, of which I give the reader a copy, was found on the perfon of one Prendergaft, a farmer, who obtained it from this holy friar in the year 1798, by a very reputable magiftrate in the county of Mayo, near Weftport. I have given one of them found on a rebel in the county of Wexford, and a fimiUr piece of fuperftitious trumpery is to be found in dodtor Bernard’s hiftory of the fiege of Drogheda, written in the laft century.

« Jefus I. H. S. Maria « Truft A Thee.” This is meafured of the wounds of the fide of our lord Jefus Chrift, which was brought from Conftantinople unto the emperor Charles, within a gold cheft, as a relief moft precious to that eflPeft, that no evil or any thing might take him who reads it, hears it,, wears, it, cannot be hurted by ai^y tempeft, fire, water, knife, fword, lance, or bullet; neither the devil (hall hurt him. He ftiall be vidorious and never die an untimely death, and it fliall be a fure fafety to women with child. Amen, fo be it.’* To Pat. Prendergaft.

As foon as the French landed, father Prendergaft attached himfelf in the ftrongeft manner to them, and was very fuccefsful in promoting their intereft, from the great influence he had over the lower clafs of people. When the king’s troops again took polTeffion of the country, he, with many others, fled to the mountains, where for fome months he endured much from want, anxiety and difeafe.

A party of the king’s troops, who went in fearch of a banditti which infefted the country, foimd this holy friar a moft miferable inftance of the uncertainty of humaaaffaifs, lying in a wretched hut, almoft confumed by that moft dreadful and loathfome diforder called morbus pediculofus,* of

which

• The loufy diforder.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

whkh he died foon after; and fuch were the putrid effluvia which iffiied from his body, that it was both dangerous and olFenfive to approach it for the purpofe of interring it.

Father Owen Cowley was the fon of a poor peafant, who lived in tlie parifh of Caftleconnor, and county of Sligo, within about four miles of Ballina. At a hedge-fchool he acquired a competent fhare of Latin to read the mafs, and received holy orders, having been fandioned by the impofition of dodlor Bellew’s hands. One of the crimes charged againft Jeroboam was, “ That he made of the loweft of the people priefts of the high places : Whofoever would, he confecrated him, and he became one of the priefts of the high places. And this became fin unto the houfe of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to deftroy it from the face of the earth.”*

The fame praftice prevails among the Roman catholick bifhops of Ireland, as they commonly recruit from the loweft clafs of the people, to fill the vacancies in the ecclefiaftical ranks; and when fuch perfons are feledted to preach the gofpel, it is not furprifing that vice and immorality are fo prevalent, or that the popilh clergy are found at the bottom of plots and confpiracies, and that many of them are the moft active incendiaries, and foremoft in the ranks of rebellion.

Father Cowley having finiflied his Irifti education, repaired to France, to complete himfelf in humanity and divinity.

When the French republicans were exercifing a cruel and fanguinary fpiric againft minifters of the gofpcl, he retired to his native country; and yet fuch was his difaffedtion to a proteftant king, and a proteftant ftate, that he offered his fervices to thofe very republicans, though they were the avowed enemies of chriftianity, as foon as they landed in Ireland.

True, the French commandant of Ballina, employed him as an interpreter, an office which he abufed very much, having poifoned his mind againft the proteftants, whom he reprefented as peftilent hereticks, and as enemies to French liberty; and he aflured him, that their complete extirpation was eflentially neceffary for the eftablilhment of the new con. ftitution offered by France.

True, though favage and ferocious, refufed to accede to his propofal, from motives of policy; but Cowley having reprefented, that they were  conftantly  conveying  fecret intelligence  to the king’s

4 F troops, * I Kings xiii. 33, 34,

586

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

troops, he obtained permiflion to arreft and imprlfon them. He, therefore, in imitation of the Wexford rebels, fent out gangs of banditti, to fearch the country for proteftants, and they fulfilled the mod fanguine wiflies of their favage employer; as they feized a great many perfons of the eftablifhed church, and committed them to the houfe of the honourable colonel King at Ballina, where father Cowley daily viUfied and infulted them as hereticks, and denounced death againft them in various terrifick forms.

At one time, he was heard to declare that he would burn them alive in a kiln; another time with tar barrels; and when he defpaired of procuring them, he faid, that his purpofe could be effefted by tying flax round their bodies, and by fetting fire to it. Death was prefented to their imaginations another time by the ruthlefs pikemen, of whom fome thoufands daily pafTed by the windows of the houfe where they were confined. This villain had the temerity to inform the rebels (who were panting for the blood of the proteftants) that he had procured them permiflion to afiaflinate them; and his diabolical defign would probably have been carried into execution that night, but for the interference of Mr. Barrett, fon of do£lor Barrett, of whom I fhall fpeak in the fequel; and his difcovery and communication of it to True was near proving fatal to him; for the pikemen, indignant at their difappointment, in not beijig allowed to riot in the blood of their heretical enemies, attempted to wttak their vengeance on Barrett’s head, from which the fpirit and adivity of his horfe alone preferved him, when furrounded by a wood of pikes.

His addrefs to the prifoners was often in thefe words : “ Ye damnable hereticks — yefcum of hell — ye breed of the devil — your time is but fhort «— ye have but this night to live, and to-morrow ye fhall fuffer for your crimes.”

This happened in the time of tranquillity, when the country was in the hands of the French, without interruption; but in the hour of danger his fanguinary rage againft them did not abate, for wlien the rebels were ordered to march towards Coloony to reinforce the French, he folicited and obtained permiflion to march the proteftants with them, under pretext that they would efcape for want of guards, but in reality with an intention of having them cut off. Thus furrounded by a numerous body of pikemen, thefe unfortunate people were marched off thirty miles, many

of

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 587

of them barefoot, and almofl naked, as the rebels when they arrefled them, ftripped them of their clothes, after the example of their Wexford friends.

During the engagement at Coloony, the prifoners were fkationed near the church, expecting to be put to death if the king’s troops were victorious; but after the battle, the guards being engaged in plundering and revelling, the prifoners made their efcape, but were afterwards taken and reconduded to their former prifon.

Though this wretch efcaped the gallows, he fidfered a more fevere and painful death. Having wandered about the mountains for fome months, fullering all the miferies of hunger, thirft, watching, and fear, his friends, formed a fubterraneous cavern for him, under a corn field, of which the aperture was covered with a large ftone, fo as to elude the obfervation of his purfuers, who often pafTed clofe to it. His provifions were let down to him by a rope. At lafl, he was found dead in his den, and his death was imputed to fufFocation from coals, which his friends fuppHed him with, to correft the humidity of his cavern. His funeral obfequies were performed at midnight by a number of priefls, who, it is faid, were ordered to attend them, by dodor Bellew, the popifh bifliop. I fhall refer the reader to Appendix, No. XX. 7, for a proof of the brutal treatment which fome of the prifoners received from this ferocious monfler.

General Bellew was defcended from an antient and refpe£lable family in the county of Galway, and was nearly allied to fir Patrick Bellew.

He was brother to do£lor Bellew, Roman catholick bifliop of Kilkla, and when that gentleman was at Rome, fludying divinity, their father fent out his fecond fon Matthew, to have him educated for the prieflhood under his brother. He fubmitted for fome years, though reludantly, to the courfe of fludy necefTary to qualify him for the paftoral office; but being of a lively volatile difpofition, and having formed an acquaintance at Rome with fome Auflrian officers, who encouraged him to join them, he entered into the Imperial fervice, and was foon after promoted to the rank of lieutenant; but not finding fufficient employment for the adivity of his mind and body at that time in Germany, he entered into the Ruffian fervice, where he found fufficient occupation for

4F 2 the

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

the energies of both, in the bloody war which broke out between tha Ruffians and Turks. Here his courage and eonduft were fo confpicuous(| that he was foon advanced to the rank of major in a regiment of infantry. His rapid career in military fame, of which he ever feemed immoderately fond, was fuddenly checked by an unforefeen accident.

At the fiege of Ilinail the enemy fprung a mine, which blew up part of the works, and buried in their ruins our unfortunate hero and. ^ great many Ruffian foldiers. Happy had he been, to have been numbered with the dead, and to have finiflied his life like a foldier, as he had begun it! but Providence referved him for a more ignominious fate, and exemplified in him the uncertainty of human affairs. In his early days, he fought for glory in a foreign land, and fought with courage the battles of alien princes. In his maturer years, he incurred difgrace and infamy at home, and took up arms againft his lawful fovereign and his native country. When extricated from the ruins, he had but few fymptoms of life : He languifhed a long time under his wounds, and his intellects were fo much impaired, that he was found unfit for fervice. It was thought advifable then to give him a long leave of abfence, and to Jet him return to his friends, in hopes that tranquillity and his native air would reftore him.

Frefh misfortunes awaited him on his return to Ireland, As he had no fortune, he lived with his friends and his brother, on whom he had great dependence; but when the glofs of novelty wore away, they grew tired of him, and manifefted by their conduft that they confidered him a troublefome and unwelcome gueft. This drove him into low company, and a habit which he had acquired of drinking fpirits, encreafed his derangement, and made him difagreeable and ofFenfive. His brother having quarrelled with him, refufed to admit him into his houfe, and ufed to billet him among his priefts, month about; a fituation very difagreeable to him, as he difliked the principles, and was difgufted with the ignorance and vulgarity of his hofts, which in his gayer hours were a fubje£l of merriment and ridicule to him. By the death of an uncle, he became entitled to 600 1. which he frequently folicited, to carry him back to Ruffia; but, notwithftanding the moft preffing folicitations, he could not obtain it from his brother^ who tranfaded the affairs of the deceafed.  He was frequently invited to the tables of the genteel and

refpeftable

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

refpedable families at Ballina, particularly by the reverend Mr. Neligan, who was much entertained with the narrative of his adventures; but from the want of clothes and cleanlinefs, and the filth and fquahdnefs of hit perfon, he foon became unfit for fociety.

Being in this ftate of mifery and wretch ednefs on the arrival of the French, he had not firmnefs and fortitude enough to refift the temptations which they offered him to enter into their fervice. His firft offer, however, was to his king and country; and juft as the enemy were about to enter BalJina, he earneftly entreated Mr. Neligan and Mr. Weft to fupply him with arms and a horfe, declaring, that he was ready to accompany them and to fhare their fortune. With this requeft, it was impoffibic at that time to comply: He was left then with no other refource, but to fly or to join the enemy, and he embraced the latter. The French were happy to find a man who could fpeak. their language well, and who was likely to be ufeful to them, from his long experience in the military line; they therefore conferred on him the rank and dignity of general in the army of the Irifli republick. But as he continued to give way to his former habits of diffipation and drunkennefs, they found him rather an incumbrance than a benefit.

Incenfed againft his brother for the indignities and flights which he had formerly received from him, he plundered his houfe of whatever he wanted; but the doftor having been appointed by the French commandant prefident of the municipal government of the town, had intereft enough to get the general removed and ftationed at Killala.

Mindful of former kindneffes conferred on him, he, previous to his departure from Ballina, ported a notice on the houfe of Mr. Neligan, denouncing vengeance upon any perfon who fliould moleft it; but his authority ceafing with his prefence, the demolition of it foon took place.

It was ufual with him to levy fmall contributions on the people in the neighbourhood, to purchafe whiflcey and tobacco, of which he was immoderately fond; but in no other inftance did he offer any violation to the perfons or property of the loyalifts; and contenting himfelf with the pleafures arifing from his glafs and his pipe, he feemed perfedly indifferent about the iffue of the war.

At the approach of the king’s troops to Killala, he refufed to take up • arnxs, or to march againft them; though furrounded by a hoft of pikemen.

59°

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

men. He was taken in the town, tried next day by a court-martial, and hanged. His dejection on his trial was fuch, that he was incapable of making any rational defence. He was a man of quick lively parts, very fhrewd in his remarks on men and manners, and had much fmceri^y and ingenuoufnefs in his conduft and converfation. He knew the French, Italian, German, and Sclavonian languages well, and fpoke the firft three with fluency and accuracy. It is much to be lamented, that a man who v might have been a benefit and an ornament to fociety, fhould, by a train of misfortunes, to which he was not acceflary, be reduced to fuch a flate of debafement, and be finally driven to make fo ignominious an exit.

Father Mc. Gowan, a fellow of very low extraftion, and a noted drunkard, lived at Crofsmalina; but having a difpute with the Maguire family, who made a confpicuous figure in the rebellion, he was obliged to change his refidence. Though deeply concerned in treafon and rebellion, the loyaUfts could not obtain fufEcient evidence to convi£l him; but though he efcaped the gallows, juftice overtook him in another way. Soon after the furrender of the French at Ballynamuck,a report having reached him, that they had made another defcent, while he was revelling at a chriftening, he, elate at the pleafing intelligence, indulged in ihe joys of Bacchus to fuch an excefs, that returning to his own houfe at a, late hour of the night, he fell from his horfe, and broke his neck within a few paces of it.

Many circumftances confpired to favour the defcent and the progrefs of the French in the county of Mayo, and to make it difficult for government to oppofe them with eft’ed. The oaths of allegiance taken by the popifh clergy and their congregations, like thofe of Wexford, Wicklow, and Kildare, forthe purpole of impofing on the government and the magiftracy, lulled the vigilance and banilhed the fufpicion of both; and the inhabitants of that county were, in appearance, but feebly organized, and did not break out into any open ads of outrage; and therefore but very fmall parties of the military were quartered in it.

There was a large army ftationed in Munfter, as an infurredion was to be apprehended there, and bccaufe it was more likely to be invaded bythe French than any other part of the kingdom. As the landing of the French in Ireland fuddenly occafioned a ftrong and vifible fenfation, not only in the difaffeded inhabitants of Dublin, but in thofe of every

county

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 591

county which had previoufly fhewn any fymptoms of difloyalty, and as ftrong indications of an intended infurreftion appeared in them, it would have been very perilous to have marched the troops out of fuch diftrifbs.

Major-general Hutchinfon, who commanded in the province of Connaught, and who, with major-general Trench, was in the town of Galway,* on receiving intelligence of the enemy’s defcent, refolved on marching towards the counties of Mayo and Sligo, with whatever troops he could colleft; but from the (lender force under his command, this could not be effeded without leaving the counties of Leitrim and Rofcommon, notorioufly difaffeded, Hable to infurredion, and the bridges on the upper part of the Shannon without protedion. The troops with which he moved towards Ca(llebar,t were the Kerry militia from Galway, a detachment of the Frafer fencibles from Tuam,| the Kilkenny militia from Loughrea, the Longford from Gort, a detachment of lord Roden’s fencible dragoons, four fix-pounders, and a howitzer from Athenry.]) Thefe troops were afterwards joined by the fkeleton of the 6th regiment, about one hundred men, from Galway; which afterwards continued to be garrifoned by a few corps of yeomanry only.

The difpofition of the country feemed at firll favourable, which was by no means the cafe in the counties of Leitrim and Rofcommon, Cavan and Wellmeath, in which there was a confiderable movement of the people, and the blackfmiths were bufily employed in making pikes.

Brigadier-general Barnet ordered the city of Limerick regiment of militia to march from Athlone§ to Carrick-on-Shannon.**

In the mean time reports were received from general Dundas, who commanded in the county of Kildare, that there were ftrong apprehenfions that a general infurredion would take place there, as notices had been circulated by the difaffeded, inciting the people to rife; and as many of the inhabitants had left their houfes, he was under the necefiitv of detaining part of the reinforcements intended for Connaught.

The marquis of Cornwallis having received intelligence the twentyfourth of Augud of the landing of the French, ordered lieutenant-general Lake to proceed to GaJway, to take the command of the troops

afl’embiing

• Plate X. 10. t lbi<l. 6..

]: Piste X. 8. il Ibid. 10.

§ Plate X. 9 Ibid. 5.

592

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

aflembling in Cormaught, his excellency intending in perfon to colled the troops that could be fpared from Eeinfter, at Athlone, or Carrickon’Shannon, and to aft in concert with the other general officers, as cir-^ Cumftances Ihould require. He arrived at Philipftown on the twentyfixth, with the looth regiment, the fnft and fecond battalions of light infantry, the flank companies of the Bucks and Warwick militia, and on the twenty-feventh proceeded to Kilbeggan j* the troops having made a progrefs of forty-four Irifh miles in two days.

Major-general Hutchinfon arrived at Caftlebar on the twenty-fifth, and made proper difpofitions to receive the enemy. Two roads led from Ballina to Caftlebar; one to the eaft of Loughconn, by Foxford,t a village eleven miles from Caftlebar, and fituated on the river Moy, which is broad and deep, and is croffed by a bridge of many arches. As this is by far the beft road, general Hutchinfon detached the Kerry regiment, with their battalion guns to defend that pafs; and brigadier-general Taylor arrived there alfo, with a detachment of regular troops and yeomanry. As there is a very ftrong pafs, called Barnageehy, on the other road,; to the weft of Loughconn, and as it is far lefs prafticable, and therefore much lefs frequented, than the road by Foxford, it was univerfally believed, and it was reafonable to fuppofe, that the French would make their approach by the latter; and it is moft certain, that general Humbert, openly and feduloufly announced, fome hours before he marched, that he would proceed by Foxford, intelligence of which was conveyed to generals Hutchinfon and Trench; and the better to deceive them, he marched part of the road towards Foxford, and then turning fuddenly to the right, he proceeded by Loughconn, where a narrow pafs, called Barnageehy, through the mountains of Fanogue, is fo ftrong by nature, that one company with a battalion gun pofted there, would have checked the progrefs of the French. But for the reafons which 1 have afligned, generals Hutchinfon and Trench could not have the moft remote fufpicion that the French would advance by that road.

. At the hour of three o’clock in the morning, a yeoman who had been vifiting his farm near Barnageehy, arrived, and informed general Trench that he had feen a large body of men in blue clothes advancing that way;

on

♦ Plate L r.

t Plate X. 4, J.

\ Ibid.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 593

on which the general proceeded to reconnoitre, attended by a few dragoons; but when he had advanced about three miles from Caftlebar, he was fired on by the advanced guard of the French. He then returned with the utmoft fpeed, and marched the garrifon to a rifing ground outfide the town, which he had fixed on the preceding day as an alarm poft, fliould the enemy advance to attack them. It was on a hill at the northweft extremity of the town, running from eafl to weft, and command-^ ing a rifing ground oppofite to it, over which the French muft neceffarily pafs, and at the diftance of about one thoufand yards.

Our line was drawn up in the following order : The Kilkenny militia, the Ikeleton of the 6th regiment of foot, and a fubaltern’s detachment of the prince of Wales’s fencibles, formed the firft line. The Frafer fencibles, with a fmall corps of Galway yeomen infantry, formed a fecond line; but both drawn up in irregular lines, fo as to occupy the fummits; of the heights they were deftined to defend. The four companies of the Longford were drawn up in a valley in the rear, and a little on the left of the main body of the Kilkenny. The cavalry, confifting of the 1 ft fencibles, and a part of the 6th dragoon guards, were ftationed in the rearof the firft line, fome piquets excepted, who had been previoully fent out, and fome yeomen cavalry, who were pofted in driferent quarters.

Captain Shortall, who commanded the artillery, took poft with two curricle guns in front of the firft line, confifting of the 6th infantry and the Kilkenny, who were a little to his right to fupport that flank; the two battalion guns attached to the Kilkenny militia being on his left, feparated by the road, but parallel to him. He left the two other curricle guns in the centre of the town, in an open fpace, under lieutenant BlundJ, of the artillery.

They remained in this fituation till near eight o’clock, when the enemy appeared in columns, advancing over the rifing ground in front*’ When the French general viewed our line, he covered his column deep with rebels, drelTed in French uniforms, to draw the fire on them, and from his own men. -A numerous rabble, who were all pkmderers, attended them alfo.

When they had nearly gained the fummit of the hill, a round fhot from captain Shortall’s right gun ftruck the head of their column, and nearly divided it in two parts.  This made them fail back, feemingly in coiifu

4 G fion;

594 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

fion; but in fome time advancing again, a fhot from the fecond gun flruck them with the fame effeft as the firft, with this difference, that the part of the column on the right of where the fhot entered, rufhed forward (about fifty yards) to the cover of a houfe, on which the captain found it necelTary to diredt his fire againfl the main body, and foon fucceeded in driving them back. After this the enemy difappeared for a few minutes, when they advanced a third time in the fame direction, but endeavouring to deflroy the effeft of the fhot, by forcing fome cattle into their front. In this attempt they were alfo fruflrated, and obliged to retire under cover of the hill. In a fliort time they were perceived deploying from the centre, which was performed in a quick and maflerly ftyle, with the files very open. In this manner their line advanced, until it was parallel to (or fomething before) where their column had been fo often obliged to retire from. Here it was, that our infantry committed a fatal miflake, in beginning a fire at fo great a diftance, that it could produce no effeft, which the enemy imputing to panick, ot the want of judgment, rufhed rapidly forward, to fome hedges immediately in our front, under cover of which they continued to advance in detached parties, and without preferving any regular line, and at the fame time extending their wings with an evident defign of outflanking us. In this fituation they did not refill him fufficiently with their mufketry; and in a very fhort time after, the detachment, which was pofled for the fole purpofe of fupporting the guns, retired, leaving behind them the gallant major Alcock, of the Kilkenny, who was wounded.

It was flill hoped, that they would have rallied in rear of the guns, when they perceived the execution made by the canifler fhot; but they ran off; and captain Shortall had only time to fire three rounds, when the enemy rufhed in on his right, and would certainly have put him and all his men to death, but that it is fuppofed their ammunition was expended. While captain Shortall was at the britchin of his gun, he was clofed by a French officer, who having fired a piflol at him, and miffed him, was on the point of drawing his fword, but the captain knocked him down with his fift, and then retreated.

In juftice to the earls of Ormond and Longford, I think it proper to obfervcj that they did their utmoft to rally their regiments.

The

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 595

The earl of Granard, major Thompfon, captains Chambers and Armilrong rallied fome foldiers of the Longford, and fome ftragglcrs of other corps, and covered the retreat of our troops, by maintaining, as they retired, a well-direded fire from behind hedges and walls, on the enemy as they advanced. Thefe officers then took poft on the bridge with their fmall party and a curricle gun, well ferved and direded by corporal Gibfon of the Royal Irifii artillery, and with great gallantry and good judgment defended that pafs for above half an hour againft the main body of the enemy. At the fame time, lieutenant Blundell, with the other gun in the ftreet, ufed the utmoft exertion to oppofe them.

The party who defended the bridge, confiding of the before-mentioned officers, fome of the Longford, a few of the Kilkenny and Frafer’s, fuffered mofl: feverely, as it was expofed to a crofs fire, both from the roads leading to it, and from the houfes on each fide. The men often fell back and were rallied by their officers. At length, moft of the Royal Irilh artillery, who worked the gun, having been killed or wounded, it became ufelefs; and the enemy were able to pufli forward a body of cavalry, whofe charge was however repulfed by this fmall party, and two of the foremofl: huflars were killed in our ranks. By this charge, however, our numbers were much reduced, and having loft the affiftance of one captain and one fubaltern, who were defperately wounded, they were obliged to retreat, after having loft near one half of their party.

Captain Chambers fell, covered with wounds; and when down, a Frenchman, enraged at the fpirited defence which he and his fmall party had made, drove a bayonet into his mouth, and the favage rebel women leaped on his body, and yet he ftill furvives; but fo impaired in his health, being completely exhaufted and debiHtated by the number of wounds which he received, and the great effufion of blood which enfued, as to be but the fhadow of what he was : But it is to be hoped, that fome fubftantial rewards will one day await that fignal valour which he difplayed in the fervice of his country, and which renders him an honour to it.

Many of the French officers affured me, that they never faw guns better ferved or more dellructive than thofe of our artillery; and that the aftion would have terminated in our favour, if the infantry had ftood. their ground and fupported them for ten minutes longer.

4 G 2 The

59^

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

The French approached the new gaol to break it open : It was guarded by a highland Frafer fentinel, v/hom his friends had defired to retreat with them; but he heroically reful’ed to quit his port, which was elevated, with fonie fteps leading to it. He charged and fired five times fucceflivcly, and killed a Frenchman at every fhot; but before he could charge the fixth time, they rufhed on him, beat out his brains, and threw him down the fteps, and the fentry box on his body.

A party of French dragoons purfued our retreating army above a mile from the town, and took a piece of cannon, “which they were on the point of turning on their rear, but a party of lord Roden’s fencibles refcued the gun, and killed five of them.

A refpeftable inhabitant of Caftlebar gives the following account of five French foldiers who refided in his houfe, and of fome other particulars : “ When they entered my houfe, I implored them to fpare the lives of me and my wife : They raifed us from our knees, and faid, *’ Vivant!’* They demanded bread, beef, wine and beer, and by fupplying them with thofe articles, as far as my purfe went, I obtained their good will. The rebels who accompanied them at firft plundered us of various articles; but one day when they revifited us, I alarmed my foreign inmates, who expelled and chaftifed them feverely. One of them, by name Philip Sheers, was from Holland; I gave him my watch, but he kindly returnedL it; another, Bartholomew Baillie, from Paris, was mild, learned, and rather filent : He had been a prieft, but on the overthrow of his order, became a foldier : He denied a future exiftence. One Ballifceau, a Spaniard, was as intrepid as Hannibal : Since the age of fifteen, he had followed the profefTion of a foldier : He had been a prifoner in Pruflia, in Paris, and in London : He had been confined in a dungeon at Conftantinople :* He crolTed the Alps with Buonaparte, and fought under him in Italy : His body, head and face were covered with wounds : He was a hard drinker, a great fwearer, and mocked religion; and yet he was very fond of children, and never entered my apartment without conftantly enquiring for my wife, who was on the point of lying-in. The fourth was from Rochelle, and the fifth from Toulon.

‘* As foon as the French learned that lord Cornwallis was arrived at Hollymount, which was but fourteen miles off, the Parifian came to me

at

• Taken prifoner when in the Imperial fervice.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 597

at midnight, and faid, with diftrefs painted in his countenance, “ We muft depart, for the Englifli, headed by a great general, are approaching.”

Every perfon polTeffed of moral fentiment, mufl: contemplate with horror mingled with pity, the depraved and degraded ftate of a people in a revolutionary ftate like the French; for devoid of every tie, human and divine, accuftomed to idlenefs, and unacquainted with the arts of induftry, their only occupation and refource is to plunder and defolate the territories of their neighbours.

On the night of the battle at Cafllebar, bonfires were lighted on all the high grounds near it, particularly towards Weftport and Newport, for the purpofe of inciting the common people to rife, and which it occafioned mofl effedually. A numerous mob of favages entered the former, and plundered and almofl demoliflied the houfes of the proteflants, but did not injure one belonging to a Roman catholick. All the loyalifts were obliged to fly to Caftlebar to preferve their lives.

Though lord Altamont and his family had evinced a very ftrong partiality for the Roman cathoHcks, and had on all occafions given to government the warmeft alTurances of their loyalty, their property was not fpared. They carried off his lordfliip’s horfes, cows, and flieep, drank <aA^>-^ all the liquor in his cellars, broke fome of the doors and windows in his houfe, which they would have demoliflied, but that James Jofeph McDonnell, who, accompanied by a French oflicer, took poffeflion of it as his own manfion. They told lord Altamont’s French cook that they would not injure him, as he was a Frenchman and a Romian catholick.

Mount -Browne, the houfe of the honourable Mr. Dennis Browne, his lordfliip’s brother, and member for the county, they plundered and deftroyed beyond precedent, where fire was not ufed; though on all occafions he had been unremittingly the warm advocate of the Roman cathoHcks in parliament. They carried oft’ all his horfes, cows, and flieep, and cut down many ornamental trees in his demefne, to make pikes. In fliort, the favages plundered the houfes of every proteftant in the country which was not defended, but in no indances the property of a Roman catholick was injured.

The perfons who took the lead in the rebellion in that country, were James Jofeph Mc. Donnell, a barrifl:er, fon to Mr. Jofeph Mc. Donnell, a riiagiftrate, and a man of good property. The whole country was organized

by

598 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

by him. John Gibbons, formerly agent to lord Altamont, and for whom his lordfliip had a very warm friendfliip : He was the chief diredor of the pike manufaflory : He was far advanced in years. Thomas Gibbons, his brother, and Edward Gibbons, his fon, Valentine Jordan, a very opulent farmer, the reverend Miles Prendergaft, a friar, all papifts. Not a fmgle proteftant was concerned in it.

The entrance of the favage natives into Caftlebar was truly terrifick, as they made dreadful yells, and were as rapacious and deftruftive as a flock of locufts. They bore flags, having on them a harp without the crown, and the words, “ Erin go braugh!”|

Soon after the French had gained the town, the popifh favages attacked and defiled the church, making obfcene figures on fome of the pews, and deftroying others. They were fo prophane, as to pollute with the greateft indecency the bible, which they called the devil’s book. They urged father Egan, the parifli prieil, to fay high mafs in it, and he confulted dodor EUifon on the propriety of doing fo, but he diffuaded him from it. They plundered moft of the proteftant houfes, and whenever the French endeavoured to reftrain them, they would fay, “ Sure it is only the houfe of a proteftant!” fuppofing that the French harboured the fame fanatical hatred againft that fe£t of chriftians which they did.

Though lord Lucan had been always humane and charitable, and a very good landlord, they made a perfect wreck of his houfe, breaking the chimney pieces, and deftroying every article which they could not carry off. They ferved the houfe of the reverend dodor Ellifon, his lordfliip’s agent, in the fame manner, though a gentleman univerfally and defervedly efteemed.

Some of the favages exprefled great furprife and horror at feeing fome of the French eat meat of a Friday; but they treated them with contempt mingled with irony.

They debated in lord Lucan’s lawn on maflacring the proteftants; but the French officers oppofed it vehemently, and they were joined by Bartholon^ewTeeling and Henry O’Kane, who, though papifts, were free from the fanguinary fpirit which aduated the common herd. The latter faid, “ Gentlemen, when you were in the power of the proteitants, they did not flied your blood; and when your friends were taken in Wexford,

moft

I Ireland for ever!

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

599

moft of them were pardoned, and but few were put to death, § though they were in adual rebellion : You fhould alfo confider, that you yourfelves may foon be in the power of the government; but if you will maflacre the proteftants, put me to death with them.”

The French ate the beft of meat and bread, drank wine, beer and coffee, and flept on good beds. They compelled the rebels to eat potatoes, drink whilkey, and fleep on draw. They beat and abufed them like dogs, in the name of liberty, equality, fraternity and unity. A volume would not contain an account of the brutal adions of the rebels; and the women, who were worfe than the men, carried off hides, tallo\y, beef, cloth and various other articles.

The following ffiort journal of a perfon who travelled from the county of Galway to Cafllebar, while the French were in poffeffion of it, will (hew the reader how univerfally the fpirit of difaffedion pervaded the popilh multitude, and how much their minds were debafed and perverted by fuperftition : *’ Left Monavea, within fix miles of Tuam,* the thirtieth of Auguft, and found the people idling about the ditches, and eager for news refpeding the ftate of his majefty’s forces. They rejoiced much at hearing of their defeat at Caftlebar, and their retreat from it, faying, it was quite confonant to the various prophecies,! importing, that the day was come, when proteftants would be completely extirpated, and that their property (a long time ufurped by them) would be reftored to Roman catholicks, who were the only jufl: and rightful owners of it; that it was all the work of God, who had enabled a handful of Frenchmen to beat a large army of hereticks.

“ When I arrived within five miles of Hollymount,| I found the roads much crowded by people who were very inquifitive about news relative to the army, and of what form pikes Ihould be made. I entered a houfe to refrelh myfelf, and was foon after followed oy a fervant of Mr. L— ^ — ,

and the fteward of Mr. R , who were united Irifhmen, and who faid

that I was a fpy.  They detained me as a prifoner all night.  Next morn

.ing

§ See a lift of them in Appendix, No. XXI, 4. • Plate X. 8.

t The popilh priefts in moft places fabricated prophecies, as if made by eminent fainti, fome centuries before, prediifting, that hereticks would be expelled from Ireland, with the aid of the French; and the popifh rabble really believed that it would be accompliJhed at that time.

t Plate X. 7.

/

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Ing I arrived at Newbrook, the feat of Mr. Bingham, which was completely plundered by his tenants, who carried and flaughtered all his bullocks and flieep; declaring that none of his heretick family fhould enjoy any part of his property, which fhould be given to Roman catholicks, tire original and rightful owners of it.”

The bifhop of Killala olten folicited the French to permit dodor EUifon to go to fee his family at Caftlebar, but they would not comply, till they had got poffeflion of it; becaufe, from his influence a$ the parifh miniller, and a magillrate, he might have injured them materially; but when that event took place, they permitted him to go there, accompanied by monfieur Touflaint.

The French were on the point of levying a very heavy requifition in money and provifions on the town, but the dodor difluaded them from it, by affuring them that they would aUenate thofe who were attached to them, and roufe the indignation of the Englifli government, by any a<5t of feverity or oppreffion. On the whole he aded with lingular fpirit and good fenfe.

While the French were at Caftlebar, doftor Crump, a popifh phyfician, went to general Humbert’s lodgings, at the head of a numerous party, and implored him to give the Roman catholicks one hour’s revenge againft the proteftants, for a hundred years of cruelty and opprefiion. Fifty-three of the Longford militia who were taken prifoners, voluntarily entered into the fervice of the French; but fome of the cara. bineers, and the Galway yeomen, refufed to do fo though meffiturs Teeling and Roche threatened them with inllant death, unleis they complied.

A perfon who joined the French at Caftlebar, gave me the following account of the occurrences there: “ On my arrival! was introduced to Teeling, who conducted and prefented me to general Humbert, who was very inquifitlve. Having informed him that I had been recently in Dublin, and had attended the trials of M’Cann, Byrne, Bond and the Sheares’, he afked me many quefllons relative to them, and invited me to fup with him, which I accordingly did, in company with many of his officers. There was a prieft there of the name of Gannon, whofe ignorance could be equalled by nothing but his bigotry. He defired Teehng to make me fwear whether I was a proteflant and an orangem’an; but on hi? declining, the prieft fwore me.  Numbers of people, all Irifh, were brought in

priioners.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 60 1

prlfoners, under a charge of committing depredations; but they excufed themfelves, by faying that it was only protellants that they had plundered.

Michael Gannon, a popifli prieft, conftantly attended general Humbert and his ftafF, and was aftive and ufeful to the French. He had been domeftick chaplain to the duke of Crillon in France, who being killed on the abolition of his order Gannon continued in the fame capacity to his duchefs; and he ufed often to boafl, when he drank freely, that he was curator, not only of her foul, but her body. On the extirpation of the priefthood in France, Gannon narrowly efcaped by flight, and came to his native country, where he made a moft fantaftick appearance, having a large fierce cocked hat, a la militaire, and filk clothes made in a curious fafhion, all the property of the late duke. From the window of Humbert’s lodgings, he addreffed a large body of rebels, who were in the ftreet, in the following words : “ That though he wifhed well to their caufe, he could not think of taking any military command, but that he would both pray for their fuccefs, and march in their ranks; and at the fame time pulling out his oil flock,* he toldthem, that he woaM heal their wounds with his holy oil.”

One Roche, who was an officer in Humbert’s army, afTured a perfon of veracity of my acquaintance, that he was fworn an united Irifhman at Paris, by O’Coigly, or Qui-gly the priefl, who was hanged at Maidflone, fo early as the year 1796.

While the French were at Caftlebar, Francis French of Cottage, in the county of Mayo, a Roman catholick gentleman, of an antient and refpedable family, fent a letter to one Roche, or La Roche, etat major to general Humbert, containing, among others, the following paragraphs : *’ The enemy are coming forward on both fides, and intend to put you between two fires; Plunket is ready with two thoufand men whenever he is ordered.” La Roche, after reading the letter to Humbert, wrote in anfwer, “ That he was furprifed gentlemen fhould wait for orders to march, knowing they were there; that they fhould affifl them with as many men, horfes, cars, and as much ammunition and provifions as they could; and that by the co-operation of the inhabitants they would foon

4H be

• What the popifli prieft* carry their holy oil in.

6o2

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

be able to wreft Ireland from her ufurpers.” Mr. French was hanged. Plunket, to whom I prefume he alluded, was his relation.

Mr. O’Doude, who was of one of the oldeft families in the countv of Mayo, and of the popifli religion, joined the French, and was taken and hanged after the battle of Ballynamuck, when the French finally furrendered.

On the night of the third of September, general Humbert fent off his baggage and cannon, with part of his troops, towards Sligo, and about feven o’clock next morning he fet out with the remainder, about four hundred in number. The French found their Irifh recruits fo prone to defert, that they placed a guard in their front and their rear as they marched.

The fame day he fent doftor Ellifon with eighty prifoners to lord Cornwallis, as they were but an incumbrance to him. The doftor in his way met colonel Crawford, with a detachment of the Hompefchers, and lord Roden’s fencibles. He returned with them, and arrived at Caftlebar, about nine o’clock at night, and on entering the town, he announced aloud, that lord Cornwallis was coming, and he even befpoke a bed for his excellency; which intimidated the rebels who were left in the town fo much, that they fled, and the French officers immediately furrendered themfelves prifoners. Soon after they arrived, they fent for Mr. Moore, whom the French had appointed prefident of Connaught. He was prefled to inform them of the plans of the French and what route they had taken, but he declared his ignorance of them. On which colonel Crawford ordered ohe of Hompefch’s dragoons to draw his fword and cut his head ofi*. Having made fome flourifhes over his head, as if they really meant to decapitate him, he fhrieked and roared, and was in fuch confternation from fear, that he produced his commiffion of prefident, by which he criminated himfelf. He was in a ftate of intoxication, which alone could account for fo egregious an adt of folly. In extenuation of his condudt, he faid, that he waited on the French, and accepted the commiffion of prefident, merely to preferve the property of his father, a Roman catholick gentleman, who had an eftate of 4000 1. a year, in the county of Mayo. The firfl aft of his office was to iflue affignats; I give the reader a copy of one of them :

“ No. 20,

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 603 “ No. 20.

“ In the name of the French government, good for half a guinea, to be raifed of the province of Connaught.

3d September, 1798. JOHN MOORE.”

Next morning colonel Crawford purl’ued the French, hung on their rear, kept them in a confhant ftate of alarm, and killed many of them, and their rebel allies. There is not a doubt, but that general LIumbert had not determined the route which he fixould take, till the day before his departure, becaufe a perfon of the name of Jourdan, who at the inftance of Mr. James Jofeph M’Donnell, had afted as a fpy for the French, was fent out to learn what part of the country there was the leafl: probability of meeting our troops, and he reported that the fafeft and bed courfe they could take was towards Sligo.

The French at their departure from Caftlebar were about nine hundred, including officers, and they had a great mob of rebels, who were conftantly deferting, notwithftanding their utmoft vigilance to prevent them. They did not halt till they arrived at Barley-field, the feat of Mr. M’Manus, whither fome of the French officers went to order provifibns to be fent thence for their ufe to Swineford.* They arrived there about feven in the evening, halted about two hours, and refreflied the troops. General Humbert continued all the time in the field, where he ate his dinner, which had been drefled at the houfe of a Mr. Brabazon.

From Swineford they proceeded towards Ballahy, having halted the army about two miles from that village, to which they fent an advanceguard. Thence they proceeded towards Tubbercurry, and they halted within two miles of it.

The Corranliney and Coolavin yeomen cavalry, ftationed there as a picquet, under the command of captain O’Hara, member for th^ county, having advanced to reconnoitre the enemy, had a fkirmifh with them, in which lieutenant Knott was taken prifoner, and his only fon was killed.

Captain O’Hara then fent intelligence to colonel Vereker, at Sligo, that the French were advancing.

Captain RulTel of the prince of Wales’s fencibles, was taken prifoner at Tubbercurry, and though as fuch he was entitled to the proteftion of the

4 H 2 French,

» See Plate X. 5,

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

French, a ruthlefs aflaffin among the rebels (hot him in the back, and dying a few days after, in his feventieth year, he terminated a life which had been devoted to the fervice of his king and country for above fifty years.

Befides the rebels which marched from Caftlebar with the French, a confiderable body of them was fent from Ballina acrofs the mountains, to meet them at Tubbercurry, with eighty proteftant prifoners, whom they intended to get rid of, by putting them in the front rank, having rnfultingly told them fo; but their diftrefs for food was fo great, that they fent them back under a rebel guard.

Thofe ftationed at Ballina being incenfed with their brethren at Killala, for not putting their heretick prifoners to death, three hundred of them fet (OUt with a defign of compelling them to do fo; but they were purfued by O’Keon, who prevented them, though not without difficulty.

Henry O’Keon more than once prevented the rebels from murdering their proteftant prifoners.

The following practice took place in Mayo, as well as in the county of Wexford : A popifli banditti was fent about in every part of it, to colled proteftants, whom they imprifoned, and intended afterwards to maffacre. In Wexford the rebels endeavoured to extirpate the proteftants, becaufe they had the county entirely at their devotion, and really believed that the entire kingdom was fo; but they did not proceed to fuch lengths in Mayo, becaufe there was a large body of the king’s troops in it, and their fanguinary fpirit was reftrained by the French officers.

From Tubbercurry* they proceeded to Coloony,t and in their way the pikemen plundered the houfe of Mr. Perceval, of Temple-houfe, becaufe he was a noted loyalift, and had been adive againft the united Irilhmen.

I think it neceflary to defcribe here the circumftances which preceded an adion which took place between the French and a detachment of the city of Limerick regiment, and a few yeomen, commanded by colonel Vereker, at Coloony, one of the moft brilliant which took place during the rebellion.

When

• Plate X. 4. t Ibid. 3.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 605

When the French arrived at that village, which is about five miles from Sligo,* the inhabitants of the latter, who amount to about fourteen thoufand, were in the utmoft confternation, as nobody doubted but that their defign was to have plundered it, and it contained property to the amount of at leaft 200,000!.; there were in its harbour a good many fhips, and twelve well furnifhed bleach-yards in its vicinity. The fmall force ftationed there, not more than fix hundred efFeftive men, was ordered to evacuate it; however, colonel Vereker, with a detachment of the city of Limerick militia and a few yeomen, in the whole not exceeding two hundred and eighty-fix men, and two curricle guns, marched out, engaged the French and the rebels, and gave them fo fevere a check, notwithftanding their great fuperiority of numbers, as to deter them from approaching Sligo, and made them proceed towards Drumahair. The French had about nine hundred men, about two hundred and fifty of the Longford and Kilkenny militia who had defer ted, and a numerous body of rebels. Colonel Vereker*s right was covered by a rifing ground, on which he polled a few men; his left, by a river. They outflanked and forced in his men on the hill, and attacked his rear, on which he was obliged to retreat over a river. The adion began at half paft two, and. lafted one hour and thirty-eight minutes. Of the French twentyeight were killed, and a great many wounded : they left behind them at Coloony eighteen of their men, who were defperately wounded.

After the a£lion, the grenadiers reprefented to general Humbert, that it would be ufelefs and cruel to compel them to endure the calamities of war any longer, as the rebels would not fupport them, and were deferting from them in great numbers; but the general faid, he could not think of furrendering to fo fmall an army.

About three o’clock fome difaffeded people entered Sligo, and announced that our army had been beaten, and that the French were advancing; on which many proteftant women, and fome men v. ho could not bear arms, embarked in the fliips, fearing more the popi(h inhabitants than the French; but thofe who were capable of doing fo, to the number of three hundred, marched round the town in arms, and refolved to die in its defence. They were joined by a number of methodifts, finging hymns, who were headed by their preacher, Albert Bitil, a man of great piety, and noted for humanity and charity.

The

• Sec Plate X. a, 3.

6p6

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFEREN’l’

The king’s troops, who remained behind under the command of coloncf Sparrow, occupied the mod advantageous ports in the avenues leading to the town.  Thus they continued under arms all night.

The fpirit of popifh difaffedion and fanaticifm appeared no where fo ftrong as in the counties ©f Mayo and Sligo, particularly in the barony of Tireragh, fituated in the latter. It is feparated from Ballina and Killala by the river Moy,* which forms a bay at the latter, not three miles over; and at low water it is eafily croffed by a ferry. The proteflant inhabitants of that barony, dreading not only the approach of the French, but the cruehy of ^.the rebels, and there being no forces of any kind in the line from Ballina or Killala to Sligo, they fled to the latter for prote£lion.

Many refpedable proteflant farmers were feen on foot, driving their cattle and fheep before them, and conveying on cars their wives and children, their beds and their wearing apparel. All the proteflant clergy were alfo obliged to fly precipitately.

The popifli inhabitants, aided by the Mayo rebels, plundered all their houfes, and even demolifhed fome of them. The principal fufferers were Mr. Nefbitt of Scurmore, Mr. Fenton of Efky, Mr. Brown of Portland, Mr. Grove, parifh minifter of Kilmuckfhalgan, njefTieurs Charles and Robert Jones, the mefTieurs Woods, and in fhort every other gentleman, and even the lower clafs of proteftants, all of whom were obliged to fly to fave their lives. Nothing could equal the deflrudive rage of the popifh rabble, for they tore up the floors of Mr. Fenton’s houfe, pulled down the cielings of Mr. Grove’s, and danced on his daughter’s piano forte; in fhort, they deflroyed in every houfe fuch furniture as they could not carry off.

Some proteftants on the fea-coaft, went to fea in boats, to avoid the vengeance of the rebels; and on coming on fhore for food, fome of them were taken prifoners and conveyed to BaUina.. Some fled to the mountains, and hid in caves, others in corn fields, and were almofl ftarved.

Conry, the domeftick chaplain and bofom friend of dodlor Bellew, the popifh bifhop, and who had recently obtained the parifh of Adergold from him, father M’Donnel, of Efky, and father O’Donnel, of Kilmuckflialgan, and Mangan, his coadjutor, made it a pradice of compelHng proteftants to be chriftened by a prieft, to which they fubmitted to fave their lives and their property^

Mr.

* See Plate X. 3.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

607

Mr. HHIas, of Seaview, who had adminiftered oaths of allegiance to father O’Donnell and his flock, at their particular defire, in the month of April, 1798, aiked many of them how they came to violate them, and they anfwered, “ How could we go againft our priefts?”

That prieft ufed to contend on the following grounds, that the houfe of Brunfwick had no right to the crown of England: That all monarchies were eleftive or hereditary : That no eledion could be perfeft unlefs the majority of the people gave their affent to it : That the Roman catholicks of Ireland had not confented to the acceffion of George I. and that he had no hereditary claim, as he defcended from a younger branch of the houfe of Stewart.

A private in the Tireragh infantry, happened to fall into the hands of the rebels, who conveyed him to their head-quarters at Ballina, where father Cowley commanded. Being a proteflant, they proceeded to try him by a court-martial, at which Cowley was prefident. He was accufed and convifted of being an orangeman, and was to have been hanged next morning; but having infmuated to one of the French, that he was a yeoman, and that punifliing him would be followed by retaliation, he was difcharged.

Very great difafFeftion took place in the popifh yeomen of the counties of Mayo and Sligo.

The fcapulars a piece of fuperftitious trumpery, which I have before defcribed, was found on the bodies of many rebels killed in thefe counties.

For about a month before the French landed, the papifts fliewed a great unwillingnefs to pay any thing they owed, which proves that they expeded the invafion.

Father Owen Cowley had one hundred and twenty proteftant prifoners at Ballina, whom he mocked, and told infultingly that they fhould be executed next day; but early in the morning fome of the prifoners perceived an exprefs arrive, about whom the reverend father and fome of his friends flocked, and interrogated with much earneftnefs. Soon after, he approached the prifon with a dejeded countenance, and, inftead of contumely, he addrefl”ed the prifoners with mildnefs and complaifance, and told them they might go wherever they chofe.  The intelligence

^vhich

6o8

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

which the reverend father received was, that our troops were vidorious at Ballynamuck, and that the French had furrendered to them.

From the following circumftance, we cannot be furprifed at the aftive part which the popifli priefts took in the rebelHon in the counties of Mayo and Shgo : Captain Nicholas Ormlby, of the Tireragh yeomen cavalry, was quartered with his corps at Efky, in the county of SHgo, foon after the French landed. Having been informed that numbers of the lower clafs of people had aflembled at fome diftance from his quarters, and had colle(^led a large quantity of cattle for the ufe of the French, he proceeded to the fpot where that event took place, and refcued the cattle and difperfed the people. When he was on the point of returning, a woman told him, that father Deafe, a pariOi prieft, was at a fliort diftance, enlifting for the French; and having advanced a little farther, he faw a great number of people ready to join them. Three of his corps were far before the main body : One of them who preceded the reft galloped by father Deafe, who fnapped a piftol at him. The next yeoman who came up, galloped fwiftly by Deafe, and fired a piftol at him, but miffed him. Deafe was cocking his piftol to fire at the third yeoman, who was coming up, but Mr. Jeremiah Fury, a gentleman of fortune, though a private, ftized his arm before he could effeft if, and made a prifoner of him. When captain Ormfby arrived, they were on the point of hanging him, but as he fell on his knees, implored mercy, and promifed to make a full confeffion of what he knew, they fpared his life. He then declared, what he afterwards folemnly and deliberately confirmed by information, fworn before a magiftrate, that Dr. Bellew, the titular bifhop of the dio, cefe, encouraged his diocefan clergy, at a general meeting of them, to rife on the prefent occafion; and that it was at his inftigation that they were fo adive in affifting the French. The piftols which they found in Deafe’s polTefTion were French.

One Atkins, of Rathurliflb, in the barony of Tireragh, was bred a proteftant, but having married a papift, he conformed to popery, and became a fanguinary fanatick» He was to have headed five hundred of his own feft, and to have maffacred every proteftant from Ballina to Sligo. He owned this to numbers whom he folicited to aflift him in perpetrating his bloody purpofe, and to his uncle and aunt, a worthy old couple, and both proteftants, whom, he faid, he would favej but that he could not

proteft

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

proted their grand-childre’n. He declared openly, that he would fpare none, from the cradle to the crutch. The day was fixed for the maffacre, but the event of the battle of Ballynamuck deterred him from his fanguinary defign.

I fliall now fay fomething of the movements of our armies, between whom it was impolTible to keep up any communication, but by flrong patroles, as all the natives were inimical. Lieutenant-general Lake was ordered by the lord lieutenant to proceed from Tuam, on the fourth day of September, to which he had retreated after the battle of Caftlebar, with the Rea fencible infantry, the Armagh militia, with their battalion guns, a detachment of the Roxborough fencible cavalry, and to take command of brigadier general Taylor’s brigade, whom he joined at Ballaghdirreen.* He fent thence the honourable lieutenant-colonel Meade, about one o’clock, P. M. N. with a party of dragoons, to learn whether the enemy had left Caftlebar, and what route they had taken.

After advancing about four miles, to a place between Ballahy and Ballaghdirreen, he was informed by a rebel, taken by an advanced patrole, that the enemy had left Caftlebar, and had paffed through Ballahy towards Coloony, which intelligence he. communicated by a dragoon to general Lake, who came to him, and ordered him to communicate it to lord Cornwallis, fuppofed to be at Hollymount, which he accordingly did.

When on his way, about fifteen miles from Caftlebar, he perceived on tyhe adjacent hills about three thoufand rebels, of whom fome were near him in a bog. Part of his dragoons charged, purfued, and killed fome rebels who were on a bridge, but contrary to his orders and his v/ifties, as it might have brought on a conflift, and have impeded or even defeated his miflion to lord Cornwallis. Having made figns to them, that he would receive them in a friendly manner, a good many of them came to him, and furrendered about fixty French mufkets; and probably the remainder would have done fo, if he could have remained there long enough. AtSwinefordf he perceived great numbers of them in the adjacent fields. All thefe deluded wretches whom he met in his progrefs had deferted from the French. He overtook lord Cornwallis between Clare and B?llyhanis,]; where he remained that night.

4 I Colonel

• Plate X. 5,

t Ibid.

tlbid. 6, 7.

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

Colonel Meade was fent a fecond time to reconnoitre the French, whom he faw pafs the Shannon at BaIlintra,J over the bridge, which they endeavoured to make impaffable, by blowing up one of the abutments.

He was fent a fecond time to lord Cornwallis, who was at Carrick-onShannon,jj to communicate the motions of the French to him.

His excellency by croffing the Shannon at Carrick kept to the fouth of the enemy, fo as to intercept them, fhould general Lake, who purfued them with an army of about two thoufand men, fail in overtaking or defeating them, which was a mofi: judicious movement; and for the fame reafon his excellency advanced with rapidity from Carrick toSt.Johnftown.§ As a further fecurity for the capital, he ordered the brigade of guards to MulHngar* and Kilbeggan, where they muft have ultimately defeated the enemy’s defign of approaching it; and at the fame time they were at a convenient diftance from the metropolis to awe the difafFeded who meditated an infurre£lion there.

The firft day general Lake arrived at Balliniough; the fecond at Ballaghdirreen.t Thence he proceeded with thefe corps, united, to Ballahy, through which, he was informed, the French had pafled the preceding evening, about feven o’clock, more than fourteen hours before him.

He reached Tubbercurry about feven o’clock that evening, where he encamped and remained till two o’clock next morning. He was joined there by colonel Crawford, who formed his advanced guard, • General Lake marched from Tubbercurry to Coloony, about eight miles diftant, heard there of the adtion, and found a number of French killed, and fome wounded, under the care of a French furgeon.

At Coloony, a Longford deferter was recognifed by fome of the ad’ vanced guards, and fhot; the whole army marched over his body with indilference; a ftrong inftance of the calamities of war, and how much they obtund the feelings of humanity!

Numbers of the rebels were found all along the road dead or dying, having been killed by colonel Crawford’s corps of light dragoons, who formed the advanced guard, and hanging on the enemy’s rear, harrafled them moft effedually.

Between

I Plate X. 4.   [I Ibid. 5.   § Ibid. 5, 6.   * Plate I. 6, 7.   f Plate X. 5.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 6i«

Between Drumfliambo and Carrigan, he received orders from lord Cornwallis at nine o’clock, to march at that hour for Clone. lie eroded the river at Ballintra, where the bridge was repaired. The enemy were fo hard prefled in the purfuit, that they left two pieces of cannon on the road, about a mile from’ Coloony, and threw five into the river at Drumahair.

General Lake encamped on the night of the feventh at Ballintogher, between Drumahair and Coloony. He was under the neceflity of conftantly fending accounts of his movements and thofe of the enemy to lord Cornwallis, which was diflrefling, as it could not be efteded but by ftrong patroles. He marched to the fouth of Drumfhambo, halted there about three hours, and proceeded to Cloone, four miles from Ballynamuck; where a little after fun-rife, on the eighth of September, he faw the rear of the French army, whom, with about one hundred and fifty light infantry, mounted behind a? many cavalry, he endeavoured to harrafs as much as poflible.

Before day, on the eighth of September, general Lake fent major Hardy to apprize lord Cornwallis of his brigade being near the village of Cloone^ where the French had halted the preceding night, and where it was intended to have furprifed them, but from the darknefs of the night fome divifions miffed their route. The French were leaving the village as major Hardy entered it, of which he informed lord Cornwallis, whom he met at Mohill, and who ordered general Lake to hang as clofe as polTibie upon their rear, and faid that he would keep in a parallel direction towards Granard, near enough to afford him affiftance if neceffary.

He came up with them about half a mile before they reached Ballynamuck,* when monfieur Sarrafm, who commanded them, furrendered.

General Taylor having reported to general Lake that the French army had yielded, general Craddock and admiral Packenham rode forward tothe main body of them, who were halted on the road at Ballyn amuck, when a French officer informed them that they would be fired on, unlels they withdrew; but before they could retreat, a volley was fired, by which general Craddock was wounded.

Previous to this, the French had polled a body of markfmen on the brow of a hill, about a quarter of a mile from whence Sarrafin had fur

4 I 2 rendered,

* Plate X. 5.

6iz

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

rendered, in order to take our troops on the left flank as they pafled. General Lake, whofe fpirit and vigilance are well known, being confiderably in front of our light infantry and cavalry, very fortunately difcovered them in time to prevent them from doing us any injury. He ordered the light infantry and cavalry to afcend the hill, whofe top intervening, prevented them from perceiving each other till they were within a hundred yards. After a few difcharges, our light infantry and cavalry charged, on which the French threw down their arms, and the rebels who attended them fled into an adjacent bog. The Frenchmen continued firing their cannon till the markfmen had furrendered, which, if they had been well ferved, mufl: have done very great mifchief, as our troops moved down 9. hill from the place where Sarrafm had furrendered, which expofed them to the enemy’s fire.

The following circumftances attended the furrender of the French; The earl of Roden and colonel Crawford, who led on the advanced guard, confifting of his lordfliip’s fencibles, perceiving an officer who feemed defirous to communicate with them, lord Roden ordered his trumpet to found, which was anfwered by the French, when his lordfliip find the colonel advanced into the French lines. The officer politely alked them what their wiflies were? they anfwered, to fave the eftufion of blood, and defired them to furrender. The officer faid, that he did not command, but that he would go to general Humbert, which he accordingly did. Humbert came up, ziked the fame queftion, and received a fimilar anfwer. He then demanded half an hour to give a final anfwer, which was granted, on condition that he halted his troops; to which he made no reply, but retreated with precipitation. Lord Roden then ordered his trumpet to found the advance, and came up to the firft and fecond brigade of the French army, who furrendered to about three hundred cavalry, under his lordfhip and colonel Crawford. After this they advanced with about twenty dragoons, and took pofTefllon of three French guns.

Shortly after, Humbert rallied his grenadiers, the only part of the army, except the chaflTeurs, that had not furrendered, and confifted of about four hundred men, who furrounded lord Roden and his twenty dragoons, Th-ey were given in charge to the huflars. While they were their prifoners, which lafted about fifteen minutes, the French officers loaded the united Iriftimen, their allies, with execrations, for having deceived and dif

appointecj

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 613

appointed them, by inviting them to undertake a fruitlefs expedition. They alfo declared, 1 that the people of Ireland were the mofl: treacherous and cowardly they ever knew.

Lord Roden and colonel Crawford continued prifoners till his regiment of fencibles advanced in queft of their colonel, which the French hulTars perceiving, requefted that his lordfliip would defire them to halt, as they meant to furrender, and by doing fo, he prevented them from being cut to pieces.

General Humbert furrendered to general Lake, and was afterwards conduced to lord Cornwallis, who was about fix miles oft’.

Our troops made dreadful havock among the rebels, who were moftly drefled in French uniforms. Three of their leaders were taken, among whom was Mr. Blake of Gal way, a very well-looking man, who was hanged. As our army purfued the French they found all the houfes on the road deferted, their inmates having joined the French.

I muft not pafs over in filence the fpirited and zealous exertions of the army under general Lake, who advanced fo rapidly in their purfuit of the French, as to overtake them, though they were fifteen hours before them; and though the farmers and peafants fupplied the enemy with a great number of horfes, on which the infantry rode in turn; and whenever they halted, with plenty of provifions, for which our troops were very much diftrelTed; for their movements were fo rapid, that the heavy baggage could not keep up with them. The French and rebels in their progrefs <}eftroyed every kind of provifions, and our brave foldiers were obliged to fcour the country for cattle, and before they could kill them and cook their meat, they were ordered to renew their march; fo that potatoes, which they dug and boiled themfelves, were their principal fubfiftence.

When the French changed their route from Coloony towards the metropolis, the moft adlive exertions were ufed in all the intervening counties, viz. Leitrim, Longford, Monaghan, Rofcommon, Cavan, Weftmeath, and Meath, to raife the mafs of the people to join them; and fome confiderable and ahrming movements were perceived among the difaffqded even in Dublin and its vicinity.

A numerous body of infurgents, fuppofed to be not lefs than fix thoufand, having collected near Granard, on the fifth of September, feveral

yeomen

6i4

iMExMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

yeomen corps, under the command of captain Cottingham, engaged, beat, and difperfcd them, after having killed about one hundred and fifty.

Many Roman catholicks of confideration urged and headed the infurgents in the county of Longford, and a well-digefted plan of co-operation had been concerted with the Monaghan chiefs; but the latter were not to move unlefs the operations of their Longford brethren proved fuccefsful. At the head of thefe were the two Denniftons, the O’Haras, O’Connells^ Farrell, and one O’Reilly, who appeared in arms on the fifth of September in 1798, and led on the attack on Granard. But the iflue of that affair difconcertfed the plan of the Monaghan chiefs, and prevented the Cavan leaders from attacking the different garrifons in their county, which they had meditated. The two Denniftons and Farrell were members of the Maftrim yeomen cavalry, feveral of whom fought with the rebels on. that day.  The elder Dennifton was firft lieutenant of it.

The popiih multitude in the county of Rofcommon, univerfally difaffefted, were on the point of rifing, and waited for nothing but a hint from certain leaders in their refpedive diftrids.

A refpeftable magiftrate of my acquaintance, who had a ftrong regard, for a popifli gentleman who meant to have headed a numerous body of rebels, obtained a private interview with him for the purpofe of diffuading, him from fo rafh an attempt, which he affured -him would terminate in the ruin of him and his famaly. This chieftain fpurned at the advice of his friend, and expreffed a downright conviftion that his party muft fu exceed, as the mafs of the people in every part of Ireland were engaged in it, and as they would rife at the fame time, the government muft be overturned, and that fuch perfons as refifted them would lofe their lives and property; and he even went fo far as to advife this magiftrate to be very moderate in the part he took, left his intemperate zeal might mark him for the vengeance of the infurgents. So fure were the difaffeded that their party muft fucceed, though with th;; aid of but one thoufand French!

After an interview of two hours, he left him determined to perfevere in his rafti defign; but at the inftance of another perfon of high rank> who ufed the moft perfuafive eloquence on the occafion, he yielded, on condition of obtaining his pardon. By the wife and feafonable exertions of this perfon, the property and the lives of the proteftants of the county of Rofcommon were preferved from the rapacity of the deluded multitude.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

lude, who were on the point of rifing, and only waited for a fignal from this leader.

I think it right to mention, that this very important fervice was rendered by dodor Law, biftiop of P^lphin, who fliewed great magnanimity in maintaining his poft; for inftead of flying to the metropolis for protection, he fortified his palace, and bid defiance to the rebels, by which he fet a good example to country gentlemen.

I cannot pafs over in filence the laudable fortitude of dodtor Percy, bifhop of Dromore, who alfo remained in his palace, while the rebellion exifted in the counties of Down and Antrim.

On Tuefday the fourth of September, a man on horfeback went about the county ot Weftmeath, proclaiming that the orangemen were murdering the Roman catholicks, and burning their houfes. In confequence of it, numbers of people armed with pikes and other weapons, aflembled in lord Sunderlin’s park at Baronftown. His lordfhip approached them with about twelve of his corps, and aiked them, why they aflembled in fo hofliile a manner? They anfwered, that they were afraid of the orangemen, who were armed and were determined to murder all the Roman catholicks.* His lordfliip aflTured them, that their fears were groundlefs, as no fuch perfons ever were in the country; and he promifed them protedion, if they could point them out; but they perfifl:ed in feigning fears and prejudices.

About two miles farther on the road towards Mullingar, his lordfliip met another body of pikemen, with whom he reafoned in the fame manner, but to no purpofe. At lafl:, one of them knocked down his lordfhip’s trumpeter, and wounded him; and foon after ferved a yeoman and one of his fervants in the fame manner; on which his lordfliip and his few yeomen retreated to Mullingar, and in their way faw great numbers of infurgents aflembling.

In the courfe of a few hours they colleded in great numbers, and attacked Wilfon’s hofpital, a charitable foundation, for the purpofe of

feizing

* As Mr. George Cooper, whom I mentioned in the dedication, has uttered the vileft fiander of the orangemen, I think it right to mention, that a member of the Jrifh diretfiory acknowledged, while in prifon, that the alarming reports about them were invented by them, inertly as a device to ilimulatc the mafs of the papiUs againft the protcllants, and that the priefts eagerly adopted it for that purpofe.

6i6

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

feizing the arms in it and of deftroying it, becaufe it was a proteftant inftitution, eftabliflied for the purpofe of maintaining old men, and educating children. They ruflied into it with hideous yells, broke open fome doors, and carried off arms and other articles : They gave the reverend Mr. RadclifFe, the chaplain, two wounds; however, as he Ihewed the moft undaunted courage, and feemed determined not to furrender his arijis, they quitted the houfe; but they fent him a meffage about eleven o’clock at night, that they would level it next morning at three o’clock, unlefs he gave up his arms. But as that propofal was treated with contempt, they next day, about eight o’clock, to the number of five thoufand, forcibly entered the hofpital, plundered it of arms and every valuable article, provifions, and houfhold furniture 5 took Mr. Radcliffe prifoner, carried him to the town of Multifarnham, declaring, they would keep him till Mr. Latten Fitzgerald, confined in MuUingar, as a ftate prifoner, was difcharged; however Mr. Radclifte was fo fortunate as to efcape.

Next day they returned to the hofpital, converted it into a barrack, feized the cows and ftieep, and killed moft of them. In fhort, they left the hofpital a perfed wreck. Alter committing all thefe atrocities they had mafs celebrated for them by a popifh prieft.

They had twenty-feven proteftant prifoners in an office belonging to the hofpital, whom they intended to have put to death, by the moft cruel torture, had they not been relieved by a party of the army and yeomanry, under the command of lord Longford, who routed the rebels with confiderable flaughter.

Some of the rebels propofed to put the boys (who were all proteftants) to death, after having plundered them of their clothes. The labourers, and the popifli fervants of the hofpital, were the leaders in this nefarious bufinefs, and feemed to exult in it.

A moft fanguinary denunciation was pofted on a church in the county of Weftmeath, foon after the French left Caftlebar, which the reader will fee in Appendix, No. XXI. 8.

The evening before the attack on Granard, a body of rebels entered Edgeworthftown, and plundered and almoft demoliftied every proteftant ho\ife in it, except thofe of Mr. Edgeworth, Mr. William Bond, the cap

tain

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND, 6*7

tain of the Maftrim yeomanry, and Mr. Alexander Bond, poft-mafler; but they did not injure the houfe or property of a Roman catholick.

For a day or two before, reports had been induflriouny propagated, that the orangemen were deftroying all the neighbouring country, and had burnt the preceding night Street and fome other adjacent villages. This, which was the watch word and fignal for infurredion, fpread like a conflagration.

A refpedable gentleman, an inhabitant of Edgeworthftown, gave me the following account of his fituation, and of the events which occurred there : “ On my going into that village, all feemed to be alarm and confufion. The yeomanry determined, as one of their officers in perfon informed me, to defend at lead the barracks, if attacked by the rebels; but fome events occurred in the courfe of the day, vvhich induced them to evacuate the place and march to Longford. On hearing this unexpeded misfortune, I immediately fent off my wife and family, and once more walked through Edgeworthftown, examining every countenance, and converfmg for a few minutes with the two or three laft protellants whom I met indignantly retreating. I foon returned to my houfe, wifliing, if pofTible, not to defert what I deemed my poll, and yet, not knowing what to do in fuch an emergency; but I was foon roufed from this uncertainty, by intelligence from my fervant, that the rebels in a very numerous body were marching to Edgeworthftown, by the Granard and not the Dublin road, which would bring them within one hundred yards of my door. Before their arrival,.! concealed myfelf in a little plantation on my lawn, where divine Providence protefted me till morning. I faw almoft a foreft of pikes nearly oppofite my houfe. Some rebels on horfeback palTed within about thirty yards of me, and about three times that diflance, a proteftant, my next neighbour, who had juft fought an afylum in a fhady part of my lawn, received a ftroke of a pike in the head, which, though partially broken by the branches, cut him feverely, and almoft covered him with blood. .1 was “ all ear” in my place of concealment, and ftunned with the difcord and confufion of martial mufick, firing, fhouting, crafliing of windows and furniture, and fuch clamorous exultation as might be fuppofed to iffue from a numerous mob in fo new a fituation, eager to pradife republican virtues. It was late in the evening, and juft as the greater body of the rebels had retired, a detachment of lord Oxmantown’s yeomanry, being

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accidentally near the town, and hearing of the outrages committed by the rebels, made a rapid charge through the ftreet, and fhot a few of the ftragglers without any lofs on their part, except one yeoman wounded in the face with a pike. Of the particulars of this tranfadion I was ignorant till next morning; for only once in the night I ventured to walk by my houfe, and, perceiving the windows broken, I again returned to conceal myfelf in the ftirubbery till morning,”

A man mounted on a white horfe rode about the country contiguous to Longford, on the fourth of September, and propagated a report that the Orangemen were murdering the Roman catholicks, and burning their houfes from Edgeworthftown to Carrickboy. To counteract his malig, nant defign, lord Oxmantown, who, with his corps, was on permanent duty at Longford, rode about the country, and by his exhortations and aflurances of protection to the lower clafs of people, prevented the infurredion from being general, and induced numbers to return to their homes. The fame attempts were made in the counties of Meath and Cavan.

The rebels fhewed a difpofition to rife in the country round Belturbet, in the latter county; but it abounds fo much with proteftants, who were well armed, that they would not venture to do fo, but repaired to the moun, tains of Ballynamore, about fix miles off, where they alTembled in confiderabla numbers. For the fame reafon they did not venture to rife in the county of Fermanagh, where there were fix thoufand proteftants well armed. From the battle of Caftlebar to the furrender of the French, the blackfmiths were employed in making pikes, in the counties of Monaghan, Leitrim, Longford, Rofcommon, Mayo, Sligo, Meath, Weftmeath and Dublin.

The landing of the French was known by the rebels in the county of Kil^ dare, the Queen’s county, and part of the county of Tipperary; and the mafs of the people in them fhewed fuddenly a ftreng fenfation, and a fpirit of combination, even before the loyal fubjedls were acquainted with that event.

I fhall now proceed to relate the defeat of the rebels at Killala, the rcy lief of the fuffering loyalifts there, and fome of the circumftances which preceded it.

The fourteenth of September, the commandant loft his authority fo much, that little regard was paid to his protections; proteftants who

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

had obtained them were committed, and their houfes were plundered as Orangemen.

On the fifteenth of September, the French officers entertained ftrong fears that the town would be attacked by pikemen, and they declared that they wilhed for the arrival of the king’s troops. The bifliop and his friends who had been twenty-feven days prifoners fell into great defpondency on the feventeenth of September, as they expeded every night that the caftle would be attacked. Twenty perfons in arms llept in it, befides the ordinary guard of eighteen; but the latter being Irlfh recruits, were not to be depended on. There were conftantly alarming reports of the fanguinary defigns of the pikemen, who were encamped clofe to the town.

On the eighteenth of September, one of the rebel leaders came to the caftle, and propofed to the commandant to imprifon every proteftant in the church, as hoftages for their own fecurity, fhould the king’s army arrive; and it was difcovered that they meant to have blown them up; but no other anfwer was given by the proteftants, than that they were 1-eady for them. The commandant generoufiy declared that he would lead on the Irilh againft the king’s troops, and that he would alfo head the proteftants againft the former, if any attempt was made againft their perfons or property. On the eighteenth, the guard and all the rebel foldiers murmmed very much at a report which had prevailed, that their friends at Caftlebar were in clofe confinement, and were ufed very ill; and at laft they grew very vehement. To do away the ill effects of it, the biftiop propofed to fend dean Thompfon, and one of their friends, with a flag of truce, and a letter to general French, to reprefent the dangerous fituation of the proteftants, fhould the rebel prifoners be ill-treated.

Dean Thompfon^ and one Roger Maguire fet out for Caftlebar, the twentieth of September : They were frequently ftopped and interrogated by parties of the rebels, who would have committed violence on dean Thompfon, but that he was proteded by Maguire. They returned next day, with the moft unqueftionable teftimony that their friends were treated with humanity. Mr. Bourke, of Summer-hill, with fifteen armed men, bravely defended his houfe againft the fury and rapacity of the rebels; which enraged thofe at Killala fo much, that they refolved to attack it; but Charoft affured them, if they perfifted in their defign, that he would follow and fire on them.

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On the twenty-firft of September, a body of pikemen having marched through the town in prefence of Charoft, he, with indignation, mingled with contempt, defired them to go to attend their harveft, as he had men enough to guard the town, and he would not be troubled with a pack of robbers; and Ponfon, another French officer, vilified and abufed them in the groflefl manner. This was alarming to the proteftants, as the rebels murmured and uttered fome menaces againfl; them, and complained of the flrong partiality of the French for them.

Alarming accounts were received that the rebels, in fpite of the French, would enter and plunder the town; and, had they done fo, there is not a doubt but that they would have malfacred every proteftant. To encourage them in their fanguinary defigns, which they had conftantly manifefted, a prieft, of the name of M’Donnell, rode into the town on the twenty-firft of September, and announced that the orangemen were maffacring the Roman catholicks in all the adjacent country. On the morning of that day a report of cannon and fmall arms was heard towards Ballina, and fometime after intelligence was received that the king’s troops were within four miles of the town.

True, the French officer, and Henry O’Keon, arrived from Ballina, where the former had been commandant, and where he had a narrow efcape of being taken prifoner by one of our officers. He abufed, in the grolTeft manner, his allies, the Irilh, for having fled at Croifmalina, without ftriking a ftroke.

By a preconcerted plan it was agreed between general French and lord Portarlington, that they fhould attack Killala at the fame time; the former approaching it on the fouth, the latter on the north-eaft fide. His lordlhip marched from Sligo on the twenty-firft of September, with his own, the Queen’s county regiment, a detachment of the twenty-fourth dragoons, the Tireragh yeomen infantry, commanded by captain Woods, and the Tireragh yeomen cavalry, under captain Ormfby, making in the whole, about eight hundred men, with two pieces of cannon. They halted the firft night at Grange, where a number of rebels approached them, but on firing one cannon fliot they difperfed. Next night they halted at Scarmore, where they were attacked by a numerous body of them, comnianded by Henry O’Keon and Mr. Barret, fon of doftor Barret, who were foon routed with the lofs of about two hundred killed.

In

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

In this affair we have one calamity to lament, which left the ftrongeft: fenfations of grief in every loyal heart. Not far from the fcene of aftion hes the village of Carrowcarden, where a few proteftant families lived, who, from their peaceable demeanour and good conduct, poffeifed the regard of even the rebels; fo that, partly by giving them entertainment and money as long as they were able, and partly by hiding themfelves in the bogs and corn-fields, they had hitherto avoided the captivity which their brethren fuffered.

On this day, a rebel party, commanded by John M’Dunnough, otherwife Pitcher, on their march to attack the king’s troops, were ordered to enter the village, and to force every man who was able to carry arms to join their party. They there met with fome of thofe’poor proteftants, fome of them reaping their corn, others concealed in their houfes, all of whom they forced along with them at the peril of their Hves, and even without arms to defend themfelves, and placed them in the front of the line.

When the rebel army gave way, thefe unfortunate men fled among the crowd towards their own homes; but having been overtaken by the advance guard, they fell in the indifcriminate flaughter of the rebels. It was in vain that they endeavoured to explain the caufe of their being there, or to juflify their condudt, as the troops, elate with viftory, and inflamed with revenge, had not time to examine the circumflances of their fituation.

The loyalifts had foon after the gratification of feeing captain Pitcher taken prifoner; and having been convided of that and other crimes, his life was forfeited to the vengeance of the law. This however was but a poor atonement to the community for the lofs of fo many loyal, wellbehaved, and induflrious men; and no confolation to the unfortunate widows and helplefs orphans whom they left behind to deplore a lofs which can never be retrieved.

Next day the king’s troops having been joined by general Trench and his brigade, they proceeded towards Killala.

In its defence about four thoufand rebels took pofl behind a flone wall ©ti a hill which commanded the road leading to it; and on which the Downihire regiment advanced.  Though the rebels maintained a conflant

fire

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fire on them from the time they firft came in fight, the Downfliire paid no regard to them, till they arrived at a bridge, which was but a ihort diftance from them. They then began a very heavy fire on the rebels, who fled from their ftrong pofition, and joined the main body, except about forty of them, who took pofl in a grove, nearly forty yards from the palace, where fome of them ranged themfelves behind trees, and others behind a ftone wall. The Downfliire purfued them, and were followed by the Frafer fencibles and the Queen’s county militia. After about twenty minutes refiftance the rebels gave way and ran into the town, where they were charged by the Roxborough fencible cavalry; and though the rebels in the grove kept up a conllant fire on them, their only lofs was one man badly wounded, but he afterwards recovered. Mr. Arthur Stock, the bifhop’s fon, a youth of fixteen, was in the charge, drelfed in a red jacket.

After the king’s troops got pofTelTion of the town, they killed great numbers of the rebels, whom they found concealed in the houfes, in the gardens, or in the ditches of the adjacent fields. It was to be lamented that our foldiers plundered what had been faved from the Irifli favages by the adive exertion of the bifhop and the French officers. In the firfl onfet it was impoifible to reftrain them, when they were elate with viftory, and their vengeance was roufed by oppofition. Sometime after, lord Cornwallis fent two commilfioners to enquire into the damages committed by the king’s troops at Killala, and in March following, the demands of the fufferers were difcharged by an order on the bank.

Having related the events which took place in the counties of Mayo and Sligo, I fliall give the reader the charadlers of fome of the principal a£lors in them.

Colonel O’Doude, was defcended from a very antient family of the fame name, who formerly polTeffed a large traft of country in the counties of Sligo and Mayo, two baronies of which, namely Tireragh and Tyrawly had their names from two fons of the original chieftain of the family, who divided his eftate between them. On this extenfive eftate they counted twenty-four caftles, which were occupied by them and their adherents, and many of which are ftill in exiftence. O’Doude having been very aftive in the rebellion of 1641, this fine eftate was confifcated, and divided amongft the followers of the conqueror; a fmall mountainous

trad

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

62%

tra£l: of land, called Bonneconclane, having been given by fpecial favottr, to one of the family,and fohandeddown to the late polfeflbr James O’Doude.

The father of this man, whofe name was Thady, being a younger brother, and having neither property nor employment at home, went out a volunteer to Germany at the age of twenty-five years, and in the courfe of time was promoted in the Hungarian fervice to the rank of captain, having previoufly married a German lady, fifter to baron Wipler, of whom James was the iffue. He having been born and educated in the fervice, found no great difficulty in arriving at the rank of lieutenant, in which flation he ferved, when the death of his uncle David O’Doude, who poiTcfled the family eilate and died without ilTue, was announced to him. In confequence of this event, he left the army, came to Ireland, and took pofieffion of the paternal property, which proved to be worth about 500 1. a year, and which he applied himfelf to the cultivation of with great attention. He foon after married a mifs Fitzgerald, daughter to a gentleman of that name, and an attorney, by whom he left children. Previous to the breaking-out of the rebellion, he had become a member of the Tyrawly cavalry, and was confidered an attentive foldier, and very expert in the ufe of arms. On the landing of the French at Killala this corps was, like many others, put to flight by the enemy, and O’Doude deferted his poft, and returned to his own houfe, where, by the felicitations of his wife, and the exertions of one Egan, a bigot, who lived with him, and who had acquired a complete afcendancy over his judgment, he was induced to declare for the caufe of rebeUion. Having aflembled his tenantry and neighbours, he muftered about one hundred men, and putting himfelf at their head, he marched to the French camp at Killala, where he received his commiflion, and arms for his followers, while his wife, mounted on a good horfe, and decorated with green ribbons and cockade, attended the proceflion, and brought up the rear.

Their career of glory was but fliort, and the hopes of regaining the antient eftate foon vanifhed into empty air. After the defeat at Ballinamuck, he attempted to efcape, but was taken prifoner, and conduded to the camp of lord Cornwallis at St. Johnftown, where, being identified, although he endeavoured to pafs himfelf for a French officer, he was condemned and executed. He pleaded guilty to the charges brought againfl him 5 but alTured the court, that this was his firft olFence, and

declared

6.24 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

declared on his honour, if they would pardon this, that he never would be guilty of a fimilar offence; but being informed that his requeft could not be complied with, he begged to have a prieft; but as there was uot time for this ceremony, he was conftrained to fubmit to his fate, which, he met, but not with that fortitude which might have been expelled from a man who had fpent fo much of his life in adive fervice, and fcenes of war.

To a great weaknefs of judgment, this unfortunate man added a high degree of vanity and bigotry, which laid him open to the defigns of interefted and ill-difpofed perfons. Confidering himfelf the head of the clan or family, he defpifed taking a chriflian name, and always fubfcribed himfelf, O’Doude, captain; and latterly he had the vanity to affume the title of baron, perhaps from his uncle, baron Wipkr, in Germany.

He was fo much under the control of the priefts, that he fubmitted to walk barefooted, and with his head fhaved, to Loughderg, in the north of Ireland, to perform penance for his fms, and became one of the order of the Scapularians. He took more pains in cultivating the friendfliip of this ignorant clafs of men, than that of gentlemen of worth or knowledge, and his table was feldom without one or more of them, on whom he never failed to lavilh the bell meat and wine.

The idea of recovering his hereditary eftate was ftudioufly infufed into his mind by his wife and followers, who vainly imagined that a revolution would be accomplifhed, and that the defcendants of the old Irifh families would be Ihortly reinftated in their former poffelTions and honours by the French. This family have a burying -place appropriated to them in the abbey of Moyne, where may be feen the gigantick bones of fc me of them, who have been very remarkable for their great ftature; as one of them exceeded feven feet in height.

Colonel Mc. Donnel, a Roman catholick gentleman, was fon to Jofeph Mc. Donnel, of Carnacun, in the county of Mayo, efquire, and in the neighbourhood of Caftlebar. His father being a wealthy man, and able to give him a fufficiency of money to. fet him up in bufinefs, placed him with a merchant at Weftport; but confidering himfelf poffefled of abilities fufficient to (hine in a learned profeffion, he renounced the mercantile life, and went to the Temple, where he profecuted his  ftudies with tolerable application, and along with a knowledge

of

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

of the laws of his country, he acquired the feeds of thofe deteflable principles, which were afterwards matured and employed for the Jeflrudtion of law, property and juftice. There he became acquainted with the dangerous and feducing works of Paine and his difciples, and was introduced into the correfponding focieties, of whofe principles and practice he was a great admirer, and profited very much by their initructions. Having returned to Ireland, he was recognifed as a champion for the Rights of Man, and chofen by his party as a delegate from Mayo to the catholick convention in Dublin, convened by Edward Byrne, where, by his inflammatory harangues and violent conduft in endeavouring to inftigate that body to unwarrantable means for profecuting their claims, he attracted the admiration of his friends, and at the fame time flrongly excited the attention and fufpicion of government; infomuch, that it was debated whether he fhould be allowed to be called to the bar. He was^ however, foon after called to it, and fworn a barrifler, which added to his confequence, and encreafed the influence which he was ambitious to exert among the Roman catholicks in Mayo. He fpared no pains in propagating his dangerous democratick principles amongft all ranks and orders of the people, and by corrupting their minds prepared them for the rebellion, which was foon to follow. The magiftrates of the county beheld his condud with a very jealous eye, and had nearly determined to have him arrefled under a warrant from the fecretary of flate. This, however, was deferred, through that miftaken lenity by which delinquents are too frequently fuffered to efcape, and by which the late Rebellion was allowed to raife his baleful head. He was permitted to proceed m his career until the invafion, when a full and fair opportunity was aflforded him of difplaying both his principles and aftions, which he did unequivocally, as foon as the French had made themfelves maflers of Cafllebar, whither he immediately repaired, and was appointed a colonel in their fervice.

He was attended by a large party of his followers, who had been taught to look for this event by his addreffes and harangues, and with thefe he accompanied Humbert on his march to Ballinamuck, and after the furrender he and colonel Blake concealed themfelves in a bog. Blake was taken prifoner, but he had the good fortune to effeft his efcape, and made his way from thence into the wild mountains of Cunnemara, and from

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thence embarked for Spain or France, with fome other fugitives of his own defcription.

Doftor Barrett, a Roman catholiek, was a native of Irrus, in the county of Mayo, and defcended from an ancient and refpeftable Irifh family, who formerly poffeffed a large eftate in that country, and of which he was not a little vain. Having got a competent knowledge of Latin, which he fpoke tolerably correal and fluent, though in a vulgar manner, he ferved a regular apprenticefliip to an apothecary, and carried on the bufmefs for fome years with much credit to himfelf and utility to the country. He alfo attended many of the genteel families in the neighbourhood of Ballina, (where he lived,) in the light of a phyfician, and was fo much efteemed by them, that they entered into a fubfcription to fupport him at Edinburgh, while he ftiould ftudy phyfick there in a regular manner. His wife and children were alfo fupported in the fame manner at home, while he ftudied in Scotland, and that exclufively by the proteftant gentlemen, although he and his family were of the catholiek perfuafion.

In that country fuch ads have not been uncommon; and I am forry to remark that the returns made to them have frequently been ungenerous and ungrateful, but were notorioufly fo during the late rebellion.

Doftor Barrett, having returned from his ftudies, commenced the practice of phyfick under the fame aufpices, in which, from his previous knowledge of medicine, and the fkill he had acquired in difeafes, he made fuch a progrefs, as to be in the receipt of 300I. a year, in a country, more noted for liberality than riches, and where he had fir William Boyde to contend with. Before he went to Scotland, the dodor was rather bigoted to his religion, but having frequently attended the prefbyterian form of worfliip, and converfed freely with well-informed men there, he became difgufted with the tricks and fuperftition of his own perfuafion^ of which he often fpoke with much feverity, and feldom, if ever, attended mafs or confeflion from his return till his condemnation; and nothing but the prejudices which he had fo ftrongly imbibed, when young, and his pride, (of which, in common with the old Irifh families, he poflelTed a large fhare,) prevented him from abandoning entirely the catholiek doctrines and worfhip. It is to be apprehended that his fituation was fimilar to that of many other well-informed Roman catholicks, who, unable to idigefl: the monftrous tenets prefcribed for their belief, and prevented by

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627

pride, fbame, or prejudice, from embracing a religion more conformable to reafon and good fenfe, fuffer themfelves to lapfe infenfibly into a ftate of infidelity.

As to the doctor’s loyalty, before the invafion, it was unimpeachable, fo far as was known to his moft intimate friends; and, I firmly believe, he was totally unconnected with the leaders of rebellion before that period. On the approach of the French army, he and his family fled for fafety to an ifland in Lough Conn, where they continued for more than a week, but afterwards induced, partly through want of provifions, partly through promifes of protedlion, they came into the town, where, on account of their religion, they were not only protected, but amply fupplied with every article of fupport and comfort which the demefnes, houfes and cellars of the proteftant gentlemen, plundered by the rebels, could furnifli.

After the retaking of the town, the doftor was found peaceably at home, and feemed very happy to find his old acquaintances and benefactors returning in triumph, many of whom, as well as the officers of different regiments, he entertained very hofpitably for fome weeks, and feemed perfedly fecure from any danger; and, what is fomewhat odd, fome months elapfed before he was apprehended.

It did not appear on his trial that he ever took up arms, or accompanied the enemy in any adt of hoftility, or behaved with feverity to the proteftants who were in his power; but, on the contrary, that he fhewed a£ls of kindnefs and indulgence to many of them. The chief matters which were proved againft him, were, confulting and advifing with the French officers; direQing the guards; figning pafTes in his fon’s name,, (who was a rebel colonel,); and forcing his fon to take a command;

Before his trial, an oifer was made to him, that he, and his whole fa-mily, would be permitted to remove themfelves to America; but fo confident was he, that no aft of treafon or rebellion could be fubftantiated againft him, that he rejefted the propofal; alleging, that if the gentlemen’ of the country could procure proof fufficient to condemn him, they would not make huii fo lenient an offer. He was tried and condemned’ atCaftlebar, by the fentence of martial law, and fent to Ballina for exe-cution. His reparation from an innocent, virtuous wife, and feven children, whom he was about to leave unprotected, and without the moft

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remote profpeft of fupport, was a punifhment far beyond that which the fentence of the law had decreed, and produced the ftrongeft emotions of pity in thofe who execrated the crime for which he was to fufFer, and by which they had been fuch great fufferers themfelves.

He walked from the publick houfe to the fatal tree, and read, as he proceeded, a litany, attended by two priefts, and met his fate with becoming propriety and without emotion, having, in a few fliort fentences, called God to witnefs, whether he had been guilty of the crimes for which he was condemned. He had many good qualities, and was a very ufeful member of fociety; but his having efpoufed a caufe, which was calculated to deftroy the lives and properties of his fupporters and benefadors, leaves a ftain of ingratitude behind it, which no time can efface.

Patrick Barrett, junior, a colonel in the rebel army, was fon to dodtor Barrett of Ballina, before maitioned, and received a tolerable fchool education from his father, who intended to breed him to the profeflion of an apothecary. Previous to the rebellion, he enrolled himfelf in the Ty rawly cavalry, where he was always amongft the foremoft to volunteer any duty which required fpirit or adivity, and never failed to acquit himfelf like a good foldier and a loyal fubjed.

On the taking of Ballina by the French troops, this corps, with fome others, were ordered to fall back on Caftlebar, and being badly officered, and partaking in the general panick, with which the troops of the line, as well as the yeomanry, were flruck on that Ihameful occafion, they divided into fmall parties, and efteded their retreat, fome retiring home, others joining themfelves to different parties of the king’s troops, where they could find them. Unfortunately for Barrett, it was his lot to be amongft the former, and having come within a few miles of Ballina, he had an interview with his father, which ended in an acquiefcence on his part of coming into the town, which was then occupied by a French commandant, and a large number of rebels. It is aflerted, that the caufe of his coming into town, was an expectation of procuring fome money to enable him to return and join the king’s troops; but in this hope he was difappointed, and was committed a clofe prifoner with the proteftants, where he remained until he confented to accept of a command in the rebel army, which he with great reluctance did, after his father had ufed all the authority of a parent, and even proceeded fo far as to ftrike him with a

ratan.

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND. 629

fatan, becaufe he refufed fo flattering an invitation. Being invefted with the honour of a colonel, his time was more occupied in reftraining the excefl^es of his favage and violent followers, than in training them to military difcipline. Thefe worft of barbarians, having received arms from the French, or furniflied themfelves with pikes, were conflantly employed in plundering houfes, driving in cattle, imprifoning the few proteflants who remained in the country, or indulging themfelves in eating and drinking to excefs, and then becoming unruly and riotous, fo that True the commandant, and young Barrett were frequently called upon to exert their authority and reftore peace, which was the only duty that Barrett feemed to do with a good grace; and it was often remarked of him, that he was never feen to fmile after he had been promoted to the rank of colonel, and ferioufly requefted of his friends not to offend him with that appellation. He enlarged many of the prifoners from time to time, and ihewed them as much indulgence and lenity as his limited and precarious fituation enabled him to do. His exertions were not confined to the town, and he was frequently obliged to mount his horfe and gallop out to the country to proted private property.

Mr. Knox’s houfe at Rappa, being in danger of being plundered, he went there with a party, and conveyed into town the plate and other valuable effefts, which he fecured at his father’s houfe.

The reverend Mr. Neligan’s houfe had early attrafted the notice of the rebels, and every thing valuable in it had been either taken away or demolifhed before Barrett came into power, except the papers and records of the regiftry of the diocefe, which were then in Mr. Neligan’s care, Thefe, though trampled under foot, and many of them flung into the ftreet, he carefully collecled and depofited in a place of fafety, by v.liich means the original wills and other records for near one hundred years back were preferved. .

His endeavours to fave the proteflants from the cruelty of prieft Cowley were near cofting.him his life. That villain, who was daily plotting their deftrudion, pretended that he had received orders from True to give them up to the fury of their enemies; but Barrett, fufpeding the order to be falfe, applied to True by another interpreter, and learned that his fufpicions were well-founded; whereupon he publickly abufed Cowley, and accufed him fo fharply of the falfehood, that one of his

friends

630

MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

friends attempted with a pike to difpatch Barret, which he would have effe6\ed, had it not been for his vigilance and activity.

Notwithftanding his attention and humanity to the loyalifls when in his power, he was ready to draw his fword againfl: them when he met them in the field, and to acknowledge them, not as friends, but enemies. This he proved in two inftances, the firft in an attack made by him and Henry O’Keon on Caftlebar, on the twelfth of September, when in the hands of the king’s troops, at the head of a large body of rebels, where, by the bravery of captain Urquhart, a few of the Frafer fencibles and the proteftants of the town, he was repulfed and obliged to retreat to Ballina : The fecond was a much bolder attempt, but attended with equally bad fuccefs. When it was at length determined by the wifdom of government, that the unfortunate inhabitants of that part of the country were to be relieved, fome from their imprifonment, others from banifhment, and that the few cowardly and half-armed rebels who had fo long occupied the houfes and the properties of the loyalifls were condemned to expulfion, two large detachments were put in motion for that purpofe, the one from Caftlebar, the other from Sligo. Barrett marched out to meet the latter with a motley crew of his countrymen, but was foon repulfed.

He afterwards concealed himfelf in the town, and although he was proclaimed, and a reward was offered for his apprehenfion, the recollection of his pafl kindnefs to the proteflants prevented them from difcovering his retreat, or bringing him to trial.

After remaining in a flate of dreadful fufpenfe for fome months, he efFefted his efcape to Sligo, where, in the difguife of a failor, he entered on board a vefTel, and failed for America.

There were many good traits in this young man’s character, which would entitle him to a better fate. He was brave and generous, humane and grateful, and his perfon and manners befpoke fomething much beyond his education and expeftations in life; and it is only to be regretted that his loyalty was not fufiiciently flrong to enable him to refift the influence which was exerted to feduce him to join the enemies of his country.

Henry and John Sheares, two brothers, who had been arreiled the twenty-firft of May, were tried in Dublin the twelfth of July, on charges of high treafon, and were convifted on the clearefl evidence of

being

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

being deeply concerned in the confplracy, and of having harboured the moft fanguinary defigns. They were the fons of Mr. Sheares, a banker at Cork, who was efteemed not only for his moral virtues, but refpefted for his mental accomplifhments and intelledual powers, having written effays and differtations on various fubje£ts, which would not have difgraced the pen of doftor Johnfon. Thefe men were at Paris when the king and queen were put to death, and continued there during the tyranny of Roberfpierre; and at their return were heard to fpeak with delight of the fcenes of carnage which they had feen there. They were executed in front of Newgate, and in their lafl: moments difplayed that perturbation of mind, and that abjed fear which feldom fail to attend the guilty when they are about to depart from this life.

John Mc. Cann, clerk to Henry Jackfon, was tried and convidled of the fame crime on the feventeenth of the fame month, and was executed on the nineteenth, when he (hewed a decent compofure, and acknowledged the juftice of his fentence.

William M. Byrne, of the county of Wicklow, was tried and convicted of the fame crime on the twentieth of July, and fufFered on the twentyfirft.

Oliver Bond, one of the principal leaders of the confpiracy, at whofe houfe the Leinfter delegates had been arrefted on the twelfth of March, was arraigned for high treafon on July the twenty-third, and his trial lafted till feven o’clock in the morning of the twenty-fourth, when he was convifted. This man, who had made a confiderable fortune as a woollen-draper, Vv^as the fon of a prefbyterian minifter of St. John’s-town, nine miles from Letterkenny, in the county of Donegall. I have very . good authority for faying that he was a confirmed deift, and that he had been a£|:ive in diffeminating the works of Tom Paine, of which he was a great admirer. I have been well affured that he was in indifferent circumflances, till he and Simon Butler were committed to Newgate by the houfe of lords, in the year 1793; on which occafion, being confidered as a perfecuted patriot, his cuftomers encreafed fo much, that he became opulent in the fpace of four or five years.

The prifoners confined for high treafon in the different gaols in Dublin, perceiving from the trials of the Sheares’s, Mc. Cann, Byrne and Bond, that they muft fall a prey to tlie vengeance of the law, applied

to

I

632 MEMOIRS OP THE DIFFERENT

to counfellor Dobbs, M. P. to be their interceffor with government, hop. ing through his mediation to obtain the royal mercy, on making a full difcovery of the confpiracy. In confequence of his interference, the lord chancellor,, lord Caftlcreagh and Mr. fecretary Cooke, inclining to do every thing that was merciful on the part of government, condefcended to hold an interview with meflleurs Arthur O’Connor, counfellor Emmet, and dotlor M’Nevin, whom all the ftate prifoners delegated to reprefent them. Government, whofe clemency and moderation were confpicuous on all occafions, agreed to the following terms : That the prifoners, about feventy in number, fhould exile themfelves for life to fuch country as fliould be mutually agreed upon; that Oliver Bondi who had been condemned to die fliould be fpared, and permitted to accompany them : And in return they were to difclofe the whole of the confpiracy, and their intercourfe with France; but that in doing fo, they were not to implicate any perfon whatfoever in their guilt.

As it was difcovered that the leaders in this band of traitors abufed the lenity of government, by endeavouring fecretly to foment rebellion while in prifon, the following perfons were fent to Fort George in Scotland, where the feverity of their confinement has been mitigated by the greatefl: indulgence on the part of government :

Samuel Neilfon, John Chambers,

Thomas Ruflell, Jofeph Cormick,

Arthur O’Connor,. Edward Hudfon,

Thomas Addis Emmett, George Gumming,

William James M’Nevin, William Dowdall,

Matthew Dowling, Robert Hunter,

John Sweetman,   ‘ Robert Simms,

Jofeph Cuthbert, William Tennant,

Roger O’Connor, Reverend Steele Dickfon, a

John Sweeny, prefbyterian minifter.

Hugh Wilfon,

Another ftriking inftance of the clemency of the government was this : In the beginning of September, 1798, an aft of general pardon, with but few exceptions was palfed, but it was not produdve of as much benefit as might have been expcded; for robbery and affaflination^ continued

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

633

nueJ to be perpetrated, the whole of that year, and till the end of the year 1799, in many parts of Leinfter; not only in that province, but in foma parts of Munfter, particularly in the counties of Waterford and Tipperary, treafonable combinations continued to be formed, and a ftrong fpirit of infurredion appeared. It is to be lamented, ‘■hat at this time the popifli multitude are as much fraught with difaffecfcion as ever; though they ■c\xc dill fmarting from the former rebellion, and though the royal mercy has been extended to them in a very extraordinary degree.

It might be faid that I have gone far in expofiug the errors of popery, and have been fevere upon them; but it fhould be recolleded, that the popifli clergy never ceafe to reprefent the proteftant religion as a peflilent herefy, which brings the frowns of the Almighty on its votaries in this life, and dooms them to eternal damnation hereafter; and this not only orally, but by various publications, fome of which I. fliall mention.

One of them, entitled, “ Fifty Reafons, why the holy Roman cathohck religion ought to be preferred to all the fedts in Chrillendom,” is printed by Wogan and Crofs in Bridge-llreet; and it h annually diffeminated among the lower clafs of people by their priefts. Every page of this wretched volume of fiftion is replete with falfehood and bitter inveftives againfl the eftablifhed religion, and cannot fail of making the lower clafs of people rebels to a proteflant (late. I give the following extracts (rom it :

“ Proteftants cannot name fo much as one perfon of fandity that was of their religion, page 36. Our adverfaries will confefs, that during the firft five ages, there was no other religion” (meaning the popifh) to which nations were converted.”  Page 38.

*’ There is little or no inftruftion to be found among them” (proteftants) “ upon points of morality, or the obfervance of God’s com-mandments; but every thing is allowed to the defires and concupifcence of depraved nature.” ‘

“ Their parfons varnifh ov^er the dangerous maxims of their own religion, and every thing that tends to the perdition of thofe fouls that are guided by them.”  Pages 96 and 97.

4 M They”

634 MEMOIRS OF THE DIFFERENT

“ They” (proteftant minifters) “ are not priefts, fince they have not power to confecrate in the Eucharift, nor ta forgive fins, which is yet the main office of prieftly dignity.”  Page 80.

“ Hereticks themfelves confefs, that Roman cathoUcks may be faved; whereas thefe maintain there is no falvation for fuch as are out of the Roman catholick church. What madnefs then were it for any man not to go over to the Roman catholicks, who may be faved in the judgment of their adverfaries!”  Pages 17 and 90.

Every perfon endued with reafon muft recoil, on reading a treatife on the Scapular, a pitiful piece of fuperllitious nonfenfe, which is conflantly perufed by the befotted wretches who are in that holy order; and they are very numerous.

Another piece of grofs fuperftition and impiety publiftied by the fame bookfellers is, *’ Funiculus Triplex,” or the Triple Cord of St. Francis, which fets forth the great indulgences to which the votaries of that order are entitled.

What can be expedled from a rabble drenched with the inebriating poifon of fuch produftions, but treafon, robbery, and aflaffination!

A poem in four cantos, and in Hudibraftic verfe, entitled, “ England’s Reformation, from the time of Henry VIII. was publiflied by Peter Hoeyj a popifli bookfeller in Dublin, in the year 1791. It was written by one Thomas Ward, as a fatire on the reformation, and it abounds with ridicule and inventive on the illuftrious charafters who were the chief inftruments in effefting that glorious revolution. This production contains no lefs than 468 pages.

In the year 1790, the tranflation of a book entitled, “ The general hiftory of the chriftian church, from her birth to her final triumphant ftate in heaven,” was printed in Dublin by James Mehain, a popifti bookfeller.  It was MTitten originally at Rome, by a fanguinary bigot of the name of Paflorini.  This writer defends and expreffes his approbation of all the maffacres of proteflants, which ever took place in France and Ireland; and he endeavours to fliew, by falfe and tortuous expofitions of the prophefies, that it has been pofitively decreed by the Almighty, that hereticks of every kind and in every country in Europe would be extirpated about this time.  This piece of blafphemy and folly, which is a large odavo vol’.ime of 502 pages, was publifhed to encourage the mafs

of

REBELLIONS IN IRELAND.

63s

of the Irlfli papifts to join in the confpiracy which was framed fo early, and in the maflacre which was to fucceed it in the year 1798, as if it was to be condudted under the divine fandion; and yet, from the year 1 79 1 to that period, the popifh clergy and laity frequently alTembled in different parts of the kingdom, particularly in Dublin, expreffed their zealous and unabated loyalty, and made publick and unequivocal renunciations of the fanguinary and intolerant’ principles which ever charaderlzed their church.*

It is moft: certain, that the great mildnefs and beneficence of the proteftants of every rank towards the lower clafs of papifts, would foon make converts of them,§ but that their clergy never ceafeto infplre them with a fanatical hatred againfl the proteftant (late and their fellow fubjecls of that perfuafion. Doctor Huffey’s paftoral letter is a ftriking proof of this.

We may form fome idea of this from an oath found on board the Gladiator, by which the Irifh traitors in the fleet bound each other, in the year 1798, to carry it into Breft, “ and afterwards to kill all proteftants.”t

It appeared alfo on a trial on board the Caefar, that Michael Butler, an Irifti traitor, declared, that there ought to be a catholick government in Ireland; that the proteftants fhould be expelled from it; and that he ftiould not die eafy till he fwam in Englilh blood.;

♦ See page 8i of this work.

§ The Roman catholicks of a patifh frequently folicit proteftant gentlemen for ground to build chapels on, and I never heard of the requeft being refufed; and in many cafes, they built them at their own expence. Whenever a popifh chapel is to be built by fubfcription, the proteftants never fail, when folicited, to contribute largely to it.

t Report of :he fecret committee of the Englifii houfc of commons, publilbed 5th of March 1799, Appendix, No. XIX.

i Ibid.

[ 636 ]

,4n account of the funis oj money claimed by the fiiff’er’nig loyalifls in the different counties of Ireland, for their loffes fuflaincd in the rebellion of 1798, and laid before the cornhiifftoners appointed by a£l of parliament for compenfating them.

s.

d.

,r.

d.

Antrim

17720

3

4h

Londonderry

7

10

y

J

Carlow

24854

14

7

Leitrim

2316

19

ih

Cavan

61

16

9

Longford

1046

14

I oh

Cork

2501

14

iih

Mayo

120553

1 1

4h

Clare

856

9

iih

Mcath

14597

9

3^1

Down

12129

8

Queen’s county

15S6

9

3I1

Dublin

25829

16

— }i

Rofcommon

325

19

7

Galway

4814

3

Sligo

15769

14

9h

Kerry

149

4

2h

Tipperary

1577

9

8

Kiidare

97090

2

1 1

Waterford

1321

18

9

Kilkenny

27352

8

9h

Wcftmeath

28c8

13

4

King’s county

2461

19

7

Wexford

515191

8

5

Limerick

22

9

6

Wicklow    •

130379

17

Total

;C 823517

6

4

APPENDLY.

A P    E N D I X,

No. I.

I.

By one of his Majejlfs jujlkes of the peace for faid county and city.

County ofthejtty^of Kilkenny,! r^^^ information of Matthias O’Brien, of the city

 \ C of Kilkenny, in faid county, popiih prieft, who being

duly fworn on the Holy Evangelifts, depofeth, That the late tumultuous rifings of the white boys, which prevailed in the fouthern parts of this kingdom, were fet on foot for the fole end and purpofe, to informant’s certain knowledge, in order to raife therein a fpirit of fedition and diflatisfaftion to his majefty’s perfon and government, which might be of ufe to fupport a foreign invafion, certainly intended againft this kingdom at a convenient time, in favour of prince Charles, otherwife the Pretender to thefe realms : and that the caufes commonly alleged for thefe rifings by the faid white boys, Were but mere pretences, and calculated entirely to conceal the above fecret defigns. Informant depofeth, that thefe diforders were fomented originally by foreign agents, in conjunftion with fome popifh bifhops, particularly dodtor James Butler, titular archbifhop of Cafliel, (in whofe houfe, or chapel, there were papers of a treafonable nature concealed,) and others of his clergy, aflifted by feveral principal gentlemen of the fame perfuafion. That informant was early apprized from his ftation, then as coadjutor to the aforefaid do6lor Butler, of their dangerous fchemes againft his majelly’s crown, and the eftablilhed government of this kingdom, which they did at that time, and do ftill, as he verily believes, mean to overturn, and which they would have long fince more openly attempted to execute, but for the timely notice thereof he often from time to time gave to the reverend John Hewetfon, of Suirville, a juftice of peace for faid county, and whofe life he more than once faved in his chair of confeflion, by diffuading his determined and combined aflalTms from their bloody purpofes againft him. That informant 13 fully convinced upon different grounds, (but which, as being confided upon the folemnities of confeflion frora fome of the infurgents, and fecrefy, he thinks he cannot, confiftent with his obligatioH as a prieft, divulge,) that the above fpirit of fedition would hare broke out long fince to an open and armed rebellion, were it not for the zealous and indefatigable labours of the faid John Hewetfon, and William Bagenal, efquire, who by thefpirit andactivity they exerted in detecting, apprehending, and bringing to juftice, fome of the chief leaders of thefe infurrections, checked and fufpended for a time their bad defigns. And he depofeth in the moft folemn manner, that this fame rebellious fpirit ftill fubfifts among thofe deluded people, as it evidently appears frora their frequent nocturnal meetingsi held by informant’s certain knowledge, within thefe eight or nine weeks

[A] r-’^’

2

APPENDIX,  No. 1. I.

paft, in and about Call;in, and otl\er parts of this county, where informant faw fomc of the faid infurgents clad in their white uniforms. Informant is alfo certain, that this fame rebelhous fpirit will never ceafe in this kingdom, among the afcrefaid infurgents, if fojne fpeedy and efficacious means be not ufed to prevent it. Informant faith, that his reafon for knov/ing the faid fchemes and defigns to be true is, that the faid do£tor Butler did folemnly bind him to the following oath : “ To be true and faithful to the church of Rome, and to promote its good, and to be faithful to liim the faid doftor Butler, his archbifliop;” that after figning faid promife, in a book belonging to faid Butler, he v/as told by him t\ie faid Butler, that thefe rifings of the white boys were fet on foot folely for the advancement of the Roman catholick faith, and the extirpation of herefy in this kingdom; and that as there was but one God, there fliould be but one religion : And, to reftore the fame vetus Hibcrnia, by making her faithful fons to rife in rebellion to fupport France, or other countries, to eftablifh prince Charles on the Britifh throne. And that he the faid Butler, then toafled his health in the company prefent, who were privy to the confpiracy. Informant faith, he has no other motive for difcovering faid confpiracy, b\it to preferve peace, and to prevent the efFufion of blood in this kingdom.

MATTHIAS O’BRIEN.

Stuorn before me this 24th of ‘January, 1 768, THOMAS BUTLER, mayor of Kilkenny.

IN another information, Matthias O’Brien fwore, that do6t:or Butler, titular archbifliop cf Caftiel, affured him, that the caufe of the white boys was the caufe of God, and their holy religion, undertaken to reftore prince Charles to the throne of his anceftors, and their ancient faith to its primitive purity.  That informant knew that the late Nicholas Sheehy was chiefly fupported by the faid Butler; and that large contributions were frequently made for him; informant, and the reft of the popifh clergy, having been taxed for thatpurpofe by the faid Butler; which the reverend Mr. Magher, a convert to the proteftant religion, can certify from his own knowledge. That informant faw and read a letter at the chapel of Thurles, faid to have been written and figned by count TaafFe, and addrelTed to doftor Fitzfimons, titular archbiftiop of Dublin, and tranfmitted to the faid James Butler, importing that a popifh college fliould foon be erefted in Dublin.  That the faid James Butler extorted a fum of money from informant, andthereft of hisclergy, and from the reverend Mr.Magher, Mrho afterwards became a convert to proteftantifm, under the pretext of eftablifhing faid popifh feminary; but for the fole purpofe, as informant believes, of fupporting the white boys.  That informant was told by James Fogerty, of Thurles, merchant, that he brought from Dublin* a large fum of money, which he delivered to faid James Butler; and that he underftood from faid Fogerty, that the faid money was to promote the faid rebellious purpofes.  That informant, from his minifterial funftions as a prieft thefe four years paft, has full and fufficient reafons to be convinced that the grand fcheme of all thefe infurreftions of the white boys, in thefe andthe neighbouring counties, was to raife a general rebellion againft his majefty, and the eftabliflied government of this kingdom; and to maffacre all the proteftants therein at a certain hour.

B,

* The Catholick committee was fitting there at that time.

A P P E N D 1 X,  No. I. 2.

2.

By one of his Majejlys jujlices of the peace fcrfaid county.

County oj Kiikainy, 1   THE information of David Landregin, late of Roxborough, to ivit. iin the county of Tipperary, but now of Aglifli, in the county

; Kilkenny, who being duly fworn on the Holy Evangelills, depo

feth, That fome time in the month of March, 1 762, he was enliftcd in the foclety of white boys, at Newcafl:le, in the county of Tipperary, by Mr. Robert Keating, of Knocka, in faid county, gentleman, and fworn by him at the fame time, to take the following oath : « To be true and faithful to the king of France, and to the true king, prince Charles, and to obey all the orders of his officers, and not to difclofe his fecrets to any one,except to a Frenchman, or one of his own party.” That he told informant that the objedl: they had In view was, to colleft an army together in this kingdom, futficient to raife a rebellion againfl: an invafion which they expeffed from France, with prince Charles, their rightful fovereign, at their head; and, for whom, they were to conquer England, Ireland, and Scotland.  And that he told informant fhey had powerful friends in England and Scotland, who would caufe and foment rllings in faid kingdoms, for faid end.  That a ftrong French army would make a defcent in thefe kingdoms, at the fame time that they would invade Ireland.  That therefore the white boys muft keep well and faithfully together, againft faid event.  That informant made many expeditions by night on the lands of Drumlemon, Ardfinnan, and Fethard, in the county of Tipperary, under the command of faid Robert Keating, and others, who were mounted, armed, and drefPed in white uniforms; together with the late Nicholas Sheehy,* Edmond Sheehy, James Buxton, and James Farrell.  That faid Robert Keating, and James Butler, drew out their troop, and difciplined them at faid places.  That fome time after, informant was prefent at a meeting held at the houfe of Thomas Browne, of Clonmel, alefeller, together with faid Robert Keating, James Butler, and one Patrick Gilbert, farmer, who all took an oath to put to death, the firft time an opportunity offered, the earl of Carrick, fir Thomas Maude, baronet, JohnBagwell, efquire,and the reverend John Hewetfon, who wcri’theonly enemies they dreaded to their rebellious defigns; and that informant took faid oath.f That at another meeting held at the houfe of one Ronan, innkeeper, at Ardfinnan, informant faw faid Nicholas Sheehy, Edmond Sheehy, James Buxton, James Farrell, and many others, take the fame oath.  Informant faith, that the execution of faid Nicholas Sheehy, and the reft of his friends, has been the means of faving the lives of the faid perfons whom they fwore to aflalRnate. Informant faith, he was prtfent at a meeting held at the race courfe of Clogheen, on the night of the day that the earl of Drogheda came there, and that five hundred perfons, all In white uniforms, were prefent, and moft of them were armed; and that faid meeting was held In the fpring, fometlme before the French took Newfoundland.  That at faid meeting it was propofed to them, by faid Nicholas Sheehy, and others, to burn the fold tov/n, and to maflacre the faid earl, and the corps under his command, in order to get their arms, and to frighten the proteftant gentlemen from purfuing them, or giving them any further hindrance in their future purpofes.  Informant faith, that tliey would have executed the faid defign, but that John Doyle, poplfli prieft of Ardfinnan, prevented them, by falling on his knees, and giving them his curfe, if they undertook what muft occ:ifion

[A 2] theif

* The priefl hanged at^Clonmel.

f This isfiinilar to the committee of affaflination formed by the defenders, who bound each «ther bv <»r,-h to -commit murder.

4

APPENDIX,  No. I. 3.

their own ruin; for he faid, we are not ripe yet for fuch a blow, nor can we ‘till prince Charles and his friends from France land to our alFiftance : If you attempt it before that time, every proteftant in Ireland will be up in arms againft us, and give no quarter to man, woman, or child of our religion.  Whereupon they defifted.

DAVID LANDRSGIN.

Sworn before me the i^thof Mafch^ *7^7> JOHN HEWETSON.

Prefent, DANIEL OSBORNE.

3

County of^ THE information of Thomas Rawley, of Killenaul, in the county of Kilkenny. > Tipperary, farmer, who, being duly fworn on the Holy Evangelifts, and

 —3 examined, depofeth, That, fome time in the year of our Lord 1763, he was

enlifted among the Whiteboys, by Mr. Edmond Quinn, of Myre, in faid county, farmer, and fworn by the following oath : ‘< To be true and faithful to the king of France and prince Charles, and to obey all the orders of his commanding olhcers.” That he, faid Quinn, then gave your informant half-a-guinea, and told him he was his colonel, and that their fcheme was to raife a rebellion in Ireland, in order to fupport a French invafion, which they expedled, with prince Charles, their right king, at , their head, to relieve the Roman catholicks, and to make this kingdom their own.

That fome fhort time after he met faid Quinn in Thurles, and was conduced by him to the houfe of James Butler, titular archbifhop of Cafliel, and into his company. That after being introduced to him, faid Butler, the fervant was fent out of the way, and then faid Butler took a book out of his pocket, and re-fwore your informant as before; viz. to be true and faithful to the king of France, and his right king Charles; and to obey the orders of his commanding officers in all things. That he then gave your informant fome claret, and afterwards difmifled him with his blefling for that time. That your informant continued a twelve-month after in the fervice of the whiteboys, ‘till he was apprehended, and lodged in Clonmel gaol, and brought to his trial for high treafon and rebellion againft his majefty, for which, tho’ g;uilty, he was publickly acquitted. That after his acquittal and enlargement, he went to fee the aforefaid James Butler, (by whom he was very kindly received, and alfo fupported whilft in confinement.) That after refrefliment given to him by faid Butler, he was fent by him to the late Nicholas Sheehy, with a purfe of gold from him faid Butler, with this meffage, “ That he had only received this money from Dublin* the day before, elfe he would have fent it to him fooner.” Your informant further depofeth, that the aforefaid Butler did then aflure him, that they foon fhould have Ireland in their own hands, and that they would certainly be fupported by an invafion fromFrance, with prince Charles at their head; and hereupon he difmifled him upon his errand, firft giving him an Englifh crown to bear his expences. That he went diredlly thence to Nicholas Sheehy, and found him at his fifter’s houfe at Shanbally; and there he delivered to him faid Butler’s letter and purfe of gold; which letter having read, he then turned immediately afterwards, in your informant’s prefence, poured on the table faid gold, confifting of forty pieces, and guineas to the amount of about thirty. Your informant depofeth further, that it was refolved, upon at a meeting of the whiteboys at Myre

aforefaid,

* Large colleftioDs were made at that time from the popiih multitude, and paid to treafareri in Dublin.

APPENDIX,  No. I. 4.

S

afotefaid, to burn the houfes of die protcftants of Ireland, and to ma/Tacre them in one night, after a landing made by the French, as was expedted. Your informant further depofeth, lie is thoroughly convinced faid maflacre and rebellion are not yet over; becaufe he was very lately invited by the faidEdmond Quinnto join him and his friends in further intended rilings, for the above purpofes, which he is certain arc again fct on foot, by means of the aforefaid James Butler, John Kirkby of Ballyna near Killaloe, and Edmond Quinn, aforefaid •, and alfo by Daniel Cavcnagh, of the county of Kilkenny, gentleman. Your informant depofetli, that he is fure the aforefaid rebellion and maflacre would have long fmce taken place, but for the interpofition of the earl of Carrick, and the reverend John Hewetlon.

THOMAS RAWLEY.

Sworn before me, March 1th, I7^7> JOHN HEWETSON.

4

By one of his Majejlys jujlices of the peace fot^ faid county.

County of Kilhnny,~^   THE information of Mary Butler, fpinfter, who being duly to ivit. > fworn on the Holy Evangelifts, and examined upon oath, de

; pofeth. That fhe was at the houfe of one Philip Heneberry of Cahir,

where her brother John Butler was employed as a houfe-carpenter, on the twentyeightli day of September, 1764, when fhe was informed by her faid brother, that he was fummoned by Nicholas Sheehy, popifti prieft, to affift the reft of his mea to fave fome prifoners, who were taken up as whiteboys, near Carrick, and to go the next day to the gaol of Kilkenny; that her brother fent her before him to Clogheen; that on her way thither, fhe met James Farrell, commonly called buck Farrell, who faluted her, and alked her if fhe heard any ftrange news; and at the fame time giving her the fame account that her brother had done before, declared he rnuft alfo go to refcue the aforefaid prifoners.  That (he then went to Clogheen, where (he met Nicholas Sheehy aforefaid, Michael Mahony, Edmund Prendergaft, buck Farrell aforefaid,  Edmund Burke, of Tubrid,  Edmund Meehan, Thoma^’ Beer, as flie afterwards heard him called, with feveral others, whom fhe cannot at prefent recolleft, preparing for faid intended refcue.  That they all fet out in three different companies, to avoid fufpicion,  your informant riding behind Michael Mahony; tliat on the way fhe heard Nicholas Sheehy propofe a fcheme of making a falfe coffin, with ftraw, covered with a fheet, to deceive and feize the guard that conducted the prifoners, in order to deliver them.  That they all arrived at the village of Newmarket, in the county of Kilkenny, where having refrefhed themfelves in the houfe of George Reed, a publican, they prepared the aforefaid ccflin. That when this was finifhed, the aforefaid Nicholas Sheehy leaving them his bleffing, departed from them, on his return home, as he then faid, to celebrate mafs at his own chapel the next day to avoid fufpicion.  That on the light horfe appearing before them, fhe faw James Farrell, otherwife buck Farrell, with one piftol in his hind, and the other in his pocket, together with Edmund Prendergaft, Michael Mahony, and feveral others, rufh out to meet them.  That fhe heard the ferjeant of the guard, George Johnfton by name, challenged firft by one Walfli, and the7i by James Farrell aforefaid, to furrender up the prifoners, or that he fhould lofe his fife.  That on his refufal, fhe faw them immediately attack him.  That buck Farrell firft knocked him down; and that a perfon, unknown to her, then drew his faid

Johnfton’s

6

APPENDIX,  No. I. 5.

Johnfton’s fword, and thruft it into his body. She depofeth further, that ihe faw one Dogherty, as ftie heard him then called, aiding and affifting in faid murder, as alfo Thomas Magrath, of Clogheen.*

her

MARY X BUTLER, mark*

Sworn before me this 2\Jl, day of March, 1 766, but jirjl read to the examinatity

JOHN HEWETSON.

* This alludes to the refcue of fome white boys, whom a p^rty of dragoons was guarding to the gaol of Kilkenny ^ and in the attempt fome of the military and many of the aflailants were killed and wounded. It was planned by that notorious traitor, father Nicholas Sheehy.

5

County of Tipperary, 1   THE information of Mr. James Farrell, of Rehill in faid to luit. > county, gentleman, who being duly fworn and examined upon

 — 3 oath, in the prefence of lieutenant colonel Harcourt, major

Lyons, captain Thomas Walmfly, and Daniel Toler, efquire, high flieriff of faid county, declareth. That he was enlifted into the fociety of white boys by the late Nicholas Sheehy,§ popifh prieft, under the oath of allegiance and fidelity to the king of France, and prince Charles; that he received his commiffion as a major in their fervice, figned by the French king, as he believeth, and alfo his pay regularly, in confequence of faid commiffion; that the real end and defign for which faid fociety was fet on foot, was, as he was credibly informed, and now verily believes, to raife a rebellion in Ireland, in order to fupport an invafion from France, a£tually intended againft the kingdoms, with a view to reftore prince Charles to the throne of thefe realms; and to overturn the prefent conftitution, both in church and ftate; that the heads of faid rebellion are, James Butler, titular archbiftop of Cafhel, Pierce Creagh, titular bifhop of Waterford, doctor Butler, titular bilhop of Cork, and doftor Fitzfimons, titular archbilhop of Dublin, Heley, popilh prieft of Arraglin,f Doyle, popifti prieft of Ardfinnan, and feveral others of the popifh clergy; together with Robert Keating, of Knocka, James Nagle, of Garrenavilla, Thomas Dogherty, of Ballynamona, Edmund Sheehy,J of the lodge, Martin Murphy, and Philip Long, of the city of Waterford, merchant, each of whom ufually fupplied faid Nicholas Sheehy with money to pay faid white boys, and to fupport their infurreftions : That informant frequently received money for faid purpofe from faid Martin Murphy and Philip Long, particularly from the former, who was agent to lord Cahir, from whom informant held fome land, and allowed him his rent regularly in part payment of his pay. That to informant’s certain knowledge, feveral thoufand pounds were expended for the above purpofe; and that particularly at one meeting held on the lands of Drumlemon, he faw two thoufand guineas diftributed to the feveral perfons there aflembled, which they had received from the above merchants, for the above purpofe. That at faid meeting informant faw a bull produced by faid Nicholas Sheehy, which he faid came diretlly from the pope,

and

§ He was hanged for inciting perfons to commit murder; and is revered as a faint by the pjpifh rabble.

f It was always a neft of traitors : Manfergh St. George, efquire, and Mr. Jafper Uniackc were affaffinatcd there.

\ Known by the name of buck Sheehy : He was hanged for high treafon.

APPENDIX,  No. I. 6.

7

and was read publickly by faid Sheehy; and that it granted a plenary pardon and indulgence to fuch of the infurgents as chofe to conform to the proteitant religion, in order the better to carry on and execute their glorious cntcrprize, and to reftore the pure and holy catholick religion in its full vigour and Itrength in Ireland.* Informant fluth, there are at prefent fifteen thoufand men embodied for the above purpofe, from the mufter-roll of their numbers kept by informant; and that moft of them are armed. Informant faith, he is thoroughly conviiiced that this fpirit of infurre£lion never will totally ceafe in this kingdom, unlefs fpeedy and effectual means are made ufe of by government to prevent the intended mifchief.

Sivont before me this iZth day of April^ 1766, JOHN HEWETSON.

JAMES FARRELL

6.

WE, the foreman and grand jury of the county of Dublin, at the affizes held at Kilmainham for faid county on the twenty-ninth day of April, 1767, being convinced, that the late riots and infurreftions in the fouthern parts of this kingdom were fomented as well by the foreign as domeftick enemies of cur happy conftitution in church and ftate, in order to overturn the fame; and that their pretences of tythes and other grievances, were only imaginary, and formed to cover their fettled intention of rifing in aftual rebellion againft his majefly’s facred perfon and government; and having an utter abhorrence of fuch treafonable praftices, think we fhould be remifs m our duty to our country, if we did not in the moll publick manner exprefs our approbation of the actions of thofe worthy magiftrates and others, who daily hazarded their lives in defence of their country; and that it was, under God, owing to the care, conduct, and fpirit exerted by thofe magiftrates, that this kingdom was not a fcene of tumult and riot at this day, the confequences of which ought to be dreaded by every lover of his country : For thefe reafons, we, therefore, return our hearty thanks to the right honourable the earl of Carrick, fir Thomas Maude, baronet, the reverend do£tor Hewetfon, William Bagwell, efquire, and John Bagnall, efquire, for their zealous endeavours to bring thofe delinquents to the punifhment they deferved, and for their unwearied pains to fupport the laws of their country.

Richard Anderfon, foreman^ Richard Jones, James Keating, Daniel Bullen, Anthony Murphy, Robert Beafley, Francis Cunningham, John Dawfon,

John Allen, William Hickey, Thomas Kennan, William Siflbn, Robert Hickey, John Edkins, Jofeph Litton, Richard Burton,

James Wilfon, John Bradley, Thomas Kean, George Davis, Thomas Andrews, Charles Smith, Daniel Ebbs, Richard Anderfon.

By

* Sixtus V, granted fuch a bull to the papifts of England and Ireland in the reign of Elizabeth.

i

APPENDIX,  No. I. 7. 8.— No. H.

7

By one of his Majejiys jujlices of the peace for /aid county.

County of Kilkenny,’^   THE informations of John Twohy, who being duly fwom to wit.     > on the Holy Evangelifts, depofeth, That he knoweth one James

— 3 Herbert, othcrwife Thomas Fitzgerald, who calls himfelf a

French officer; that he faw faid Herbert at four feveral times enlift men in Kilfinnan, and Kilmallock in the county of Limerick, and fhip them off at Bantry, in the county of Cork, for the French fervice, in the year 1756. That he faw faid Herbert, on the lands of Ardfinnan, Drumlemmon, and elfewhere, at various times fmce, fwear the white boys under the oath of fidelity and obligation to the French king, and exercife them under arms; that he faw faid Herbert alfo frequently pay them money, in the name and for the fervice of the king of France; and that your deponent has often received it from him. That he heard faid Herbert frequently allure them thus aflembled, that they fliould foon receive affiftance from France, in order to conquer Ireland.

JOHN TWOHY.

Sworn before me this T^oth day of March, 1 766, JOHN HEWETSON.

8.

William Abraham, of Bohereerd in the Queen’s county, a farmer, and of the proteftant religion, fwore the following examination before Edward Ledwich, clerk, and juftice of peace for faid county, on the twenty-feventh of December, 1774; That a report had prevailed fome time that the white boys intended to carry off examinant the night of the fifteenth inflant; that a party of them, blowing horns, and armed with mulkets, and drefled in white frocks and fhirts, entered his houfe, and put him behind one of them on horfeback; that his wife, endeavouring to prevent their doing fo, received a ftroke of a mufket in the fmall of the back. That before examinant was mounted they gave him a violent blow in the head with the lock and hammer of a gun, which inflidted a deep wound thereon, and rendered him ftupid and fenfelefs; they carried him off mounted behind one of them, with only his breeches, and a loofe great coat on; that in their progrefs, they beat, battered, and abufed him with their guns, and the man behind whom he rode, wounded him feverely in the legs with long nails in his heels, commonly called heel fpurs; they carried him ten miles off to a place near Ballyconra, where they held a confuJtation, whether they fhould cut out his tongue, or pull out his eyes; and at laft agreed to cut off his ears, which they did with circumftances of great barbarity; that after having adminiftered to him many unlawful oaths, they buried him up to his chin, though mangled in a deplorable way, in a grave lined with furze.

No. II.

I, A. B. of my own free will and accord, do fwear to be true to one another, will affift one another abroad and at home, and there are none to be admitted without the confent of the committee appointed by the faid body; and they muft in all things, be under fubjeftion to the faid committee in all’things that are lawful, and liot otherwife; and all words and figns to be kept fecret from all that are not concerned or forfeit this

oath.

APPENDIX,  No. II.

9

•ath, and we are to meet once a month where the committee thinks proper, and v.c are to fpend what is agreeable to the company; and any perfon giving a lawful reafcn for his abfence he is not to be under cenfure; and all perfons entering muft be under all rules and regulations appointed by the faid committee; and as in our former oath we are bound to lus majefty king George III. and his fucceflbrs to the crown, fc for this prefentyear 1 789, we promife faithfully the fame obedience, and alfo while -we live JubjeB to the fame Gover/imetit.

RULES TO BE OBSERVED.

I ft, Thefe is no defender to ftrike one another upon any account; or if they do, to be excluded the company as long as the committee thinks proper.

2dly, There is no perfon to come to the monthly meeting drunk; or if they do, to pay fix-pence, and to be excluded for three months.

3dly, There is no perfon on any account to fwear or fpeak loud in the company •, and for every oath they are to pay what the committee thinks proper.

4thly, There is no perfon that formerly belonged to another body (that is to fay, a ftrange body) to be accepted without a line from the body he formerly belonged to.

5 th, There is no perfon to let any one know who belongs to their body, but thofc who went under the obligation.

6th, There is no body of men to go to a challenge without leave of three of the committee at leaft.

7th, There is no body to get a copy of thefe without the leave of the grand mafter appointed by the general year’s meeting, or deputies appointed by the faid grand mafter, or his committee.

8th, Let no perfon know no words Qr figns without being concerned; and they are not empowered to give or make known by either words or figns or tokens any that may hereafter come forth, or make it known to any company or body but ourfelves, or out body.

9th, There is no defender to make himfelf known as a defender after being excluded, under fear of perjury; and each man continuing fix months from this day muft find a gun and bayonet, with other neceffary accoutrements, or be excluded at the option of the committee.

Given under our hands, the Grange committee to die committee of Carrickarnan ^ body of defenders No. i, for the county of Louth.

We, the committee of No. 18, do certify the bearer, Michael Moor, that he has gone through the rules and obligations of a brother defender; and at his requeft he tlefires to be difcharged that he may join your body.

Given under our hands, at Drumbanagher, this 24th day of April, 1789,

EDWARD BRADLEY, OWEN BRADLEY, i PATRICK LEES, DANIEL M*GOVERAN, fee.

N. B. Michael Moor’s certificate was figned by fifty-one names in addition to the above, who were prefent and members of lodge No. iS.* f

,   Cfi] At

* This profpe<5lu9 of the defenders was found by do&ot AUott, dean of R»phoe, and was fent to government in the adminiftration of the marquis of Buckingham.

f Sobriety, fecrefy, brotherly love, and the accumulation of armSj the leading tbanilwilUtks and dcCgns •f all the fub&^ttent defenders’ lodges, were C(jBfpicitoa» in this.

APPENDIX,  No. lit.

No. I; I.

/it a pcj^-ajjembly of the right honourable the lord mayor-, Jl^criffs, commons, and cit ‘izsns of the city of Dublin, held at the exhibition-houfe in William-jlreet, on Tuefday the eleventh day of September, 1 792, purfuant to a reqiiifition for the purpcfe of taking into corftderation a letter circulated throughout this city and kingdom, f.gned, “ Edward Eyrne

/i copy offaid letter, and alfo of the plan and obfervations mentioned to have been inclofed therein, having been read from a publick print, the ajfembly unanimoufly came to the following determination :

RESOLVED,

THAT a letter be addrefled to the proteftants of Ireland, to the following effcft;

“ Countrymen and Friends!

“ The firm and manly fupportwhichwerecelvedfromyou whenwe flood forward in defence of the proteflant afcendancy, deferves our warmefl: thanks. We hop^id that the fenfe of the pi-oteftants of Ireland, declared upon that occafion, would have convinced o.ur Roman catholick fellow fubjetls, that the purfuit of political power was for them a vain purfuit : For though the libera! and enlightened mind of the proteftant receives pleafure in feeing the catholick exercife his religion with freedom — enjoy his property in fecurity — and poflefs the higheft degree of perfonal liberty, yet experience has taught us, that without the ruin of the proteftant eftablifhment the catholic cannot be allowed the fmalleft influence in the ftate.

“ For more than ten years the prefs has teemed with various writings, intended to prove that Roman catholicks have an equal claim with proteftants to a participation in the exercife of political power in this kingdom; that fuch a participation would not be injurious to proteflants; that prejudice only prevents proteftants from conceding this claim; and to complete the work, a letter has lately appeared, figned “ Edward Byrne,” in which the Roman catholicks are inftrufled to proceed upon the plan of the French democracy, to ele£l a reprefentation of their own, to which faid Byrne infinuates that “ tlie proteftants mtfl bend, as he has aflurance from the higheft authority.”

<‘ In anfwer to thefe charges, and thefe claims, we fhall in a few lines briefly ftate the cafe of the Proteftants and Roman catholicks of Ireland, in doing which we fhall ,not endeavour to add to out language any other ornament than the beautiful fimplicity of truth. ‘

“ One hundred years are juft elapfed fmce the queftion was tried upon an appeal to Heaven — whether this country fhould become a popifh kingdom, governed by an arbitrary and unconftitutional popifli tyrant, and dependant upon P’rance, or enjoy the ‘ bleflings of a free proteftant government — a proteftant monarchy, limited by the conftitution — and an intimate conne£lion with the free empire of Britain? The great Ruler of all things decided in favour of our anceftors; he gave them vidtory, and Ireland became a proteftant nation, enjoying a Britifh conftitution.

“ But the conflift* had been neither fhcrt nor trivial; and fo many and fo great were the efforts made by the Roman catholicks in fupport of their popifli king and

French

* Jbe Briflfli cabinet bad n« fufpicion at this time, that fuch another conflidl would take place in the ye«r

APPENDIX,  No. III. IT.

French connexions, that our anceftors were obliged in their own defence, to deprive them of all political power, which they did by fevere but neceflary reftridtive’ Laws.

«< Time draws the veil of oblivion over the virtues as well as the faults of men : In the lapfe of more than fourfcore years, the caufes which induced the neceffity of thef,.” laws were almoft forgotten; while the generous prbteftant faw with pain his Roman cathclick fellow-fubjeft labouring under reftriftions which, from his peaceable demeanour then, appeared no longer necefTary; and he could fcarcely refrain from cliarging his anceftors with too much feverity. Seflion after fefTion the rcftrictive laws were rapidly repealed, and the laft felTion of parliament left the Roman cathollcks in no wife different from their proteftant fellow-fubje£ls — -fave only in the exercip of political power.

“ But be it remembered, that front the mdment the proteftant began to make concefiions, the Roman catholick began to extend his claims; at firft a very little would have fatlsfied him — that little, and much more, was granted; more ftill was claimed’; and when every thing confiftent with proteftant fafety was conceded, inftead of grateful acknowledgments and declarations of fatisfaftion, our ears have been dinned with exclamations of difcontent, the ravings of political clubs, and the declamations of ftate reformers.

“ But we hope that the great body of the Roman cathollcks are yet free from the influence of that dangerous fpirit which has pervaded the clubs in this city : We hope they will reje£l Mr. Byrne’s counfel, and be grateful for the indulgences they have received from proteftants. To delude them from their tranquillity, they are told by. Byrne, that he has “ The firft authority for afferting this application will have infinite

weight with our gracious fovereign, and with parliament, if our friends are quaii” fied to declare that it is the univerfal wifli of every catholick in the nation.” — But we truft it is unfounded; were it otherv/ife, we tell them that the proteftants of Ireland would not be com.pelled by any authority whatever to abandon that political fituatioa which their forefathers won with their fwords, and which is therefore their birthright; or to furrender their religion at the footftool of popery.

“ Every Irifh proteftant lias an intereft in the government of this kingdom; he is. born a member of the ftate, and with a capacity of filling its offices •, — this capacity he derives from that confbitution, which his anceftors acquired when they overthrew the popifti tyrant — it is guaranteed by that conftitution — it is fecured by the law — he is in poffeffion of it, and we know of no power under Heaven, authorized to alienate t’his, our moft valuable inheritance.

<‘ Having thus, countrymen and friends, fpoken to you our fentiments in the un-’ difguifed language of truth, we fhall intreat you to join with us in ufing every honeft liicins of perfuading the Roman cathollcks to reft content with

The moft perfe£t toleration of their religion. The fulleft fecurity of their property — and’ The moft cOmpleait perfonal liberty

but by no means nOw, or hereafter, to attempt any interference in the government of the kingdom; as fuch interference would be incompatible with the proteftant afcendancy, which we have refolved ivith our lives and fortunes to maintain.

2} « And; ‘

<

12

APPENDIX, No. IV.

*< And, that no doubt may remain of what we underftand by the words “ Proteftant Afcendancy,” we have further refolved, that we confider the proteftant afcendancy to confift in

A PROTESTANT KING OF IRELAND, A PROTESTANT PARLIAMENT, A PROTESTANT HIERARCHY, PROTESTANT ELECTORS AND GOVERNMENT, THE BENCHES OF JUSTICE, THE ARMY AND THE REVENUE, THROUGH ALL THEIR BRANCHES AND DETAILS, PROTESTANT :

-AND T’HIS system SUPPORTED BY A CONNECTION WITH THE PROTESTANT

REALM  OF BRITAIN.”

RESOLVED,

That the foregoing letter be publifhed in the Dublin Journal, and that copies thereof be tranfmitted to all the corporations, magiftrates, and members of both houfes of parliament in this kingdom.

ALLEN AND GREENE, town clerks.

No. IV.

SIR,

BY an order of the fub-committcc, dated the fifteenth of January, I had the honour to forward you a plan for a general fubfcription, which had for its objeft the raifing a fund for defraying the heavy and growing expences incurred by the general committee in conducing the affairs of the catholicks of Ireland. As leveral miftakes have occurred in the tranfmiffion of thefe letters, owing to my ignorance of the addrefs of many of the delegates, I am diredled to inform you that fuch a plan is now in forwardnefs throughout the kingdom; a meafure fo flrongly enforced by neceffity, and fo confonant to juftice, cannot fail to attra£t your very ferious attention! The committee, having the moft perfedl reliance on your zeal, are therefore confident that you will ufe your beft exertions to carry this neceflary bufinefs into full effe£t. Dublin, February 5th, 1793.

Signed by the fecretary of the fub-committee.

P. S. It is hoped you will acknowledge the receipt of this letter; ftating at the fame time whatever progrefs has been made in your diftri£l.

DEAR SIR,

I RECEIVED this day your favour of the eighth’ inftant, enclofing the different papers refpe£ting the bufinefs I wrote you. It is with much regret that I am obliged to reply, that, from the want of information on the fubje£l:-matter of the indi£lments, no precife opinion can be formed, whether the alleged offence is or is not bailable? The committee are confequently in the dark as to the meafures that fhould be adopted, nor can your exertions accelerate (as it feems) that period until the affizes, when you will be able to obtain office-copies of the examinations. Mr. Nugent’s brother left town this day truly difconcolate, in not being able to effe£b fomething towards the liberation of his kinfman; he however did his befl in the affair.

I am, dear fir,

Your obedient fervant, Dublin, 9th Augufl, 1792. JOHN SWEETMAN.

P. S. If any new occurrence fliould happen, be good enough to inform me of It

To

APPENDIX,  No. V. VI.

No. V.

3r<? the loyal JuhjeBs of Ireland.

FROM the various attempts that have been made to poifon the publick mind, and flander thofe who have had the fpirit to adhere to their king and conftitution, and t«

maintain the laws :

We, tlie proteftants of Dublin, afTuming the name of orangemen, feel ourfelvcj called upon, not to vindicate our principles, for we know that our honour and loyalty bid defiance to the fhafts of malevolence and difafleftion, but openly to avow thofc principles, and declare to the world the objedts of our inftitution.

We have long obferved with indignation the efforts that have been made to foment rebellion in this kingdom by the feditious, who have formed themfelves into focieties, under the fpecious name of United Iriftimen.

We have feen with pain the lower orders of our fellow fubje£ts, forced or feduced from their allegiance, by the threats and machinations of traitors.

And we have viewed with horror the fuccefsful exertions of mifcreants, to encourage a foreign enemy to invade this happy land, in hopes of rifing into confequencc on the downfal of their country.

We, therefore, thought it high time to rally round the Conftitution, and there pledge ourfelves to each other, to maintain the laws, and fupport our good king againft all his enemies, whether rebels to their God or to their country •, and, by fo doing, fhew to the world, that there is a body of men in the ifland who are ready, in the hour of danger, to ftand forward in defence of that grand palladium of our liberties, the conftitution of Great Britain and Ireland, obtained and eftabliftied by the courage and loyalty of our anceftors under the great king William.

Fellow-fubje£l;s, we are accufed with being an injlitution, founded on principles too (hocking to repeat, and bound together by oaths, at which human nature would ftiudder; but we caution you not to be led away by fuch malevolent falfehoods; for we folemnly affure you, in the prefence of the Almighty God, that the idea of injuring any one, on account of his religious opinion, never entered into our hearts *, wc regard every loyal fubjefl as our friend, be his religion what it may. We have no enmity but to ihe^^nemies of oicr country.

We further declare, that we are ready at all times to fubmit ourfelves to the orders of thofe in authority under his Majefty, and that we will chearfully undertake any duty which they fhall think proper to point out for us, in cafe either a foreign enemy fhall dare to invade our coafts, or that a domeftick foe ftiall prefume to raife the ftandard of rebellion in the land. To thefe principles we are pledged, and in fupport of them we are ready to fhed the laft drop of our blood.

THOMAS VERNER,

EDWARD BALL,

JOHN CLAUDITTS BERESFORD,

WILLIAM JAMES,

ISAAC DE JONCOURT.

No. VI.

Eagle, Euflace-flreet,<)th of November, ij^l.

a meeting of th& foeiety of United Iri/hmen of Dublin, the honourable Simon Butler in the chair, the Jollonving ivas agreed Po :

WHEN we refleft how often the freemen and freeholders of Dublin have been convened, humbly to Cxprefs their grievances to parliament—how often they have (o\\

APPENDIX,  No. VI.

cited the enaction of good, and the repeal of bad laws — how often, for fucceeding years, they have petitioned againft the obnoxious and unconllitutional police aft — and how often all thefe applications have been treated with the mod perfeft contumacy and contempt : When thefe fafts are brought to recolleftion, is there an honeft man will fay, that the houfe of commons have the fmalleft refpeft for the people, or believe themfelves their legitimate reprefentatives? — The fa6t is, that the great majority of that houfe confider themfelves as the reprefentatives of their own money, or the hired fervants of the Englifh government whofe minifter here is appointed for the fole purpofe of dealing out corruption to them — at the expence of Irilh liberty, Irifh commerce, and Irifh improvement. This being the cafe, it naturally follows, that fuch minifter is not only the reprefentative of the Englifh views againft this country, hvit’xs diMo the fole reprefentative of the people of Ireland. To elucidate which aflertion, it is only neceflary to alk, whether a fingle queftion in favour of this opprefled nation can be carried without his confent? — and whether any meafure, however inimical, may not through his influence be efte£led?

In this ftate of abjetl flavery, no hope remains for us, but in the fincere and hearty union of all the people, for a compleat and radical reform of parliament; beeaufe it isobvious, that one party alone have been ever unable to obtain a fingle bleffmg for their country and the policy of our rulers has been always fuch, as to keep the different fe£ts at variance, in which they have been but too well feconded by our own folly.

For the attainment then of this great and important objedl — for the removal of abfurd and ruinous diftinftions — and for promoting a complete coalition of the people, a club has been formed, compofed of all religious perfuafions, who have adopted for their name, the Society of United Iriflimen of Dublin, and have taken as their Declaration that of a fimilar fociety in Belfaft, which is aafollows :

“ In the prefent great lera of reform, when unjuft governments are falling in every quarter of Europe; when religious perfecution is compelled to abjure her tyranny over confcience; when the rights of men are afcertained in theory, and that theory fubftantiated by praftice •■, when antiquity can no longer defend abfurd and opprefhvc form.s againft the common fenfe and common interefts of mankind; when all government is acknowledged to originate from the people, and to be fo far only obligatory as it protects their rights and promotes their welfare; we think it our duty, as Irifhmen, to come forward, and ftate what we feel to be our heavy grievance, and what we know to be our eft’e£l:ual remedy : >

“ We have no national government — we are ruled by Englifhmen, and the fervants of Engliflimen whofe objeft is the intereft of another country; whofe inftrument is corruption; whofe ftrength is the weaknefs of Ireland; and thele men have the whole of the power and patronage of the country, as means to feduce and fubdue the honefty and fpirit of her reprefentatives in the legiflature. Such an extrinfic pov/er, adling with uniform force in a direction too frequently oppofite to the true line of our obvious interefts, can be refifted with efreft folely by f^A/a^wz/’/y, decifion^ v.nd fpirit in the people -, qualities which may be exerted moft legally, conftitutionally, and efEcacioufiy, by that great meafure effential to the profperity and freedom of Ire land, an equal reprefentation of all the people in parliament.

“ We do not here mention as grievances the rejection of a place-bill, of a penfionbill, of a refponfibility-bill; the fale of peerages in one houfe; the corruption publickly avowed in the other; or the notorious infamy of borough trafhck betvv’een both \ not that we are infenfible of their enormity, but that we coniider them as but fymp. toms of that mortal difeafe, which corrodes the vitals of our conftitution, and leaves to the people in their own government but the fhadow of a name.

« ImprclTed

APPENDIX.  No. VII.

15

“ Imprefled with thefe fentiments we have agreed to form an aflbciation, to be called, the Society of United Iriflimen; and we do pledge ourfelves to our country, and mutually to each other, that we will fteadily fupport and endeavour by all due means to carry into eftecSl: the following refolutions :

« I. Refolved, That the weight of Englilh influence, in the government of this country, is fo great as to require a cordial union among all the people of Ireland, to maintain that balance whichis efTential to the prefervation of our liberties^, and the extenfion of our commerce.

“ II. That the fole conftitutional mode by which this influence can be oppofed, is by a complete and radical reform of the reprefentation of the people in parliament.

“ III. That no reform is practicable, eflicacLous, or juft, which fhall not include Irifhmen of every religious periuafion.

“ Satisfied as we are, that the inteftine divifions among Irifhmen have too often given encouragement and impunity to profligate, audacious, and corrupt adminiftrations, in meafures which, but for thefe divifions, they durft not have attempted, wc fubmit our refolutions to the nation, as the bafis of our political faith.

Wc have gone to what we conceive to be the root of the evil; we have ftated what we conceive to be the remedy. — With a parliament thus reformed, every thing is eafy; without it, nothing can be done. And we do call on, and moft earneftly exhort our countrymen in general to follow our example, and form fimilar focieties in every quarter of the kingdom, for the promotion of conftitutional knowledge, the abolition of bigotry and religion in politicks, and the equal diftribution of the rights of man through all fe£l:s and denominations of Irifhmen.

“ The people when thus colle£led will feel their own weight, and fecure that power which theory has already admitted as their portion, and to which, if they be not aroufed by their prefent provocations to vindicate it, they deferve to forfeit their pretenfions for ever.”

ORDERED) that the foregoing be printed for the ufe of the members^

JAMES NAPPER TANDY, fecretarj.

*’ I A. B. in the prefence of God, do pledge myfelf to my country, that I will ufe *< all my abilities and influence in the attainment of an impartial and adequate repref;n*’ tation of the Irifh nation in parliament; and as a means of abfolute and immediate « neceflity in the eftablilhment of this chief good of Ireland, I will endeavour, as much *’ as lies in my ability, to forward a brotherhood of afi^e£lion, an identity of interefts, a ** communion of rights, an union of power, among Irifhmen of all religious perfua” fions, without which every reform in parliament muft be partial, not national, inadi” quate to the wants, delufive to the wifhes, and infuificient for the freedom and hap” pinefs of this country.”

No. VII.

■ h

Conjlitution of the focieiy of united Irifhmen of tie city of Dublin, as fir[i agreed upon,

THE fociety is conftituted for the purpofe of forwarding a brotherhood of afFecfion, an identity of interefts, a communion of rights, and an union of power, among Irifhmen of all religious perfuafions, and thereby obtaining an impartial and adequate reprefentation of the nation in parliament.

The members of this fociety are either ordinary or honorary.

 ‘ Sucfe

APPENDIX,  No. VII.

Such perfons only are eligible as honorary members, who have diftinguifhed themfelves by promoting the liberties of mankind, and are not inhabitants of Ireland.

Every candidate for admilTion into the fociety, whether as an ordinary or honorary member, ihall be propofed by two ordinary members, who fhall fign a certificate of his being, from their knowledge of him, a fit perfon to be admitted, that he has feen the teft, and is willing to take it : This certificate, delivered to the fecretary, fhall be read from the chair, at the enfuing meeting of the fociety; and on the next fubfequent night of meeting the fociety fhall proceed to the eleftion. The names and additions of the candidate, with the names of thofe by whom he has been propofedj fhall be inferted in the fummons for the night of eledtion. The ele£lion fhall be condu£led by ballot, and if one-fifth of the number of beans be black, the candidate Hands rejedled. The ele£l:ion, with refpeft to an ordinary member, fliall be void, if he does not attend within four meetings afterwards, unlefs he can plead fome reafonable excufe for his abfence.

Every perfon elected a member of the fociety, whether honorary or ordinary, fhall, previous to his admifTion, take and fubfcribe the following teft :

« I, A. B. in the prefence of God, do pledge myfelf to my country, that I will «* ufe all my abilities and influence in the attainment of an impartial and adequate ** reprefentation of the Irifh nation in parliament; and as a means of abfolute «« and immediate neceiTity in the eftablifhment of this chief good of Ireland, I will « endeavour, as much as lies in my ability, to forward a brotherhood of afFedtion, “ an identity of interefts, a communion of rights, and an union of power among «‘ Iriflimen of all religious perfuafions; without which every reform in parliament “ mufl be partial, not national, inadequate to the wants, delufive to the wifhes, «< and infufficient for the freedom and happinefs of this country.”

A member of another fociety of united Irifhmen being introduced to the prefident by a member of this fociety, fhall, upon producing a certificate figned by the fecretary, and fealed with the feal of the fociety to which he belongs, and taking the before mentioned tell, be thereupon admitted to attend the fittings of this fociety.

The officers of the fociety fhall confifl of a prefident, treafurer, and fecretary, tvho fhall be feverally ele£ted three months, videlicet, on every firft night of meeting in the months of November, February, May, and Auguft; the eledion to be determined by each member prefent writing on a piece of paper the names of the obje£t of his choice, and putting it into a box. The majority of votes fhall decide; if the votes are equal, the prefident fhall have a calling voice. No perfon fliall be capable of being re-ele£led to any office for the quarter next fucceeding the determination of his office. In cafe of an occafional vacancy in any ofllice by death or etherwife, the fociety fhall on the next night of meeting, ele«fl a perfon to the fame for the remainder of the quarter.

The fociety fhall meet on every fecond Friday night, oftener if necefTary. The fhair fhall be taken at eight o’clock from twenty-ninth September, to twenty-fifth March } and at nine o’clock from twenty-fifth March, to twenty-ninth September. Fifteen members fhall form a quorum; no new bufinefs fhall be introduced after ten o’clock.

Every refpe£l and deference fhall be ^ziA to the prefident; his chair fhall be raifed three fleps above the feats of the members; the treafurer and fecretary fhall have feats under him, two fleps above the feats of the members. On his rifing from his chair, and taking ofi” his hat, there mufl be filence, and the members be feated , he fhall be judge of order and propriety, be impoweted to A\x&(X an apology, and

to

APPENDIX,  No. VIII.

to fine refra£lory members in any fum not above one crown; if the member refufe to pay the fine, or make the apology, he is thereupon expelled from the fociety.

There (hall be a committee of conftitution, of finance, of correfpondence, and ©f accommodation. The committee of conftitution ftiall confift of nine members, that of finance of feven members, that of correfpondence of five members; eacli committee fliall, independent of occafional reports, make general reports on every quarterly meeting. The treafurer ftiall be under the direftion of the committee of finance, and the fecretary under the direftion of the committee of correfpondence; the election for committees fliall be on every quarterly meeting, and decided by the majority of votes.

In order to defray the neceffary expences, and eftablifh a fund for the ufe of the fociety, each ordinary member (hall on his eleftion pay to the treafurer, by thofe who propofed him, one guinea admiflion fee; and alfo one guinea annually, by half yearly payments, on every firft night of meeting in November and May; the firft payment thereof to be on the firft night of meeting in November, 1792. On every quarterly meeting following, the names of the defaulters, as they appear in the treafury-book, fliall be read from the chair. If any member after the fecond reading, negle£i to pay his fubfcription, he fliall be excluded the fociety, unlefs he can fliew fome reafonable excufe for his default.

The fecretary fliall be furniflied with the following feal, videlicet, a harp; at the top, “ / new Jlrimg at the bottom, I uuill be heard” and on the exergue, “ Society of united IriJJjtnen of Dublin.^’

No motion for an alteration of, or addition to, the conftitution fhall be made but at the quarterly meetings, and notice of fuch motion ftiall be given fourteen days previous to thofe meetings. If upon fuch motion the fociety fliall fee ground for the propofed alteration or addition, the fame fliall be referred to the proper committee, with inftruftions to report on the next night of meeting their opinion thereon; and upon fuch report the queftion ftiall be decided by the fociety.

No. VIII.

ExtraBs from the publications of united Irifhmen,

Friday^ ^Qth December , 1791.

Society of united Iriflxtnen’ of Dublin.   The honourable Simon Butler in the chair.

Rfolved, unanimoufly^ that the folloiuing circular letter, reported by our committee of correfpondence^ he adopted and printed :

THIS letter is addrefled to you from the correfponding committee of the fociety of united Irifhmen in Dublin.

We annex the declaration of political principles which we have fubfcribed, and the teft which we have taken, as a focial and facred compa£l to bind us more clofely together.

The objeft of tiiis inftitution is to make an united fociety of the Irifh nation; to make all Iriftimeri, citizens; all citizens, Irifhmen : nothing appearing to us more natural at all times, and at this crifis of Europe more feafonable, than that thofe who have common interefts, and common enemies, who fuffer common wrongs, and iay claim to common rights, fhould know each other and fliould aft together. In our opinion ignorance has been the demon of difcord, which has fo long deprived Irifhmen, not only of the bleftings of well regulated government, but even the common

[ C ] benefits

APPENDIX,  No. Vm.

benefits of civil fociety. Peace in this ifland has hitherto been a peace on the principles and with the confequences of civil war. For a century paft there has indeed been tranquillity, but to’ moft of our dear countrymen it has been the tranquillity of a dungeon; and if the land has lately profpered, it has been owing to the goodnefs of Providence, and the ftrong efforts of human nature refilling and overcoming the malignant influence of a miferable adminiftration.

To refill this influence, which rules by difcord and embroils by fyftem, it is vain to a£l as Individuals or as parties; it becomes neceffary by an union of minds, and a knowledge of each other to will and a£l as a nation. To know each other is to know ourfelves; the weaknefs of one and the ftrength of many. Union, therefore, is power; it is wifdom; it muft prove liberty.

Our defign, therefore, in forming this fociety, is to give an example, which, when well followed, muft collefl the publick will, and concentrate the publick power into one folid mafs, the effe£l of which, once put in motion, muft be rapid, momentous, and confequential. v

In thus affociating we have thought little about our anceftors, much of our pofterity. Are we for ever to walk like beafts of prey, over fields which thefe anceftors ftained with blood? In looking back, we fee nothing on the one part but favage force fucceeded by favage policy; on the other, an unfortunate nation, “ fcattered and peeled, meted out and trodden down!” We fee a mutual intolerance, and a common carnage of the firft moral emotions of the heart, which lead us to efteem and place confidence in our fellow-creatures. We fee this, and are filent : but we gladly look forward to brighter profpe£ls, to a people united in the fellowfhip of freedom, to a parliament the exptefs image of the people, to a profperity eftabliflied on civil, political, and religious liberty, to a peace, not the gloomy and precarious •ftillnefs of men brooding over their wrongs, but that ftable tranquillity which refts on the rights of human nature, and leans on the arms by which thefe rights are to be maintained.

Our principal rule of condu£l has been to attend to thofe things \n which we agree, to exclude from our thoughts thofe in which we differ. We agree in knowing what are our rights, and in daring to affert them : If the rights of men be duties to God, we are in this refpedl of one religion. Our creed of civil faith is the fame; we agree in thinking that there is not an individual among our millions, whofe happinefs can be eftablifhed on any foundation fo rational and fo folid, as on the happinefs of the whole community. We agree, therefore, in the necellity of giving political value and ftation to the great majority of the people; and we think that whoever defires an amended conftitution, without including the great body of the people, muft on his own principles be convifted of political perfecution, arid political monopoly. If the prefent ele£lors be themfelyes a morbid part of our conftitution, where are we to recur for redrefs but to the whole community? “ A more unjuft and abfurd conftitution cannot be devifed, than that which condemns the natives of a country to perpetual fervitude, under the arbitrary dominion of ftrangers and flaves.”

We agree in thinking, that the firft and moft tndifpenfable condition of the laws in a free ftate, is the affent of thofe whofe obedience they require, and for whofe benefit only they are defigned. Without, therefore, an impartial and adequate reprefentation of the community; we agree in declaring, we can have no conftitution, no country, no Ireland. Without this, our late revolution we declare Xo be fallacious and ideal; a thing much talked of, but neither felt or feen. The a£l of Irifli fovereignty has been merely toffed out of the Englifti houfes into the

icabinet

APPENDIX,  No. VIII.

eibinet of the mlniftet •,, and nothing remains to the people, who of right are every thing, but a fervile raajefty and a ragged independence.

We call moft earneftly on every great and good man, who at the late sera fpoke or a£led for his country, to confider lefs of what was done than of what there remains to do. We call upon their fenatorial wifdom to confider the monftrous and immeafurable diftance which feparates, in this ifland, the ranks of focial life, makes labour ineffeftual, taxation unprodu£live, and divides the nation into petty defpotifm and publick mifery. We call upon their tutelar genius, to remember, that government is inftituted to remedy, not to render more grievous, the natural inequality of mankind, and that unlefs the rights of the whole community be alTerted, anarchy (we cannot call it government) muft continue to prevail, when the ftrong tyrannize, the rich opprefs, and the mafs are brayed in a mortar. We call upon them, therefore, to build their arguments and their anions on the broad platform of general good.

Let not the rights of nature be enjoyed merely by connivance, and the rights of confcience merely by toleration. If you raife up a prone people, let it not be merely to their knees : Let the nation ftand. Then will it caft away the bad habit of fervitude, which has brought with it indolence, ignorance, an extinftion of our faculties, an abandonment of our very nature. Then will every right obtained, every franchife exercifed, prove a feed of fobriety, induftry, and regard to charaiter, and the manners of the people will be formed on the model of their free conftitution.

This rapid expofition of our principles, our obje£l, and our rule of condu£l, muft naturally fuggeft the wifti of multiplying fimilar focieties, and the propriety of addreffing fuch a defire to you. Is it neceflary for us to requeft, that you will hold out your hand, and open your heart to your countryman, townfman, neighbour .’’ Can you form a hope for political redemption, and by political penalties, or civil excommunications, withhold the rights of nature from your brother .’’ We befcech y*i to rally all the friends of liberty within your circle round a fociety of this kind as a centre. Draw together your beft and braveft thoughts, your beft and braveft men. You will experience, as we have done, that thefe points of union will quickly attraft numbers, while the aflemblage of fuch focieties, acting in concert, moving as one body, with one impulfe and one direftion, will, in no long time, become not parts of the nation, but the nation itfelf fpeaking with its voice, expreffing its will, refiftlefs in its power. We again entreat you to look around for men fit to form thofe ftable fupports on which Ireland may reft the lever of liberty. If there be but ten, take thofe ten. If there be but two, take thofe two, and truft with confidence to the fincerity of your intention, the juftice of your caufe, and the fupport of your country.

Two obje£ls intereft the nation, a plan of reprefentation, and the means of accomplifiiing it. Thefe focieties will be a moft powerful means •, but a popular plan would itfelf be a means for its own accompiifliment. We have, therefore, to requeft, that you will favour us with your ideas refpeiSting the plan which appears to you moft eligible and prafticable, on the prefent more enl’.rged and liberal principles which a£tuate the people; at the fame time giving your f^intiments upon our national coalition, on the means of promoting it, and on the political ftate and difpofition of the county or town where you refide. We know what refiftance will be made to your patriotic efforts by thofe who triumph in the difunion and degradation of their country. The greater the necefllty for reform, the greater probably will be the refiftance; We know that there is much fpirit that requires being

[C 2] brought

20

APPENDIX,  No. IX.

brought into mafs, as well as much mafly body that muft be refined Into fpirlt. We have many enemies, and no enemy is contemptible; we do not defpife the enemies of the union, the liberty and the peace of Ireland, but we are not of <fi nature, nor have we encouraged the habit of fearing any man, or any body of men, in an honeft and honourable caufe. In great undertakings like the prefent, we declare that we have found it always more difficult to attempt, than to accomplifli. The people of Ireland muft perform all that they wilh, if they attempt all that they can.

Signed by order, JAMES NAPPER TANDY, fee.

No. IX.

Some outrages committed by the defenders and united Irifhmen in the year 1795.

THIS month (January,) an attempt was made on the houfe of Mr. Sterne Tighe of Carrick, in the county of Meath, by a body of defenders, but they were repulfed after many fhots fired on both fides. The fame night they plundered the houfe of Mr. Monaghan of Caftletown-delvin of arms. In the fame neighbouiiiood many houfes were attempted, feveral cows were houghed, and other damages done.

March twenty-firft, at Carrickmacrofs, a private of the Galway militia was murdered by three defenders.

March twenty-fifth, the houfe of Mr. Grattan, of Bensfort, in the county of Meath was attacked by a body of defenders, who broke into the hall, but were repulfed by him and his fervants. A fhort time before, in his abfence, they forcibly entered it, and carried off fome fire arms, plate, and other valuable articles.

This month, (May,) near Sligo, between two and three thoufand defenders had tlie temerity to attack a company of the Derry militia, who repelled «he attack, after killing thirty, and taking many of the infurgents. About the fame time, a numerous body of them aflaulted a company of the Tyrone militia, quartered at Tuam, who in their defence killed eighteen, and took and wounded a great number of them.

June twenty-fecond, a party of defenders broke into the houfe of Coote MoUoy, efquire, near Boyle, in the county of Rofcommon, but his fon having (hot one of them dead in the hall, the remainder fled; he alfo wounded another who turned approver.

During the fummer of this year, the counties of Meath, Weftmeath and Kildare, were dreadfully agitated by the defenders. In fhort, moft of the refpeftable inhabitants of them were obliged to keep foldiers in their houfes for their proteftion. Mr. Thomas Ryan, a magiflrate of the county of Kildare, when returning to his houfe, after having affifted at the committal of fome defenders, was way-laid and furrounded by a large number of thefe ruffians, who fired feveral Ihots at him, and gave him a fevere wound in the temple with a mulket ball.

The houfe of Mr. Lille, near Caftlepollard, county of Meath, was attempted by a numerous body of them; but after a gallant defence he repulfed them.

June twenty-fourth, they attacked the houfe of Mr. Murdock, of Heathftown, county of Weftmeath, and robbed it of arms. Four of them were foon after taken, and condemned to be hanged on the evidence of one Sommers his fervant. The night before the execution the defenders alTaffinated Sommers.

In

APPENDIX,  No. IX.

In July, William Finlay, of Ginnetts, in the county of Kildarc, efquire, was fired at in mid-day, while walking in his demefne, and the ball lodged in liis arm.

In the county of Meath, the houfe of the reverend Mr. Knipe, a proteftant clergyman, was attacked in the night, by a large body of defenders. In his defen-ce he killed one of them; in revenge, they afterwards murdered him, and mangled his body with favage barbarity.

In Auguft, in the neighbourhood of Finglas, the houjGes of Mr. Rowe, and many others, were plundered of arms.

The houfe of the reverend Mr. Mc. Allifter, near Summer-hill, county of Meath, was robbed by the defenders of money and arms. Near Slane, many cows and bullocks were houghed by them. In Eaft Meath, many outrages too tedious ta mention were committed; where improving in cruelty, they often cut off the udders of cows.

Mr. Talbot’s houfe in the Phoenix park was robbed of arms.

Auguft fourth, they attacked the houfe of Mr. Pentland, of Hollywoodrath, and becaufe he refufed to furrender his arms, they burned his hay and corn.

Auguft fifth, not fatisfied with houghing eleven cows, the property of Mr. Read, near old Caftle, they burned to the ground his houfe and offices; and this becaufe he profecuted two ruffians for burglary and felony.

A body of them burned to alhes the houfe and furniture of Mr. Peter Brady, of Mace-town, county of Meath.

In September, the houfe of Mr. Monfort, of Gladfton, in the county of Weftmeath, was attacked by fome defenders, who fet fire to it; however, he fallied out •with his fon and a fervant, and repulfed them; but the houfe and furniture were confumed.

Many houfes were forced and plundered, and various outrages committed near Drogheda, and in the county of Meath.

The houfe of Mr. Walfti, who keeps flour-mills near Drogheda, was forced and robbed of arms.

That of Mr. Taylor, who keeps the Black Lion, was attacked, but after a vigorous defence the defenders fled.

They forcibly entered the houfe of Mrs. Fulham, near Navan; and becaufe flie mildly reafoned with them on the impropriety of their conduft, they (hot off^ the roof of her ^kull.

The fame banditti attacked the houfe of one Mullins, in the county of Meath, who alarmed his neighbours, and feized one of them.

They forcibly entered the houfe pf Mr. Walfli near Swords, took his arms, and made him fwear the defenders oath.

The houfes of fir Henry Wilkinfon, of Corballis, near Swords, county of Dublin, and of alderman Lynam near Pichardftown, were forced in the night and plundered of arms.

The latter end of December, a moft horrid murder was committed near Trfm, by a party of defenders, on James Hyland and his wife, merely becaufe they fufpecled that they had given information againft fome of their body. They ffiot the mait through the forehead, and his wife through the back, as fhe endeavoured to make her efcape.

Soon after notices were pofted on all the neighbouring chapels, announcing that all thofe who gave information againft, or fearched for defenders, fhould be facrificed in the fame manner as Hyland and his wife.

The

/

22 A P P E N D I X,  No. X.

The confeffion upon oath of Henry Ledwich, who took refuge in the gaol of Mullingar, before fome magiftrates thirtieth of January, 1796. He is a private in the 1 2th dragoons, and voluntarily made a very ufeful difcovery of a murder and robbery intended to be committed in the houfe of Lavallin Nugent, efquire, of Tulla, in the county of Weftmeath. Deponent was two years a defender, and ta get rid of them, enlifted about two months ago in the faid regiment. The firft oath he took was to be true to the king, and to his brethren, when occafion required; the fecond was to be true to his brethren, and to join the French when they would land, and to deftroy the members of every religion but their own. Deponent was fworn a defender in the county of Cavan, but never adted as fuch till about a month ago, and was out but three times with them, in Weftmeath, whither he came from the county of Cavan to avoid them. Deponent was fpoken to by one Clarke a publican, who was a committee man and treafurer to the defenders, and lives at Parfon’s-town, and has feduced many perfons. Deponent’s motive for giving information about the Nugent family was, that his family had ferved under them in the wars of Ireland. That Clarke has the country under contribution, and iflues his orders to pafs fuch perfons as pay their fubfcriptions. Deponent was at the robbery of Mr. John Dillon, tenant of count Dalton, and took from him two guns and a cafe of piftols; and at that of Mrs. Thompfon at Parfon’s-town, from whom they took one gun, three guineas, and fix fhillings; and at that of K. Kenny’s, where they got fourteen guineas, two (hillings, and two guns, after firing many fliots through the doors; and alfo at that of Mr. Leftrange’s; that about a dozen defenders went ufually on an expedition.

On the firft rifing they were to feize on the caftle of Dublin, and to mafTacrc the Proteftants every where.

No. X.

JUr. Grattat^s atifwer to the Roman catholicks.

Gentlemen,

IN fupporting you, I fupport the Proteftant; we have but one intereft and one honour; and whoever gives privileges to you, gives vigour to all. The Proteftant already begins to perceive it; a late attack has rallied the fcattered fpirits of the country, from the folly of religious fchifm to the recolle£l:ion of national honour, and a nation’s feuds are loft in a nation’s refentment. Your emancipation will PASS, rely on it, your emancipation must pass; it may be death to one viceroy, it will be the peace-oflFering of another; and the laurel may be torn from the de^d brow of one governor, to be craftily converted into the olive of his fucceflbr.

Let me advife you by no means to poftpone the eonfideration of your fortunes till after the war; rather let Britain receive the henejit of your zeal during the exigency which demands it, and you yourfelves, while you are fighting to preferve the hlejftng of a conjiitulion, have really and bona fide thofe bleflings.

My wifh is that you Ihould be free now, there is no other policy which is not low and little; let tis at once ttflantly embrace, and greatly emancipate.

On this principle I mean to introduce your bill, with your permiflion, immediately after the recefs.

You are pleafed to fpeak of the confidence and power with which for a moment I was fuppofed to have been poffefled.

When

APPENDIX,  No. X.

23

When his Majefty’s minifters were pleafed to refort to our fupport, tliey took us with the incumbrance of our reputation, and with all our debts and mortgages which we owed to our country.

To have accepted a fiiare of confidence and council without a view to private advantage, will not meet, I hope, with the difapprobation of my country but to have accepted that (hare without any view to publick advantage, would have been refinement on Lhe folly of ambition. Meafures therefore, publick meafures and arrangements, and that which is now difputed, were flipulated by us, were promifed in one quarter and with aflurances; they were not refilled in another.

In the fervice of government, under his excellency’s adminiftration, we direfled our attention to two great objefts, the Kingdom and the Empire. We obtained certain beneficial laws, the difcovery and reformation of certain abufes, and were in progrefs to reform more we obtained a great force, and a great fupply with the confent and confidence of the people; thefe were not the meafures of courtiers, they were the meafures of minifters.

His excellency lord Fitzwilliam may boafl that he ofi^ered to the empire the afieftions of millions; a better aid to the war than his enemies can furnifli, who have forfeited thofe afFedtions, and put themfelves in their place.

So decidedly have the meafures of Ireland ferved the empire, that thofe who were concerned in them might appeal from the cabals of the Britifh cabinet, to the fenfe of the Britifii nation. I know of no caufe afforded for the difpleafure of the Englilh cabinet; but if fervices done to Ireland are crimes which cannot be atoned for by exertions for the empire, I muft lament the gloomy profpeft of both kingdoms, and receive a difcharge from the fervice of government, as the only honour an Englifh minifter can confer on an Irifti fubje£l:.

I conceive the continuance of lord Fitzwilliam as neceflary for the profperity of this kingdom : his firm integrity is formed to correal:, his mild manners to reconcile, and his private example to difcountenance a progrefs of vulgar and rapid pollution : if he is to retire, I condole with my country : for myfelf, the pangs on that occafion I fliould feel on rendering up my fmall portion of minifterial breath would be little, were it not for the gloomy profpedls afforded by thofe dreadful guardians which are likely to fucceed. I tremble at the return to power of your old tafkmafters; that combination which galled the country with its tyranny, infulted her by its manners, exhaufted her by its rapacity, and flandered her by its malice : fhould fuch a combination, (at once inflamed as it mufl be now by the favour of the Britifh court, and by the reprobation of the Irifh people,) return to power, I have no hefitation to fay, that they will extinguish Ireland, or irelahd must REMOVE THEM. It is not your cafe only, but that of the nation. I find the country already committed in the ftruggle. I beg to be committed along with her, and to abide the ifTues of her fortunes.

I fliould have expe£ted that there had been a wifdom and faith in fome quarter cf another country, that would have prevented fuch cataftrophe but I know it is no proof of that wifdom, to take the taxes, continue the abiifes, damp the zeal, and dafh away the affeftion of fo important a member of the empire as the people of Ireland; and when this country came forward, cordial and confident with the offering of her treafure and blood, and refolute to ftand or fall with die Britifli nation; it is, I fay, no proof of wifdom nor generofity, to feledl that moment to plant a dagger in her heart.

But whatfoever fiiall be the event, I will adhere to her interefls to the laft moment of my life,

HENRY GRATTAN.

24

APPENDIX,  No. XT.

No. XI.

The confpiracy in the county of Carlow.

NOT only in Carlow, but in moft of the counties of Ireland, the priefts in the years 1791 and 1792, began to take an accurate account of their feftaricc. in every family within their refpedtive parilhes, which was fuppofed to be done with a view of afcertaining their relative ftrength by their numbers, when compared with the members of the eftablifhed church.

About the fame time maps, pointing out the property of the old popifli pofleflbrs, were printed and publifhed.

The great zeal with which the priefts began about that time to eftablifh religious fraternities among the populace, of which the fcapular was the moft prominent, gave an additional proof that a confpiracy was in contemplation. This inftitution introduced amongft them an extraordinary fan£l:ity and aufterity of manners, and afforded a trial of their filence, which was fo eflential to promote fuch a meafure.

The infolence of the lower clafs of the people was obvioufly encreafed about the year 1793, by the following incidents : The priefts were enabled to build ftately chapels by the fubfcriptions not only of their own flock, but of proteftants; which formed a ftriking contraft to, and reflected on, the ruined edifices where proteftants, lefs entliufiaftic, worftiipped their God.

At a time that a proteftant clergyman in that county could not obtain a fum of money to build a church for three hundred proteftants, whom he had attended for twelve years in a footy cabbin, the prieft of Carlow built a college and chapel, which muft have coft from 3000I. to 4000I.

In the beginning of the year 1797, the infolent looks and haughty demeanour of the peafants, who would not formerly approach a gentleman but with the greatcft humility, challenged his attention with a broad ftare, often followed by a fardoiiic grin.

Such was the ftate of the county of Carlow in the month of November, 1 797, when fome informations, fworn privately before a magiftrate, gave unqueftionable proofs that a confpiracy was forming; and the following event removed every doubt on that head : Mr. Bennett, who lived near Leighlinbridge, was rafli enough to declare his deteftation of an united Iriftiman, and that he v/ould give 500I. for the head of one; for which on the fame night he was murdered, in the dead hour of the night, and his houfe was robbed of 500I. in calh.

This money, and their fuccefs in gratifying their vengeance againft fo refpedlable an enemy, infpired them fo much with the hope of accompliftiing their main defign, that they began to affeinble in great numbers, and to organize with great celerity

A gentleman pafling thro’ Leighlinbridge, faid, he made it a rule to give the people a drink; and having ordered a barrel of aJe for thcra, the confpirators in great numbers, who feemed prepared for the bufinefs, mounted one of their drummers on the barrel, and proceeded in regular array, and with ‘.”ome arms, to the houfe of a man at Moneybeg, who had fworn examinations againft feme of them, and murdered him in his bed; they then proceeded to the houfe of Mr. Bagenal, a gentleman who had formerly reprefented the county, but having kept bshind a bank of earth, it protedled them from the Ihot of three of his proteftant yeomen, who kept up a conftant fire on them, until an accidental fhot, from a blunderbufs of one of their own party, killed cue of the united men, of due inaufpicious name cf Paine.

Six

APPENDIX,  No. X[.

Six of his popifti yeomen were pofled outfide his houfe, behind a wall, (for he kept the proteftants within it,) commanded by his Ueutenant, who afterwards recommended to Mr. Bagenal, not to depend on a papift, though he, and his two foiis, were of that perfuaCon, as he could not prevail on the three others to fire on the afl’ailants; and he declared, that he never would ferve with any of them.

In their retreat, they plundered and (battered the houfe of Mr. Mulhallow, and beat and infulted him in the moft cruel and ferocious manner.

From that time they never ceafed to plunder houfes of arms, and other valuable articles, avoiding the patroles of Mr. Robert Rochfort, of Clongrennan, and of Mr. Cornwall, of Myfliall-lodge, who, much to their honour, never ceafed to harafs ithofe mifcreants by night, at the head of their refpeftive yeomen corps; while other gentlemen, palfied by fear, fought for proteftion by courting the priefts. In fhort, I have been affured, that the county of Carlow would have been as much defolated as the county of Wexford, but that thefe gentlemen, by unabated exertions and the moft undaunted courage, ftruck terror into them, by furprifing and arrefting numbers of them, in tlieir moft fecret haunts and recefles.

In all their depredations, they never offered any injury to the property, or infult to the perfon of a papift, except that in fome cafes they took arms from fuch perfons ef that perfuafion, as were not likely to ufe them, or were not engaged in the confederacy.

On requiring arms of a widow of the popifti religion, near Leighlin, they informed her that they were for her benefit, and that of the -Catholick caufe. A man of the name of Hughes, appeared before Mr. Cornwall, of Myftiall-lodge, a magiftrate, on the twenty-fir ft of July, and confefled that he had been a lieutenant, under a captain James Nowlan; and he. ftated the whole progrefs of the rebellion from its commencement. He faid that the night previous to the attack on Borris, Leighlin bridge, and Bagenalftown, he received orders from Nowlan, how he was to attack .the enemy; and on afking him whom he was to confider as fuch, the captain replied, the king’s troops and the proteftants in general. The popifh rabble, and numbers of Roman catholicks in comfortable, nay in opulent fituations, took oaths of allegiance before magiftrates, who gave them certificates of their having done fo •, and an abundance of fuch certificates were found in their pockets when they were made prifoners at the battle of Kilcomney, and elfewhere.

: Many proteftants were murdered, many of their houfes were burnt, and much of their property was deftroyed, in that part of the ‘COunty of Carlow bordering upon the counties of Wicklow and Wexford. I have not obtained a minute account of them, but I fhall refer the readers to the affidavit of Jervis Pue, at the end of this, for a fpecimeu of them, and of the ferocious fpirit by which the rebels were aftuated.

Moft of the popilh yeomen in the county of Carlow, were difafFefted, and would, had an op^^ortunity offered, have turned their arms againft their king and country.

In fir Richard Butler’s corps of cavalry, nine papifts, of v/hom his permanent ferjeant was one, confpired to murder its proteftant members. The ferjeant was to have pofted in the rear the confpirators, who were to have fired on the proteftants in aftion. Sevep. of them were convitted and hanged, the other two fled; but coming in under the proclamation, obtained their pardon.

Mr. Burton, member for the county, had a corps of infantry, in which he difccvered twenty popifh traitors, whom he expelled, and feventeen of them were afterwards hanged or tranfported. The arms of his corps being depofited in the guard houfe, and guarded by fix popifli members, when the infurreftion was expe£led, they poured w.itir into the muzzles, and wet the pans, of their firelocks.

[ D ] About

26

APPENDIX,  No. XI.

About thirty-fix popifh yeomen were fhot in Carlow and its vicinity; but there was not a fingle inftance of difafFe<£tion difcovered in a protsftant, that I could hear of.*

As the attack on Carlow, and the defeat of the rebels, took place on the firfl: explofion of the rebellion, I included a defcription of it in the events which took place on that occafion.

County of the city of Duhtin, 1   THE information of Jen’is Pue, of Johnftown, in the to wit. > county of Carlow, yeoman, who being fworn on the

 —; Holy Evangelifts, maketh oath and laith. That on or

about thefirft day of July, 1798, he, this informant, being in the yard of the Rev. Henry Braddell, his landlord, was informed that the rebels were advancing; in confequence of which he, this informant, and two proteftants more, made their efcape into an adjoining wood, on the lands of Ballyconnel, in the county of Wicklow. — Informant faith, that the faid rebels advanced to the houfe of the (aid Henry Braddell, and plundered the fame of liquor and provifions, and carried off a black mare, the property of George Braddell, efquire, brother of the faid Henry; and that the fame day the faid rebels forcibly carried off from the houfe of the widow Halfpenny, at Coolkinnoe, in the county of Wicklow, two fons of the faid widow Halfpenny, Thomas Charleton, near faid place, James Twamly, who lives near Coolkennoe aforefaid, George Driver, of Tinnehaly, all of the proteftant religion, and whom they inhumanly butchered and put to death with pikes, on the hill of Boulamorogue, ia faid county, for no other reafon than becaufe they were proteftants. Informant faith, that the bodies of the faid perfons were fo mangled and butchered, that their friends were obliged to convey them to the place of burial fwathed in linen clothes. Informant faith, that about three weeks ago, a party of faid rebels went to the houfe of Jofeph Faris, of Crownafkeagh, in the county of Carlow, farmer, who lay fick in bed with a violent fever; and that the faid rebels took the faid Jofeph Faris out of

h-s bed, and (hot him at the end of his own houfe, which they burned to afhes

Informant faith, that the faid rebels, about the fame time, aflaffinated Thomas Mathers, of Crownafkeagh aforefaid, farmer : And he, this informant, verily believes that the faid rebels murdered the faid Faris, and the faid Mathers, for no other reafon than becaufe they were proteftants, who they, without exception, denominated orangemen •, and informant further faith, that the faid rebels, never to this informant’s knowledge, injured the houfe or property of any Roman catholick, refident in any of the aforefaid places. Informant faith, that a numerous body of rebels burned on the tv/enty-fourth of July laft, the houfes of twenty-three proteftants, at Lany and Johnftov/n, in the county of Carlow, and at BallydufF in faid county, and at Ahold, Coolkennoe, Killybeg, and Gold, in the county of Wicklow 5 informant faith, that the houfe of Lorenzo Nickfon, efquire, at Coolkennoe aforefaid, was among the houfes fo burned; and that the faid rebels, previous to the burning of the fame, had the poftillion of the faid Lorenzo Nickfon, who was dying in a confumption, brought out from faid houfe by two women, and that the faid rebels fhot the faid poftillion in prefence of his wife. Informant faith, that about a fortnight, previous to the date hereof, a party of rebels went to the houfe of Robert Davis, a farmer, and of the proteftant religion, and refident within half a mile of Tullow, in the county of Carlow, and fhot the faid Davis in his houfe, at a late hour in the night; and that the faid rebels compelled a daughter of the faid Davis, who did not exceed the age of ten years, to hold a candle while they ftiot her father, and that faid rebels burned

a bible;

* Except fir Edward Croftie, who wa» hanged at Carlow; and it is well known that he had long piqued himfelf on being a deifl. and a republican.

APPENDIX,  No. XI.

a bible, the property of the faid Davis. Informant faith, that Ephraim Singleton, fanner, and of the proteftant religion, was murdered by the faid rebels at Coolroe, near Cionegal, in the county of Carlow, about a fortnight ago, and that they robbed him at the fame time of a confiderable fum of money, as informant heard, and verily believes. Informant feith, that the proteftant inhabitants of the places and townlands aforefaid fled from their refpeitive houfes many weeks ago, and tliat they dare not refide in them, left they ftiould be aflaffinated by the faid rebels. Informant faith, that the faid rebels have frequently purfued him, and have gone to different places in queft of him; that about three weeks fince, he, this informant, was obliged to fly precipitately, and bare-footed, to the garrifon of Tullow, at the diftance of near five miles, from his houfe, to fave his life from the rebels; and that in doing fo, he was obliged to avoid the road, and crofs over the hedges and ditches. Informant faith, that his houfe has been burned, and all his fubftance has been deftroyed, and that he was at laft obliged to fly to the city of Dublin for protection.

JERVIS PUE.

Sworn before me the ‘X^th day of Augujl, 1 798, THOMAS FLEMING.

The rebellion hi the Kin^s and ^ueen^s county.

IN thefe the defenders had exifted before an attempt was made to organize them by the united Iriftimen, which took place in the beginning of the year 1 797.

We find in the report of the fecret committee* that the King’s county was reckoned one of the beft organized in the kingdom.

Popifti fanaticifm was the only fpring of aftion among the rebels there, and the difcovery of it by a proteftant of republican principles, who had been deluded by them, prevented the fatal effeCts of the plot.f

He pointed out the captains who were to hare headed the confpiracy, on which many of them fled, and others were taken up.

Many of them, the confidential fervants of noblemen and gentlemen, in whofe families they had lived long, were to have furprifed and murdered their mafters.

Two opulent fhopkeepers of the name of Dempfey, in the town of Tullamore, were captains, and were tried and convifted of being fuch. As one of them had been principally concerned in the mafTacre at Rathangan, the fquadron, who had fuffered fo much there, requefted to have the fatisfaCtion of hanging them; and they accordingly did fo, and buried them in the barrack yard.

The inhabitants of the town, to teftify their concern for the fate of their fellowtraitors, clofed their doors and windows, and obferved a dead filence during the execution.

Coffey, a captain, was taken up, and threatened to be whipped, but after a folemn invocation to the Almighty, declared his innocence. He ftill remained obdurate, after receiving feventy-”five lafties. Next miorning, when he was on the point of receiving feventy-five more, he fent for general Dunn, and confefled that he had been fworn, but denied lhat he had ever aCled with the rebels, on which the general difmifled him; and yet within a fortnight after, he was engaged in a committee of united Irifhmeji,

[D 2] and

• Appendix, No. XXXI. p. 275.

t 1 alrcudy mentioned in page 2j8, that this was £{re<fted by one Dennis, an apothecary.

28

APPENDIX,  No. XI.

and deeply concerned in a confpiracy to attack the king’s troops at Philipftown and Tullamore, and had fworn his fon, a yeoman, to join in it. Having been convicled of thefc crimes, he was hanged, and buried in the ftable of the barrack.

On the trial of Andrew Ryan, a ftiopkeeper, it appeared in evidence, and which he acknowledged hiinfelf, that he had been a member of the fociety fince the year 1792, and that the obje£t of it was to fubvert the exifting government. He muft have meant the defenders, as the united Irifhnien had not attempted to organize the King’s county at that time.

By a court martial, held by orders of general Dunn, two men were convi£icd of fwearing a perfon to be in readinefs to attack Tullamore, and murder the proteftants. There was much difa{Fe£lion among the popifh yeomen in the King’s county. Of eighteen papifts in the Dunkerrin cavalry, fcventeen were fworn as united IriOimen, and five of them were convifted of being concerned in robbing houfes of arms. Sjme or moft of the papifts in the Shinrone, Rofcrea, Caftleotway and Nenagh corps, were fworn to be true to the united caufe, though they had taken the oaths of allegiance.

An oath was framed by general Dunn, with a paragraph importing that they would furrender any arms in their poiTefTion, and difcover fuch perfons as had any in their cuftody. But this produced no effedt whatever, and no difcoveries vi-ere made, or arms yielded up, until fome of the notorious rebels, on being flogged, gave full information, and on this, great quantities of pikes were furrendered by thofe very perfons who had taken the above oath. A fhort time before the rebellion broke out, numbers of popifh farmers ftrenuoufly urged to be admitted into the yeoman corps, for no other purpofe, as appeared afterwards, than to acquire arms and military difcipline; and fome of them bought very good horfes, to induce the officers to prefer them to proteftants, who were not fo well mounted. It was obferved that the mafs of the people were very fober and difcreet for a confiderable time before the rebellion broke out, which arofe from their having taken an oath not to drink more than a naggin of whifkey in the courfe of the day.

A magiftrate,* who lives in a country much fubje£l: to tumult and difturbance, on the confines of the King’s county and Tipperary, aflured me, that no information had been fworn before him, for fome time previous to it.

It is obfervable that not a fingle inftance occurred of difloyalty in any of the proteftant yeomen; at leaft I could not hear of fuch, after the moft minute enquiry.

A fnort time before the general explofion, a printed letter, from the executive directory in Dublin, v/as difperfed in the King’s county, recommending to the rebels to rife on a particular night, and to repair to Slievebloom mountain, where they would receive further orders.

Every thing that could incite or ftimulate the multitude to aftion, was mentioned in if i and to inflame them againft the proteftants of the church of Ireland, whofe unfliaken loyalty was well known, it was faid the orangemen would rife and murder the Roman catholicks.

In the King’s county the rebels never aflTembled but once, on the twentieth of Auguft, when they were to have been joined by their brethren of the Queen’s cpunty, iind to have formed a camp at the Devil’s-bit; but the latter having difappointed them, the former were foon difperfed by the Dunkerrin and Shinron yeomen.

The mafs of the people in the King’s and Queen’s county are papifts; the gentlemen of landed property in general, and many of the farmers and fhopkeepers, arc

proteftants.

* James F, Rollctton, efquire.

A P P E N D I X,  No. XI. 29

proteftants; there are but few prefbyterians in them. Though the ftate of the former was in general very alarming, the number of protcftants in Rofcrca and it.vicinity was fo great, and they were fo loyal and courageous, as to overawe the difaiFe6l:ed, and to reprefs their hopes of fucceeding in an infuvreftion there and yet a numerous corps of united Iriflimen . was organized in and about that town.

The circumftances attending the rebellion in the Qiicen’s county, were exa£lly fimilar to thofe in the King’s county, except that it was not fo well organized. Religious fanaticifm was almoft the only engine made ufe of by the direclory to inflame the multitude in it; and the extirpation of proteltants, under the name of Orangemen, was held out to them as an irrefiilible lure.

To difarm fufpicion, and lull the magiflrates, oaths of allegiance were taken, and as a matter of courfe were afterwards violated and there was niuch difafie£tion among the popifli yeomen.

The infurre£lion was prevented in it by the following incident :

A meflenger was fent from the dire£tory in Dublin, with a letter to a man of the name of Deegan, a leader of the united Irilhmen, to fix the time for rifing; in a miftake, he went to a loyal perfon of the fame name, who entertained, and plied him with drink; and in the mean time fent for a guard of foldiers, who conveyed him a prifoner to Stradbally, and he was afterwards hanged at Maryborough. Many murders and atrocities were committed in this county, and moft of the Proteftant houfes were plundered of arms, except fu<;h whofe inmates were able to defend them.

The confpiracy in the county of Clars.

THE firft fymptoms of the confpiracy appeared in the county of Clare, in the fummer of the year 1797, when it was difcovered that at Ennis and in its vicinityj numbers of people had formed clubs and combinations, and had taken illegal oaths; but no certain proof was obtained of it till the month of Oftober, when a countryman having attempted to fwear a gentleman’s fervant in that town, his mailer perfuaded him to give information againft the countryman; on which he was committed to gaol. When he v/as arrefted, he threw away from him, for fear of difcovery, the conftitution and the teft oath of the united Iriflimen, printed on fine paper, and with an excellent type. On his committal, he faid, that he would make a full difcovery of what he knew; but that he feared it would put his life in danger; having been afTured of the contrary, he confefled that many perfons had come from Dublin for the purpofe of forming afTociations which were cemented by oaths; and that they wore green ribbands, having embroidered on them in gold the harp without the crown, and the words, Erin go bragh, meaning “ Ireland for ever.” Among others he charged one Thady GriflFy, a ferge weaver, with being very a£l:ive in diffeminating the principles and do£lrines of the united Iriflimen. He was a canting hypocrite, who was engaged, and deeply verfed in the myfteries of tlie Carmelites, and afi^efted an extraordinary fandtity and aufherity of manners, which he aflumed as a cloke to conceal the moft flagitious and turbulent principles. He was tried at the fpring aflizes of 1798 at Ennis; but by the fedudiion of fome witneflies, the intimidation of others, and the puzzling of thofe who meant to declare the truth, by the gentlemen of the bar, he w^as acquitted, and immediately chaired by his rebellious friends, who in immenfe numbers celebrated their triumph over juftice by vociferous acclamations, and v/ith all the wantonnefs of favage joy.

A number

30

APPENDIX,  No. XL

A number of ftraiigers, who were all of the Carmelite order, went into the county of Clare in the year 1 796, and fettled in the barony of TuUagh, on the borders of the county of Galway. The moft part of them were weavers, and as they were very induftrious, and feemed to have a great purity of morals, conftantly recommending fobriety and good order to the multitude, the gentlemen of the country rejoiced at their arrival. Thus they continued to be protedied, till the winter of the year 1798, when they began to hold fecret nightly meetings, to plunder the houfes of proteftants, particularly the yeomen, of arms, and to cut down great quantities of young afh trees to make pike handles, and to employ the blackfmiths in making pikes. On the twelfth and thirteenth of January, 1799, they and the profelytes whom they initiated into the Carmelite order, to the number of feveral thoufunds, aflembled in the day, at Milltown and Inniftimmon, and moved forward apparently with an intention of meeting the king’s troops; but on their approach under general Meyrick, they fled to the mountains of Slievecullane, which arc inacceffible; they pretended to furrender their arms, but it was well known that they kept the beft, and the greater part of them. Soon after their rifing they houghed great quantities of cattle, for which compenfation was made to the fufferers by large fums of money levied by the grand jury on the county; they went with unparalleled aflurance next day, to the places where they had committed thefe a£ts of favage cruelty, to carry off the flefh of the poor animals whom they had butchered the preceding night, and lamenting with diflimulation the perpetration of them, faid, as they are killed,* we may as well as any other perfons carry home the meat. They killed fome of them which were not quite dead. Mr. Lyfaght was the only perfon of confideration concerned with them, and he engaged in the bufinefs merely from private refentment to individuals; he was tried, convicted, and tranfported.

The parifh priefl; of Kilfenora, of the name of Carrick, was committed on the following charge : That during the infurredtipn, a great number of thefe rebeHious hypocrites were proceeding in a body to plunder the houfe of Mr. Smith of Smithftown of arms, and that they were entertained by Carrick, who exhorted them to unite, and be zealous in the caufe, as the French would foon land and give them ample afhftance. The profecutor who charged Carrick was kept in the guardhoufe of Ennis, where fome vagabonds pretending to make a riot, the guard ruflied into the ftreet to quell it, on which the informer made his efcape, according to a preconcerted fcheme.

The magiftrates difcovered at that time an itinerant Carmelite who feemed to be a high priefl of that order; he had a long beard, and a cowl like the Capuchin friars, and a cloke which he hooked over his chin, and prevented, when he chofe, his beard from being feen; he had a long brown fhirt which reached to the ground, and on the bread of it, there was the image of a coffin in white; he had one bag full of fcapulars which he fold to the befotted multitude, and another full of fhreds to make them; he had many little religious books containing the moft abominable fuperftitious doftrines, and which the priefts conftantly circulate among their flock. He faid, that he went from one holy well to another, where he preached to a numerous auditory, who never failed to attend him. He had recently come from a holy well near Burren, where a great concourfe of people aflembled, under religious pretences, but in reality to promote rebellion. It appeared by fome papers found on him, that he was a Northern man, and had fled from near Belfaft in confequence of having committed fome crime. He was difcovered by a gentleman who overheard

• They killed great numbers of them in the night.

A P P E N D I X,  No. XI.; ,

heard him preaching to a number of people in a weaver’s houfe, where lie was inveighing againft proteftants, and the government of Ireland. The magiilrates urged the parifli prieft to banifh him; but he faid that he could not venture to do fo, though he highly difapproved of fuch perfons; for his fubfiftence depended on the will of the people, and as they had a ftrong predilection for fuch holy men, Lc flrould incur their difpleafure by denouncing him } but he faid he would be glad that he was removed.

Tie confpiracy itt the county of Waterford in the years 1 797 and 1 798.

A Jlight Jhetch of the fate of the confpiracy in the counties of Waterford^ Cork, and Tipperaryy ivill anfwer to fjeiv the leading principles of the rebels in the province of Munfler, and the deftgns by “which they -were aBuated.

IN the county of Waterford, the inhabitants of large diftri£ls were fworn, and the proteftants in them were difarmed, in the courfe of a few nights. The main obje£t of the rebels, who were exclufively papifts, was to join the French on their landing, to extirpate proteftants, and even fuch perfons of their own order as fiiould oppofe them, to plunder wealth, and confifcate landed property •, but it could not be difcovered, that they were headed by any perfons of education and fortune. The Roman catholick gentlemen, much to their honour, remained loyal; but from the paucity of their numbers, they muft have yielded to the wifhes of the multitude to preferve their lives and fortunes, if the conftitution had been fubverted. It is moft certain that a general infurreftion would have taken place in the county of Waterford, in the winter of 1797, but that a large body of troops was introduced into it, and divided into cantonments; and that many diftridls were proclaimed on the fourth of December, 1797. However, fuch was the infatuation of the people, that they would have rifen before thefe events took place, but for the following difficulty which occurred : The farmers were the leaders, and the peafants, who were to be the immediate and efficient inftruments in the bufinefs, objefted at firft to co-operate with them, becaufe they had no profpe£l of being rewarded for the imminent danger which they fhould incur; while the others were to enjoy in fee fimple the farms which they rented. However, it is believed, that thefe difficulties were overcome; for plans were formed for murdering moft of the gentlemen refident in the country, and for deftroying their houfes •, and even nights were fixed on for that purpofe. It was remarkable that the confpirators held the yeomanry in the greateft deteftation : The following anecdote will prove that, and the very depraved ftate of the popifh multitude :

Thomas Scammadon, a yeoman in the Cappoquin corps, juft of age, was going on Sunday the twelfth of November, 1797, from that town to Clafhmore, about ten miles off; and as he paffed through the village of Aglifs, when the popifh congregation were leaving their chapel, his red uniform attracted their notice, and marked him for an objeft of their vengeance. Some of them invited him to drink in an alehoufe, to which all the traitors of the adjacent country had reforted after mafs, in order to form their plots. They amufed themfelves with his finging, (for he was a famous fongfter) till it was dark; and then offered to adminifter to him the united Irifhman’s oath; but he refufed it, having faid, that he had taken an oath of allegiance a few days before. Finding that his loyalty was unfhaken, a party of them retired to another room, as a committee, and condemned him to die; and in obedience to the fentence, two of his pot companions waylaid him, about hajf a mile

out

32

APPENDIX,  No. XI.

out of the village, and murdered him, having perforated his body in eighteen different places with his own bayonet.

In the parifli of Modeligo, a committee of afTafTrndtion, confifting of twelve farmers, in very good circumftances, deliberately condemned one Thomas Curreen to die in the month of Oftober, 1797, for no other reafon, than tiiat they fufpefted he would not keep their fecrets, for he was one of the brotherhood. They then proceeded in tlie dead hour of the night, with a number of their aflbciates, and fhot him, after which every one prefent was obliged to inflitt a wound on the body; this atiocrty was afterwards proved by the information of one of the party. When they called Curreen out of his houfe, and informed him that he muft die for the good of the caufe, he alked permifTion to have the afliftance of a prieft before he was put to death; but they faid, that they fhould not have time for that purpofe, and that they would fay a prayer for his foul. They therefore kneeled d )wn, crofled themfelves, and implored the divine favour for the foul of the vi£lira whom they were going to immolate.

On the twenty-ninth of January, 1798, the priefl: of that parifh and feven hundred and eighty of his parifhioners aflembled at their chapel, publifhed a declaration of their loyalty, and of their abhorrence of the principles and praftices of the united Irifhmen, which they publifhed in the Dublin Journal, ‘ though it was well known, that they were as generally and deeply infe£ted with them, as thofe of any other parifh in the county.

informations /worn before Henry St. George Cole^ efquire, by Michaei Hiffernaii-, turnpike-keeper of Red Cliffe in the county of Waterford, 2’]th of jfanuary, 1798,

IT appears, that fome time in the month of November, 1797, one Thomas Chriftopher of Abbey-fide, in faid county, aflembled with feven or eight hundred united Irifhmen in a field near Cufhcam, with a treafonable defign of taking fome cannon out of the Vulture privateer, then lying at Dungarvan, in order to level, a number of gentlemen’s houfes, particularly thofe of the marquis of Waterford at Curraghmore, and murdering a number of gentlemen, particularly colonel Uuiacke, and captain Cole •, and that faid Thomas Chriftopher went to informant three different days, and required him to give his confent to put this defign into execution.

The fame informant fwore before tbe faid magiflrate, the twenty-fourth of March, 1798, that the united Irrfhroen in and about Dungarvan, aflembled at diflisrent times in great numbers, in the autumn of 1797, and took arms from different people, and committed various outrages; and fwore numbers of people to be true to their caufe.

On the feventh of Oilober, they cut off one of the ears of Patrick Sheehan of Glynbeg; that they pulled and proflrated a quantity of corn in (lack belonging to colonel Uniacke; that on the eighteenth of November, 1797, they refolved to take five pieces of cannon out of the Vulture privateer, in order to level the houfe of Curraghmore, and to take away the lives of colonel Uniacke, Henry St. George Cole, efquire, Richard Power of Clafhmore, efquii-e, John Musgrave of Ballyin, efquire, Richard Barrett of Snugborough, efquire, Roger Dalton, efquire, the reverend Jabez Henry,* feveral others, and of all informers.

Anne Connor fwore an information before Thomas Garde, efquire, that her hufband Richard Connor, a police conflable of the county of Waterford, and parifh

clerk

All maniftrates and men of fortune.

A P P E N D I X,  No. XI.

33

clerk of the parifh of Temple Michael in faid county, was murdered about the nineteenth of November 1 797> and was buried in fome place unknown to informant; and that fome of his clothes and other articles belonging to him were found foon after in the houfe of Michael Smyth of GarrydufF in faid county. Sworn the eighth of December, 1797.

By information fworn before John Ke^ine, efquire, thirtieth December, 1 797, John Landy, alias Landers, of Dromore in the county of Waterford, blackfmith, alledged that on the night of Sunday the twelfth of November, he faw the body of Thomas Scammadon of Gappoquin, in the county of Waterford, yeoman, lying dead in the road between Aglifs and Clafhmore 5 and that Thomas Roche, and James Hickey, who had murdered faid Scammadon, were Handing near the body; and that they threatened to murder informantj unleifi he would aflift them in removing faid body into an adjacent field, with which he complied, and fwore him by the crofs to keep fecret what he faw.

A police conftable in the county of Waterford, depofed before the author of this work the third of December, 1797, that the united Irifiimen aflembled often in the barony of Decies tumuituoufly and in great numbers, and deprived him of his arms on the tenth of November, 1797; that they had refolved to murder many gentlemen in the country, and to level their houfes; and that he heard them fay, that John Musgrave, efquire, of Ballyin, Richard Power of Clafhmore, efquire, and Pierce Power of AfFane, efquire, were to be ferved fo; that he heaird fome of the united Irilhmen fay, that a Roman caiholick would enfure falvation by killing three Proteftants.*

Michael Morrifey of Ballykarroge, farmer, fwore an information dated the twentieth January, 179B, before John Keane, efquire, that a number of united Iriflimen fired many (hots into his houfe, and compelled him to fwear to be true to their caufe, and to kill all informers, and they threatened to murder him inftantly if he refufed •, they fwore him other oaths which he did not recoiled^.

James Parker of Killvogue in the county of Waterford, farmer, fwore an information dated twenty-firft January, 1798, before William Kirby, efquire, that Daniel Killiger, alias Cox, fwore him the united Irifhman’s oath; and that he would keep his fecrets, aiid that he would inform him if the gentlemen of Tallow would take any fteps againft him or his friends; that faid Cox owned he was fwona to be true to the French, who would land in Ireland in December, and he recommended to him not to pay his debts, or any rent; and that when they landed he advifed him to go to him, or fome other friei>d to be fworn thoroughly, as it would be necciTary for his proteftion.

An information of Mary Burke, fworn fecond January, 1798, before L. H. Jephfon, efquire, a magiftrate of the county of Waterford; that a number of men whofc names are fet forth, entered the houfe of Walter Wall of Mafs-hiU in faid county, on Wednefday twenty-fecond November, 1797, and fwore him, his father, and brother, to be juft and true to them, to keep fecret what they faw and heard, to pull down taxes and petty landlords *, to be true to the French when they would land, and to weed out Proteftants as they would an ear of corn.

William Flynn fwore an information dated the fecond day of January, 1798, before Michael Keane, efquire, a magiftrate of the county of Waterford, that about Ithe eighth day of Auguft, 1797, Maurice Power, attended by otJber united Irifhmen, jfwore him in the town of Dungarvan, to be true to the French convention, his God, and his brothers, which words he read out of a paper.

^’r • ■      ‘ lEj Michael

* l£s oaue and place •{ abode are (Miccaled,   he ihould be afiaiTinated,

34

APPENDIX,  No. XI.

Michael HefFernan fworc an information before Henry St. George Gole, efqulrc, the twenty-feventh January, 1798, that about the night of the feventh of November preceding, Thomas Quealy and others went to the houfe of Michael Morrifly of Ballykarroge, broke his windows, dragged him out of his houfe, and fwore him to be true to the French convention, and extorted money from him; that fomc time in faid month, the faid Thomas Quealy held a meeting near Cufticam, of feven or eight hundred united Iriflnnen, for the purpofe of going to Durgarvan, to take cannon out of the Vulture privateer, with a view of levelling the marquis of Waterford’s houfe at Curraghm.ore, and of murdering colonel Uniacke, captain Cole, and others. . .

Patrick Fling fwore an information the fecond of January, 1798, before the reverend Jabez Henry, that Thomas Quealy fwore informant in the town of Durgarvan, an oath of fecrefy, to be true to the French convention, and to have a brotherly love for each other.

Morgan Fowlow of Dungar van, fwore an information the fourth of January 1798, before Roger Dalton, efquire, a magiftrate, that John Drifcol, and David Bohan, fwore him the firlt of November preceding, to love God and his brothers, to be true and faithful to the French and their convention, and to put all traitors to death.

Laurence Collins of Dungarvan fwore an information the thirty-firfl: of December,; 797, that John Drifcol, and many others, on the twenty-eighth inftant at Dungarvan, fwore him to be true to the French, and to cut and hack all his Majelty’s true and loyal fubjedls, and to join the French v/henever they fliould land.

William Sheehan fv/ore an information the thirty-firfl: of January, 1798, before Roger Dalton, efquire, that a party of united Irifhmen entered his houfe on the night of the feventh of 0£tober, 1797, and that his left ear was cut off by Michael Quinlan.

Richard Cahill fwore an information the firfl: of January, 1798, that Patrick Heavy, carpenter, fome time in the month of November, 1797, agreed to flioot Henry St. George Cole, efquire, and that a fubfcription was made up for that purpofe.

John Goolding and John Keys fwore to the fame purpofe.

Michael Heffernan fwore an information the fourth of January, 1798, before Michael Keane, efquire, that Patrick Oagly of Abbey-fide, fhoemaker, went to him four times in the month of November, to concert meafurcs for taking cannon out of the Vulture privateer, for the purpofe of levelling the marquis of Waterford’s houfe and that he afked the confent and affiftance four different times of informant, to murder R. Uniacke, efquire, Richard Power, of Clafhmore, efquire, John Musgrave, efquire, Pierce Barron, efquire, Richard Barrett, efquire, Roger Dalton, efquire. Pierce Power, efquire, H. St. George Cole, efquire, and the reverend Jabez Henry.

Many affaffmations were committed in the county of Waterford, in the autumn and winter of 1797.

The moft noted was tliat of one Colclough, a publican, within three miles of Youghal. A nuqierous body of ruffians broke into his houfe in the night, murdered him, his wife, and fervant maid, and mangled their bodies in a moll favage manner. They were led to do fo by a fufpicion that he had given information againft fome of them, who had houghed his cows.

It was proved that a neighbouring prieft who has been fince tranfported, gave the perpetrators of this horrid crime abfolution, for having committed it, and for oth^r piurders intended to be perpetrated.

It

APPENDIX,  No. Xi.

It has fince appeared, that many of the farmers and labourers in Colclough’s neighbourhood were concerned in murdering him and his family. •’ “John Bi-own, a farmer, depofed before John Kcanc, efquire, a magiftratc, the fourth of January, 1798, that the objeft of the united Iriflimen in the county of Waterford was to murder all the proteftants as foon as the French ftiould land, and tO’ joirt them.  All thefe informations are in the crown office.

^ The confpiracy in the city of Waterford^

The confpiracy at Waterford was as terrlfick and as general, as in Dublin or Corkf in proportion to the number of its inhabitants. The confpirators were to have rifen, to have fet fire to the city in differqit places, and to have maflacred all the loyal fubj^£l:s in it, if the rebels had fucceeded in taking the town of Rofs.

The confpiracy was difcovered in the following manner :

A perfon who happened to be in a publick houfe at Johnftown, a fuburb of ‘the city, overheard, through a thin partition, a number of the confpirators conferring in the next room on the plot which was to be carried into execution, on the eruption of the rebellion. They were, in the firft place, to fet fire to Mr. Alexander Alcock’s houle, which is about a quarter of a inlle from the city; and as he was a member of the corporation, and had numerous and refpeftable connexions in it, they knew that the moll confiderable perfons in Waterford, their retainers and dependants, would fly to his affiflance, and that the fire-engines would be carried there. During their abfence, oecafioned by this wicked device; they were to fet fire to the city in different places at the fame time \ and fuch was their malignity, that, for the fake of concealment, and the better to carry their treafonablc defigns into execution, they meant to have fet fire • to their own houfes* in the firft inftance. The perfon who overheard the confpirators repaired direftly to counfellor Paul, and revealed to him what he had heard, but under the ftricleft injunftion of fecrefy.

•Mr. Paul condu£led hirti fecrelly to Humphrey May, efquire, collector of the rev::niie at Waterford, and a magiftrate for the city and county, and he gave full information to him upon oath, of the whole of what he had heard; on which Mr. May took up many of the confpirators, and among others one Bohan, a baker, who, though eirroiled in a yeomanry corps, and’ had taken the oath of allegiance, was one of the leaders of the confpiracy. ,

As the mafs of the people of Carrick-on-Suir, and moft of the yeomen there were deeply concerned in the confpiracy, and as they were to have repaired to Waterford, to qo-operate with their fellow traitors there, on the general infurre£tion, Bohan ufed to go there three or four times a week> to concert meafures for their future operations.

One Sargent, a publican, was alfo deeply concerned in the plot.

As the yeomen officers, and fome of tlie principal gentlemen of the town, dined trequently at his houfe, and ufually left their fv.’ords in an antichamber, he laid a plan of cutting them off while at dinner. Carey, a ftone-cutter, deeply concerned in the confpiracy, was taken up, and on being examined, infilled on his innocence; but on receiving about a dozen laflies of a cat-o’nine-tails, he acknowledged that he was engaged in the plot, and confelTed all the circumftances which had been difcovered and related by the perfon who overheard the confpirators at Johnftown; and at the fame time, he difclofed’ the names of his principal accomplices, v/ho were immediately arreiled.

[E 2] Th»

* They did fo in Ennifcorthy and Rofs.

36

APPENDIX,  No. XI.

The confpirators had feduced a great number of the Clare militia, quartered fofn^ months at WjJirford, who were to have a£Ved with them on the general infurreftidh ^ and it appear« that their artillery-men were to haVe fired on the city, with their battalion guns, from a hill which hung over it. ^

It is to be lamented that there was a ftrong fpirit of difafFeftion among the Roman Catholick yeomen of Waterford, for which many of them were difmifled; and it wa^ proved, that they had entered into the fervice for no other purpofe but to acquire arms and a knowledge of military difcipline.

The plot was conduced with fb much fecrefy in Waterford, that a very refpeftable inhabitant of it, and a member of the corporation, yyho piqued himfelf on the loyalty and tranquillity of its inhabitants, was on the point of inferting in the Waterford newfpaper a warm panegyrick on them, the day on which the plot was discovered.

The hon. colonel Burton, who commanded in Waterford for fome time after the battle of Rofs, aflured me, that many Roman catholicks, in rather a refpeftable fituation, went privately to him, acknowledged they were concerned in the plot, expreffed contrition for it, and craved his proteftion and the mercy of government; and that he never difclofed their names.

Sofure were the confpirators, that a general rifmg would take place in confequence of the fuppofed viftory of their friends at Rofs, with whom they had kept up a clofe and conftant intercourfe, that money was given out by their treafurers, to repair to the fouth and weftem parts of the country, to invoke the mafs of the people to rife. But the fuGcefs of the king’s troops at Rofs defeated their fchemes.

As many of the fugitives froni Rofs to Waterford, announced in their flight, that the rebels had been fuccefsful, rnoft of the labourers and farmers in that part of the county of Kilkenny oppofite to Waterford fuddenly deferted their different occupations, and repaired to their fellow traitors : But on difcovering their difappointment, returned; and dreading that their conduft would bring on them the vengeance of the law, they flunk into Waterford, and repaired to fome magiftrates there, to take the oath of allegiance, in hopes of getting prote£tions, to fcreen them from the penal confequences of their treafpn.

On the trial of Edmond Quin, for being a rebel, held at Waterford, the feventeenth of July, 1799, by court martial, it appeared, that he told John Whelan, when they were both prifoners in the gaol of Waterford, that if matters had remained as they were in the height of the troubles, for two days and two nights, Waterford would have been taken by the united Iriftimen, and that in two months from that time, they would be in pofltlfion of it.

The fa£ts contained in this account of the confpiracy at Waterford are not founded on vague aflfertion, but were proved on court martials, v. hich I have read.

On rnany of the trials cf the difl”afFe£ted inhabitants of Rofs and Waterford it appeared, that there was a conftant intercourfe bet\veen them, and that the fate of Wa^ terford was to have depended on the futcefs c-f the rebel army of the former.

By a court martial held at Waterford, the twenty-fecond of June, 1798, John Abbot was convi£ted of having confpired to affifl: the rebels in an infurreGion in that town, and of faying that he would fet fire to his own houfe for the purpofe of confounding the army; and that he declared, that Thomas Gough and Michael Bohan, were preparing to do the fame.  It was proved alfo that he had concealed arms.

Pa

A P P E N D I X, N(^. Xl, ( o < //) vtB7

On the trial of Garret Murphy, by court martial, held ait ^aterfer^V the twen^y^ fifth of July, 1798, captain Lowrle, of the thirteenth regiment, prtfident, it wa§ proved, that Mr. Thomas Anthony, architedt, who had employed the prifoner, pretended that he had been an united Irifhman, for the purpofe of learning his fecretSi and that Murphy informed him a few days after the battle of Rofs, that he had been, previous to that event, with Mr. Colclough, in the county of Kilkenny, and that Mr. C. having left him, went to Carrick and Clonmel, to prepare the people there for rifing : That he told Mr. Colclough of the infurredtion intended in Waterford, and that he muft go there to fave a particular friend : That he was fure the king’s troops would be completely defeated, as there were fo many united Irifhmen encamped in the county of Wexford. He told him that there were arms in the outlets of the city of Waterford : That he was concealed in 3 ditch in the county of Kilkenny, ne:ir Rofs, and mifled fire twice at two gentlemen, who rode by in their way to Waterford; and that one of them, when they proceeded a little farther, was ftiot in the arm : He believed one to be young Mr. Tottenham; that Waterford was the objeft of the united Iriflimen, when they had defeated the king’s troops at Rofs; but that city had nothing to fear, unlefs they fucceeded therfc. Mr. Anthony gave a moft excellent charadler of him, but fanaticifm made him a rebel.

Before a court-martial held at Waterford, the twentieth of June, 1 798, Patrickv Rourke was found guilty of confpiring with others, in an infurreftion and an attack upon Waterford, and that at a meeting of united Irifhmen at his houfe, he declared, that for the good of the caufe, he would fet fire to his own houfe; and that he faid, the objeft of fetting fire to the houfes, was, to create confufion among the king’s troops, the eafier to overcome them. It was proved a!fo, that it was faid at his houfe, that fome of the Clare militia, then quartered in Waterford, were to feize the cannon, arms and ammunition, for the purpofe of taking the city.

William Lewis, a foldier of the Clare regiment, propofed at the houfe of Patrick Rourke, in the prefence of fome of his fellow foldiers, and the united Iriflimen of Waterford, to feize the cannon and ammunition then in that city, and to carry them up to the hill and to fire on it; and that that plan had been agreed upon in the .prefence of the militia men.

By a court martial held at Waterford the fixth of July, 1798, corporal Curry of the Clare regiment, Simon Ryan, and Thomas Reily, privates of the fame, Were convifted of’being concerned in the confpiracy to feize the city and all the cannon in it, for the purpofe of alhfting the rebels in taking it; and in having confpired to murder all their officers, except lieutenant Mc. Mahon, who was a Roman catholick. It was propofed there aifo by one Carey, to murder the union corps of that city. At the fame meeting, corporal Woods, in the artillery.<j|. the Clare regiment faid, that he had eight or ten united Irifhmen in the artillery, who would draw the guns up the hill, and fire on the town : That a committee was formed to carry that plan into execution. Garret Murphy confefled on his examination before fome magiflrates, that John Forrcflal, publican, at New Rofs, told him^ that the rebel army would march through the county Kilkenny to Waterford, if the king’s troops were beaten at Rofs : That great numbers of people at Waterford and Rofs, fome of whom he mentioned, were concerned as officers, or privates, and that he was a ferjeant, and ufed to colleft 6dh. per month, from the men under his command, which he paid to MefTrs. Hutit, Foot, and Farrell, who were captains, for the purpofe of fending mefTengers to Dublin. It was very fortunate that the rebels in the county Kilkenny miflook the day deftined for the attack upon Rofs.

38

APPENDIX,  No. XI.

By two court martials held at Waterford, one tlie fourteenth of June, the other tlie twenty-third of July, 1798, , it was proved that Walter Power,, Richard Connolly, and James Hynes, went to the houfc of Mr. Valentine Lannagan, of Charleftown, with fome other rebels, and took his fire arms and ammunition; and that the faid V. Lannagan heard the prifoners fay in converfation, on the feventh of June, that, if it were not for the cannon, they would have cut off the Rofcommon regiment,, which marched the day before from Waterford to Rofs, as two thoufand united Iriflimen had affembled at Glanmore, on the fixth of June, for that purpofe.

Confpiracy in the city of Cork.

THE confpiracy was infinitely more terrifick in the city of Cork than in Dublin, becaufe the proteftants of the eftablifhed church, whofe deftruftion was meditated, were much fewer in proportion to the Roman catholicks; and the confpirators were better organized and armed, as the vigilance and the exertions of the executive power were not fo a£tive and vigorous as in the metropolis, the feat of government.

It was divided into three divifions, the north, the centre, and the fouth; and each of them was fubdivided into fe£tions. It was difcovered, that there were one hundred and thirty of the latter, from North-gate bridge, through Black-pool, and that portion of the city, and that each confiiled of a ferjeant and twelve men. They were all regimented, and had a regular gradation of officers from a colonel down to a corporal.

An immenfe quantity of pikes was fabricated m Cork. Meafures were concerted for taking the magazine; and fo fure were the confpirators of fucceedlng, that poles were prepared, exa£tly fitted to the focket of a bayonet, that they might mount them the inltant thofe weapons, (of which tliere was a great number in the. inagazirie,)” fell into their hands.

There was great difaffe£l;ion among the popifii yeomen, particularly in. the Cork legion. Sweeny and Donovan, two leaders in the confpiracy, and Drinane, continued members of it, until they were arrefted. Some of them owned to perfons who became approvers, that they entered into it merely to obtain arms and a kaowledge of mi-iitary difcipline. Roger O’Connor, confined in gaol, was the chief director of the union in Cork; and he paid the bills at the houfes of entertainment which were kept open for the reception of tiie foldiers, who were regaled in them gratis, with the molt delicious fare; and they were even fupplied with concubines, the more cffecStually to ftduce them. •

As two foldiers of the Dublin regiment were condemned to be fhot for dIfaffe£lion,. John Sweeny, a woollen draper, diftributed printed hand bills, not only among the foldiers, but among the difafFe£ted of the city, and the adjacent country, inciting them to rife in mafs, to overpower the garrifon, and to refcue the prifoners; but doctor Harding, at that time high fherifF, arrefted Sweeny in the gaol, while conferring with R. O’Connor, on the morning of the day that the execution of the foldiers took place •, by which the infUrre£tion was defeated. The great vigilance, and a^ivc exertions of that loyal gentleman, preferved the city of Cork from conflagration and a general maffacre, for which many plots were formed to murder him.

A man of the name of Cafey, was hired to affaffmate hirn, and v/as on tVe pcMHt of firing a piftol at him, when fortunately a pig ran between his legs, and

threw

APPENDIX,  No. XI.

tlirew him down, by which the life of that valuable member of fociety was prefcrved. A committee of aflaffination was conftantly fitting in Cork, by which fir Henry Mannix, captain Weftropp, Mr. Shaw the colleftor, do£lor Harding, alderman Shaw, meflrs. Alexander and Johnfon, high conftables, and other loyal gentlemen, were condemned; and purfuant to their fentence, fir Henry Mannix was fired at, and wounded, near Cork, by one Callaghan, the aflaflin hired to murder him; and who inmiediately repaired to John Sweeny, and claimed the reward which the committee had offered for killing him; but Sweeny refufed to pay it to him, as he was not atlually killed; but being a woollen draper, he gave him two fuits of clothes, as a recompenfe for the zeal which he difplayed in the caufe of the union.

Four men, who became approvers at an early period of the confpiracy, continued to attend the committees, and conftantly gave information to the magiftrates of every thing that paffed; and their communications exaftly correfponded with the evidence which was afterwards given on the trials of the confpirators by different profecutors.

They often produced black lifts of the principal proteftant families in the kingdom, • who, under the denomination of hereticks, were to be aifalfmated, and the Beresford family, and Mr. Ogle, were among them; and it was often alferted in thefe committees, that a perfon would enfure falvation by killing a certain number of proteftants.*

As captain Weftropp’s corps, all proteftants, were confpicuous for their loyalty, an order for affalTmating them was iflTued by the grand committee, to which all the teft were fubordinate •, and the bloody deed was to have been performed when they were proceeding to mount a piquet guard at Blarney, four miles from Cork, by a band of affaffmsjf who were fupplied with blunderbufles for that purpofe. When in a deep road, they were to have been fired on from the hedges on each fide, which were high } and at the fame time they were to have been affailed in front and rear, by men appointed with mufkets; but the plot was defeated by the feafonable difcovery of one of the approvers to whom I alluded.

The members of the union in Cork were fo defperate and fanguinary, that a propofal was made, and it was fome time difcufled in a committee, to murder the amiable doOor Moylan, titular biftiop of Cork, partly from motives of revenge, on account of his loyalty; but the principal reafon afiigned in the committee for it v/as, that it would be imputed to the proteftants, and roufe the vengeance of the Roman catholicks againft them, as ftrong ftimulants were thought necelfary at that time. The proteftant yeomen of Cork are entitled to the higheft praife, for the unremitted ardour which they difplayed, and the great fatigue which they endured, in fupport of the. conftitution, againft confederated traitors, who confpired for its deftruclion.

County of the city of Cork. “)   THE information of Thomas Boyle, private in captain

 • ‘5 Ormfby’s com.pany of the North Mayo regiment of

militia, taken this twenty-eighth day of May, 1 798. Deponent being duly fworn and examined, depofeth and faith, That fome time fince he got acquainted with Thomas Meagher, of Half-moon-ftreet, publican; that about a fortnight ago deponent was brought into the houfe of faid Meagher, by a feaman, of the name of Patrick Meade, who called for a pot of porter, and taking deponent by the hand, fqueezed

and

• This reward is held out hy the council of Lateran, fee page II of the Memoirs; and this opinion was frfquemly uttered and maintained by the rebels, fee AppendirXlM, an affidavit on the Itate of Dublin, and Whitney’s Affidavit, appendix XIX. ll.

f The author has a lift of them in his pofll’flion.

4°

APPENDIX,  No. XT.

and hurt him with his thumb; on deponent complaining, faid Meade replied, you arts not a true brother, or you would return the fqueeze •, this paffed in the prefence and hearing of Meagher before mentioned.

Deponent further depofeth, and faith, that he frequently met the aforefaid Meagher, who was remarkably civil to him, and invited deponent to his houfe i that about eight or nine days ago* Meagher, in his own houfe, told informant, “ that the r ‘* majority of the people were fworn brothers, and that they would be much better “ off”, if they had been fworn long ago.” Said Meagher then wanted deponent to fwear, and to get his friends in the regiment to fwear, as no man’s life would be fafe, who was not fworn; deponent refufed to fwear at that time. Deponent depofeth and faith, that he informed enfign Con, and colonel Jackfon of the Mayo, of thefe converfations, and that they advifed him to be fworn; that on the fame evening, being Friday the twenty-fifth May inftant, deponent went to the houfe of the faid Meagher, when the fwearing was again fpoken of by the faid Meagher^ and he the deponent was then fworn on a book by the faid Meagher, “ to be true “ to the united men, and their party, and never to draw a trigger, or a ramrod

againft the united Irifhmen, or againft the French if they fhould land here faid Meagher then wanted deponent to go with him to Cow-lane, where he would meet fome friends, but deponent declined going there; faid Meagher advifed deponent to get as many of the regiment fworn as he could, and that he would give him money, and alfo advifed him to get firearms and ammunition conveyed out of the barrack to him the faid Meagher. Deponent further depofeth, that faid Meagher faid he would give him money to treat the officers fervants, and defired he would get acquainted with them, and appeared very anxious to know when colonel Jackfon, and the head officers would dine with general Stewart; for that there was a quarry at Leltrim very convenient to kill colonel Jackfon, and tliat he could very eafy make his efcape in a boat without coming over the bridge. Meaglier further told informant that if he did not wifli to remain here, he would give him money and coloured clothes to go to Briftol in the packet.

The following very extraordinary circumftance occurred in the confplracy at Cork : A fhort time before the intended infurredlion, an order wasfent to all the inferior committees, as if from a committee of twelve prieils, to ejecSl from them any proteftant members which they might have admitted. It is fuppoled that they, were afraid of having the plot difcovered, after it had come to maturity, knowing that the proteftants v^-cre loyal, with but few exceptions. All the approvers have uniformly agreed, that this order was conveyed to all the inferior locieties, as if from the committee of twelve priefts; and one Mockler, a fhoemaker, who delivered all the orders, has difappeared, left, it is fuppofed, he Ihould be led to make a difcovery of this tranfa£lion, and to difclofe the myflerles of it.

Con/piracy In the county of Cori.

THE organization in the county of Cork was exa£lly fimilar to’ihat which took place in every part of the provinces of Leinfter and Munfter. There were committees of alTaffination in every pariffi, fimilar. outrages and barbarities prevailed, and the members of the union in that county, who were almoft; exclufively Romanifts, feerri to have been a£tuated by one general defign of joining the French, of extirpating proteftants, and fuch of their own perfuafion as would not join them, and of confifcating their property; and it appeared, on moft of the trials^ that the perfons who

APPENDIX,  No. XI.

41

carried on the bufinefs of organization, and difleminated the do£lrincs of united Irilhmen, were fent from the city of Corli.

To give the reader a catalogue of the many inftances of no£lumal robbery and aflaflination which occurred there, in the years 1797, 1798, and 1799, would only fill him with horror and difguft.

Mr. Robert Hutchinfon, of Codrum, near Macroom, an amiable and unoffending gentleman, was murdered in his own houfe, on the night of the 21ft of April, I799> by a gang of aflairms, headed by one Timothy Carthy; and it appeared on his trial* that he had converfed with other captains, and formed plans with them for murdering every other gentleman in the country, and that they were to deftroy four or five of a night.

Patrick Murphy was murdered in the month of December, 1797, at Ballymocada, near Youghall, having been previoufly condemned by a committee of affaffinationj confifting of nine perfons.

Father ^eil, a prieft, of Bailymocada, was taken up, and confefled, that he advifed and approved of the murder of Murphy and another man, and -that he gave abfolution to the perfons who perpetrated it.

Thomas Neil, a farmer, in very opulent circumftances, was hanged at Cork for having been privy to, and prefent at the murder of Murphy, with a drawn fword; it is fuppofed at the inftigation of his relation the prieft. The day before his execution, he confeffed to his landlord, Edward Hoare, efquire, a magiftrate, that at firil he was loyal, and intended to join lord Boyle’s corps, but was diffuaded from it by his father, and others of his relations, (among whom it v/as fuppofed the prreft was concerned) who induced him to fwear the following oath: <‘ I do moil folemnly Iwear, that I will pay no rent or tythes; that I will ufe my utmoft endeavours to deftroy all proteftar!ts,f and falfe brothers; and be true to the French in cafe they land in Ireland and he confefled, that, in confequence of his entering into this aflbciation, he prefided at the murder of Murphy; when firft apprehended, he made fome fevere charges againft his coufin, the prieft, relative to the murder, but faid at the time of his execution, that he had them only by hearfay.

One Dcfmond, a tobacconift, in opulent circumftances in Youghall, was committed on fome treafonable charges; and while he was in gaol, a perfon employed by him in his bufmefs, was murdered in his houfe, with circumftances of horrid barbarity. This unfortunate man was privy to their treafonable fchemes 5 and Defniond and his aflbciates, fearing that he would difclofe them, if threatened with corporal punilbment, from his weaknefs of mind and timidity, had him aftliffmated. He was found hanging in a garret in Defmond’s houfe, with fome defperate wounds in his body; and a knife with which they had been inflifted, lay on the ground near the body. This horrid crime was perpetrated by Defmond’s brother, and one Dunn, who came to town that day from the place where father Neil lived. The doctrines of the united Irifhmen, and their fyftem, were firft introduced into Youghall, and its neighbourhood, by fome foldiers of the Meath regiment quartered there, as the united Irifhmen had fome rniflionaries in it, and indeed in almoft every regiment.

A young man of the county of Cork, and of the Romifh perfuafion, was peculiarly aftive in forwarding the defigns, and in diffeminating the principles of the united Irifhmen, for which he attracted the notice and the efteem of lord Edward

[ F ] Fitzgerald,

• His trial took place at Cork the twenty-third of May, 1799.

t All proteftants of the eftabliflied church were enemies to the rebellion, and were therefore regarded as falfe brothert.

42

APPENDIX,  No. XI.

Fitzgerald, and all the great leaders in Dublin and Cork. He had received a good ichool education; and having afterwards turned approver, declared, that he found nothing fo efFe£tual to accelerate his fcheme of profelytifm, as that part of Mr. Erflcine’s pamphlet, which I have already quoted, as it varniflied over the nefarious proceedings of the united Irifhmen. But he declared, that what crowned his efforts with fuccefs, was gaining over to his caufe the Romifli priefts, by awakening their jealoufy and hatred againft the eflablilhed church, and by affuring them that, on the fubverfion of the government, theirs (hould have an afcendancy, and fhould enjoy a fplendid and an opulent hierarchy; but he owned at the fame time, that fome of them remained immoveable by his arguments; and declared they would refift any efforts to overturn the eftablilhed government-, however he mentioned but three of thofe whom he attempted to feduce, do£l:or Moylan, titular bifhop of Cork, Mr. Barry of Charleville, and Mr. Barry of Mallow.

By the circulation of an addrefs to the yeomen of Ireland, which was framed by Arthur O’Connor, he was enabled to pervert a great number of thofe of the Romilh perfuafion; but he could not make an impreffion on any of the eftablilhed religion.

The convi£l:ion of various delinquents at the fpring affizes of Cork in the year i’798, proved that the mafs of the people, who are all papifts, were ftrongly infedted with treafon •, even in the moft remote and barbarous parts of that immenfe county, where they were but one degree above animal inftin£l:.

Denis Sullivan, and Daniel Keefe, were convicted of having compelled Luke O’Brien, a foldier, with a cocked piftol at his breaft, to fwear that he would not be true to the king, becaufe he was not qualified, or entitled to enjoy the crown.

Timothy Kavanagh, of having on the twenty-eighth of March, at Sunville, fired a fhot at Mr. William Martin, a proteftant, whofe hat he knocked off with a bullet.

James Coppinger, and others, of having on the thirty-firft of March, 1798, at Skibbereen, drank fuccefs to the French, and bad luck to their enemies.

John Collins was found guilty of having faid at the fame place, on the twelfth of February, 1798, George the third is a fcoundrel and a rafcal.

Timothy Carthy, (the murderer of Mr. Hutchinfon, a few months after,) was found guilty of having, with many others, attempted to enter forcibly the houfe of Mr. John Gilman, near Dunmanway, and of having fired many fliots into it.

The manufafture of pikes was carried on univerfally, and with uncommon celerity, in every part of the county of Cork.

Nothing accelerated the progrefs of treafon fo much in that county, as affuring the lower clafs of people that the payment of rent, tythes, and taxes, would be aboliHicd by the revolution; and that they would be allowed to gratify their fanguinary fpirit againft proteftants.

So rapidly was the organization carried on, that in all the country contiguous to Mallow, Doneraile, and Charleville, the mafs of tlie people was fworn, and all the proteftants were difarmed in the courfe of a few nights; and fuch was the fyftem of terror there, that the magiftrates would not venture to make any efforts to recover them, until lord Doneraile calling the gentlemen of the country together, encouraged them to unite; and by his own fpirited conduct, animated them to ftep forward in defence of their lives and property.

The

APPENDIX,  No. XI.

43

The leaders of the rebelUon in that county, ufed the fame device which was fuccefsfuUy praftifed in many other parts of the kingdom to inflame the Romanift* againft their proteftant fellow fubje^ts, videlicet, that they were united in clubs as Orangemen; and that they had bound themfeives by oath, not to remit their exertions for the extirpation of papifts, until they walked knee-deep in their blood •, and fuch fiftions were implicitly believed, not only by the credulous multitude, but by perfons of wealth and education, though no focieties of orangemen had then exifted in that county. It was difcovered, that fuch reports were propagated by the popilh clergy of Youghall, and its vicinity, where they were extremely aftive.

In the month of March, 1798, a Roman catholick gentlewoman, in the barony of IiTiokilly, exprefled very great fears to a gentleman of my acquaintance, that every perfon of her religion would be aflalTinated by the orangemen •, but being queitioned on the foundation of her apprehenfions, flie acknowledged that no orangemen had ever been feen in the country, and that fhe had no other knowledge of them, but by report.

The Leitrim regiment of militia, quartered between Mallow, Doneraile, and Charleville, were on their arrival there, very loyal and obedient to their officers •, but \ as they were Romanifls, fuch malignant reports foon made them enemies to the ftate, and to proteftants of every defcription.

A fanguinary oath fuppofed to have been taken by proteftants, and which was circulated among the foldiers of this regiment, had iuch an effe£l on them, that thofe quartered at Mallow, wantonly quarrelled with the Englilh artillery ftationed. there at the fame time, and had fome confli£ls with them, which would have been attended with much bloodfhed, but for the feafonable interference of the officers of both regiments.

A committee to fuperintend and tranfaft the bufinefs of the county fat conftantly in Cork; and they fent direftions to every part of it, relative to the finances,, the feizing of arms, and the military organization; and they iflued orders to all the country committees of affaffination, to murder every perfon in their vicinity, whofe. loyalty and fpirited exertions made him obnoxious to them.

Meffrs. St. George and Uniacke were murdered at Arraglin, near Kilfworth, on the ninth of January, 1798, by order of that committee.

One-Burnifton, a moft fanguinary wretch, who had been one of the rnoft aftive and effiicient members of the union at Cork, iflued the order for that purpofe, to a committee at Arraglin; and they having accomplifhed the bufinefs, their leader wrote a letter to Burnifton, to inform him of it; and Burnifton read the letter to a perfon in Cork who turned approver, and profecuted him.* Burnifton had been bred a proteftant, but confefled that the conftant perufal of Paine’s Age of Reafon, had completely extinguiflied all religious principle in him.

The following very remarkable event happened at Kinfale, in the county of Cork : Eighteen popifh foldiers of the North Mayo regiment, voluntarily conformed to the proteftant religion, in the autumn of 1798, before the reverend Peter Foley, curate, and fovereign of that town. They unanimoufly declared, that their converfion arofe from the accounts which they received from their own country, of fhocking cruelties committed there, on pretence of religion; and that the heads of their commu

[F 2] nion

* The letter was conceived in the following words: “ Citizen Buknjston,

•* Your order has been obeyed, and St. George and Uniacke are no more; twenty-feven perfons have been tak’.n in Arraglin, on account of their death; if you v/ilh it, they fhall be rjfcued.”

44

APPENDIX,  No. XI.

nion had been tlie chief inftigators to the commiffion of them. Mr. Voley explained to them the niain points of difference between the two religions; and gave them Seeker’s lefture;; on popery. They regularly attended the facriiment, and received it apparently with very great devotion.

It appeared on the trial of one Simon Donovan, held at Cork, the fixth of March, 1799, that one Long, a fchoolmafter, was employed by the county committee in Cork, to organize different parts of the country; and that he was a molt a£l:ive agent for them. He reported to them, that he had made a mofl rapid progrels in a country called Carnavar; and that he had formed a committee of twelve there, confifting of the moft opulent farmers in that diflridl;; but that they wanted the afTiflance of the people of Cork, to cut off fix perfons whom they called flays, becaufe they, by their courage and aftivity, impeded materially the progrels of the bufinefs. Sir Henry Mannix was one of thefe perfons, and in about two months after he was fired at and wounded. It was proved on the fame trial, that nices were fet on foot at the fair green of Cork, by the county committee in Cork, for the purpofe of affembling the country people to fwear them, which anfwered that defign very well. It was proved that Denis Lane, one of their molt a£live agents, gave the following toaft in the company of fome united Irifhmen at the fair green : ‘ That the king’s fkin may make a drumhead to beat the united Irifhmen t» arms!’ which toaft Lane and the company drank.

On the trial of Daniel Wollaghan, and D.’.oiel Harrington, held at Cork the twenty-feventh of June, 1799, it appeared, that they with eleven other ruffians, armed with fcythes on the end of poles, in the month of September, 1798, ifTued forth in the night to hough cattle; and that they according houghed and mangled in a moft barbarous manner, the cows of different people.

In the month of May, 1 798, there was a dreadful mutiny in the Meath regiment quartered at Mallow, which was excited by fome agents of the united Iriflimen fent there for that purpofe; one of them who turned approver, affured me of it, and ftated to me the particulars of it. It was occafioned by reports feduloufly circulated among them of the plots of orangemen againft papifts.

On the trial of Peter Shea, at Cork, on the thirteenth of June, 1 799, it appeared that he and others endeavoured to feduce the crew of the Venerable and Ajax men of war, ftationed at the Cove of Cork.

On the night of the twenty-third of March, 1798, a band of ruffians forcibly entered the houfe of the reverend Mr. Stopford, near Blarney, ranfacked and plundered it, and broke all the doors and windows, and would have murdered him, but that he efcaped in his fhirt through a back window.

On the tenth of January, 1799, a number of afTaflins broke into the houfe of the reverend Mr. Blackwood, rifled and plundered it of arms, ammunition, and various articles, and murdered in cold blood William Hogg, a Coldier, v/ho was ftationed there to guard it •, and they would have alfafTmated Mr. Blackwood, but that he happened to be from home.

Some of the priefts in that county refufed to exhort their congregations to loyalty and obedience to the laws; fome of them, when they, by defire of the magiftrates, preached from the altar, endeavoured rather to teach their flock how to evade the vengeance of the law, than to remain peaceful and loyal. One of them recommended fobriety and early hours to his congregation; becaufe, as he faid, there were focieties of orangemen forming in the country, whofe only object was their deftruftion.

Doaor

APPENDIX,  No. XL 45

DotStor Moylan’s paftoral inftruftions, which they were all obliged to read from the altar, fooii after the arrefl: of Arthur O’Connor, in Kent, produced a very good effect, in checking the fpirit of treafon and difaffe£l:ion.

There were two committees of united Irifhmen conflantly fitting at Bantry, who organized the whole of the South Weft of the county, and planned a general lifing in that part, in which the Weftmeath regiment, at that time much infe£ted, would have joined, but that the feafonahle difcovery of their defigns, and the critical arrival of the Caithnefs Legion defeateil it. In that immenfe traft, the houfe of every protcftant was robbed of arms, but none belonging to Roman catholicks were molelled.

This rifing was to have been begun at Clonakilty, where the Weftmeath was quartered, and was to have extended over the whole of the South Weft. They were to have murdered all the proteftant inhabitants, and fuch of the foldiers as did not join them, but the arrival of the Caithnefs Legion prevented it.

I have been aflured, that the parifli priefts of Rofs and Clonakilty were loyal, and endeavoured to preferve their flocks from the contagion of treafon.

There was no ditFerence between the confpiracy in the counties of Cork and Waterford, except that in the former there were fom.; perfons of property concerned in it.

One O’Connor a popifli phyfician who was independent in his circumftances, was one of the leaders at Bantry.

The county of Kerry was organized, and the Limerick rebels endeavoured to incite the inhabitants to rife, but the example wJiich Mr. Mullins made of the defenders on the twenty-fourth of June, 1793, Dingle, completely intimidated them.

In the month of Auguft, 1798, forty men rofe at Caftle-ifland, murdered three yeomen, and carried off fome arms and ammunition which they guarded. They were incited and fummoned to rife by a country fchoolmafter, the fecretary of a committee; this was the only inftance of infurre£tion in the county of Kerry.

County of Cork. 1   WILLIAM HEGARTY,  of Gurtcen, gentleman, fwore in

 ^ }iiig information before Redmond Barry, efquire, the twenty-fecond

of March, one thoufand feven hundred and ninety-eight, that on the eleventh of March then laft, informant was fworn by George Walfh, William Fowlue, and William Joyce, “ to be true to the French, to kill, murder and deftroy all kings and tyrants, lords and earls, minifters and pro£tors.”

ROBERT BOYD, and James Boyle, privates in the Rofcommon militia, fwore in their information before Thomas Flyn, efquire, the eighth of March, 1 798, that on the feventh of March then laft, a man of the name of Michael Horrogan, and arather man, whofe name they did not know, went with the informants into a publick houfe, in Mallow, to take a pot of beer; that faid Horrogan aflced informants of what religion they were? that informants replied they were Romans; diat faid Horrogan then faid, that if he could rely on their being true Romans, he would let them into a fecret; informants affured him they were. Upon which faid Horrogan put his hand into his pocket, and pulled a book half out of it, with an intent, as he faid, to fwear informants, but was prevented by the other man who was in company;

that

46

•APPENDIX,  No. XI.

that informants told faid Horrogan that they had already taken the oath of allegiance, and would not take any other oath, when faid I^lorrogan faid, that informants might do their duty, and that he would do his; and alfo faid, that the magazine of Cork would be burned before five niglits were over, and that the united Irlfhmen would rife, and burn all before them, -md that they were all united Irifhmen from Bandon to the North.

County of Cork. ~)   JOHN DAIjY, foldier in the Limerick light company, fworc

 5   his information before general Coote, the twenty-eighth of June,

1797, againft Michael Canty, for adminiftering to him the following oath : “That he, the faid John Daly, fhould dethrone all kings, quel! all nations, and plant true religion in the hearts of the jufl •, that he fi-iould be true to the Roman cathoiick defenders of Ireland, and to the French at tlie firft attempt of a French invafion in this kingdom, and fooner if called on by the committee men •, that he would never fee a brother flruck or abufed by a proteltant on any account; that he, faid Daly, would not fee a brother want when he had two pence, without fharing it with him; that he fliould never recommend a man of an unfair charafter to the fociety; and that he, faid Daly, fliould take the life of any man that would give information.”*

CoTifpiracy in the county of Tipperary.

THE confpiracy in the county of Tipperary was exaftly fimilar to that in the counties of Cork and Waterford; but it was infinitely more terrifick, becaufe fome Roman catholicks, pofieffed of property, were at the head of it, and all the popifli multitude were engaged in it; and one of the chief agents of the dire£lory in Dublin, afliired me, that the popifh priefts, who have at all times an unbounded influence over the common herd of papifls, embraced the fyftem with eagerncfs, and promoted it with zeal. The main defigns of the confpirators were, to join the French, murder all the proteftants, and to confifcate their property. It was very fortunate that Thomas Fitzgerald, efquire, of Liiheen, near Thurles, happened to be high {heriff of that county, in the year 1798; for, from the fingular boldnefs and hardihood of his chara£ter, he was peculiarly formed to Item the rough torrent of the times; and it is generally allowed, that by his fpir iLed and feafonable exertions, he prevented the maflacre of many thoufand fouls, and the defi:ru£tion of half a million of property in that opulent and populous county. A man of his fagacity and courage would have faved the county of Wexford from defolation and indelible difgrace. The firft information which he received, coil him much trouble and expence. Being thoroughly convinced of the alarming ftate of things, and that the barony of Ormoiid was the beft organized of any part of the county, he repaired to the town of Nenagh, affembled the people, told them that he was well acquainted with their fchemes and combinations, and feized fome of thofe of whofe guilt he had undoubted information; and he announced to them in the publick ftreets, that if the remainder, who were involved, did not acknowledge their errors, and who had led them aftray, their fecrets fhould be forced from them; at the fame time he told them, that he would give them twenty-four hours to confider and determine vvhat part they would take. They all made the ftrongeft afleverations of their innocence, though he had unqueftionable proof that a general infurreftion and maflacre was to take place in a few days. One man, deeply concerned, was taken up and whipped on the fixteenth of May •, however, he called God to witnefs his

innocence,

♦ Thefe informations arc in the Crown-office.

APPENDIX,  No. XI.

4 •

innocence, and the barbarous treatment which he received; but after receiving thirty laflies, and having been informed w^here he w^as cdncerned on a particular night, in the commiffion of a robbery and burghxry, and on being aflured that he fliould die under his punifliment, unlefs he made a full confeffion, he infmuated to a magiltrate, that he would make a full difcovery, if he was taken into a private room, wliich. having been done, he gave fuch general and important information, that numbers of arrefts were immediately made, to the aftonifliment of the gentlemen of the country, who were totally ignorant, until that moment, of the florm which was ready to burft over their heads, and overwhelm them. Confeffion followed confeffion, and a fcene of treafon, whofe malignity could be equalled by nothing but its extenfivenefs, was brought to light; and the loyal fubjeits were furprifed at difcovering that a committee of alTaffination, at that time fitting in the town, was actually correfponding with the military committee in Dublin; that the mafs of the people were regularly regimented, under the command of a general of divifion, who was then in Dublin, receiving final orders preparative to the general infurre£lion and maflacre, which was to take place on the night of the twenty-third of May. Every other part of that county was regularly regimented in the fame manner, and commanded by generals of divifion.

Mr. Fitzgerald, therefore, proceeded with the utmoft celerity, through the ‘moft alarming parts of it; and by whipping fome of the moft notorious rebels, he developed all their dark and malignant defigns, took up fome leaders, and hunted others out of the country; by which he broke the links of the organization, and faved that great and opulent county from imminent deitruftion.

He was fo fuccefsful in difcovering the moft latent views and fecrets of the confpirators, partly by threats and flagellation, partly by pecuniary means, and by pardoning fome notorious delinquents, with whom he compromifed, that the mafs of them really believed that he was endued with the power of divination; infomuch, that wherever he went, the multitude prevented his wiflies, and were emulous in making difcoveries, in furrendering their arms, and in confeiBng their errors, dreading left their filence, being confidered as contumacy, might provoke his vengeance. A gentleman who conftantly attended him in his perambulations, affliredme, that fear had operared fo ftrongly on them, as to produce the following effefl wherever he went : On approaching a popifii chapel, round wliicli a numerous congregation were affembled, he has ordered them to fall on their knees, and they inftantly complied. He then ordered the ferjeants to rife and come forward, and they inftantly obeyed; then the captains, the majors, and the committee men fucceffively, and they yielded obedience. They furrendered their arms in every parifn which he vifited, as foon as he iiTued his mandate for that purpofe. The dilafFefted were very atlive and fuccefsful .’1 fpreading reports, that the. oi-angemcn formed plots for extirpating the Roman oatholicks, in coiifequence of which the latter in great nur ibers dcferted their houfes in the night, and affembled in the fields, whsre they were fworn and organiz’d; v/’iich, and to influence them againll prol titants, were the fole objeft of fuch malignant fuggeftions; and yet no orangemaii ever exifted in that county. In confequence of this, the inhabitants of Cafhel publiffied the following advertifement :

WHEREAlS we have heard with much furprife and concern, that feveral perfons in this neighbourhood have Jately been induced to defert their habitacions at night by fa’ifc reports o! being attacked by orangemen :

We the inhabitants of the city of Cafhel, having met this day, for the purpofe of inquiring into the origin of thefe reports, have, after the moft minute inveftigation,

found

48

APPENDIX,  No. XI.

found that they are totally deftitute of foundation; and we do Piereby ofTer a reward of one hundred guineas, to tlie perfon or perfons who lhall difcover and profetute to convi£tion, the author or authors of fuch fabrications, and do alfo promife every degree of protection, to people of all perfuafions without diftinftion.

Cafhel, September 14th, 1798.

Signed at the requeft of the meeting,

ALEXANDER DON, colonel, commanding in CafheLRICHARD PENNEFATHER, captain, Cafhel cavalry.

On the twelftli of March, 1798, at a meeting of the raagillrates and gentry held at Nenagh, it was propofed by the proteftant gentry, that the Roman catholicks fhould unite in preferving peace and good order, and in mutually aflifting each other; and an oath for that purpol’e was produced, and feveral proteftant gentlemen took it; but not more than one or two Roman catholicks.

On that day it was propofed to proclaim the baronies of Upper and Lower Ormond,. and feven magiftrates were for it, and four againft it; but from that miftaken lenity, which has been the ruin of this kingdom, the propofal was withdrawn; and yet fo little did it conciliate the people, that the outrages committed by them encreafed fo much, that the whole county was proclaimed on the twenty-fecond of the fame month, by the unanimous vote of twenty-nine magiftrates alfembled at Cafhel,

The reader may form an idea of the boldnefs and audacity of the rebels in the county of Tipperary, from the following hd, ftated in the report of the fecret committee of 1798, of the houfe of commons, page 22 : “ That in open day, eight hundred infurgents, principally mounted, invefted the town of Cahir, in the eounty of Tipperary, and held poflellion of it, until they had made a regular fearch through every houfe, and carried off in triumph all the arms and ammunition they could find.”

I fhall refer the reader to the following informations to fliew him the ftate of that county :

Phineas Hunt, a young lad, the fon of Mr. Hunt, a proteftant gentleman of fortune, of Cappagh, in the county of Tipperary, was impelled by a iyftem of terror, to be fworn, and to join the united Iriftimen, in the month of February, 1798, having been affiired, that the French would foon land and join them; and that all thofe who were not of their party would be murdered : but in Iwearing liim they committed a grofs error, for the oath which they exhibited to him contained an obligation to murder all the proteftants * in the kingdom; which he acknowledged afterwards, by information dated the eleventh of April, 1798, and fworn before the honourable and reverend James St. Leger, a magiitrate of the county, which is lodged in the Crown-office.

Philip Cahill, of KIldufF, in faid county, fwore an inforrtiation before George Bennet, efquire, a magiftrate thereof, dated tiic eighteenth of February, 1798, and which is lodged in the Crown-office, that he was at Killea in faid county, where upwards of a hundred perfons were aflembled, for the purpofe of forming themfelves

into

* In thofe counties where the rebellion did not explode, they were very retentive of this fecret, (which vras their primum mobile) in order to lull and inveigle proteftants; but ftilJ it tranfpired. When the oath was prefented, young Hunt ftarted and faid, Am 1 to murder my father and mother, and all my family? on which the rebel ofiicers feemed much confufed, and faid it was not the right oath.

A.P P E N D I X,  No. XI.

49

into bodies, and chufing corporals and fcrjeants, which they did accordingly •, [/:><■>-<■ come the nanus of the perfons prefenQ and fwore all the perfoHS then prcfcut to join the French, and affift them on their landing.

Richard Murphy, of Killenaule, in faid county, fwore an information before Oliver Latham, cfquire, a magiftrate thereof, dated the twenty-fecond of February, 1798, that being in the houfe of Pierce St. John, he was addrelTed by William Ryan, who, in the courfe of coijverfation, offered him a watch if he would take the defenders oath.

Michael Hogan, of Newport, fwore before William Anderfon, a magiftrate, dated the twelfth of March, 1798, that on the firft of faid month, he was invited by Daniel Reddy, into his houfe to drink, and in the courfe of converfation, he offered him fifty guineas if he would murder Robert Lloyd, and Francis Quinn, efquires; and informed him, that, in the courfe of a few nights, the united men would put Mr. Waller, of Caftle Waller, and Mr. Anderfon, of Foxhall, to death; and he ihewed him the plan of a pike, according to which he was to get fifty made by a blackfmith.

Oli^rer Brown, of Boolaree, fwore an information before George Rennet, efquire, dated the eighteenth of April, 1798, that on the night of the firft of March, 1798, a number of people, about four hundred, aflembled on the hill of Tullagh, where they formed themfelves into ranks, under officers and ferjeants; that James Keary and Daniel CoUifon a£led as officers, and that the faid party marched three abreaft into the village of Templetooky.

John Maher, of Ballingarry, fwore before William Defpafd, efquire, on the eighth of May, 1 798, that on the night of the twenty-ninth of April, Denis Maher, of Grafliagh, gave him a written paper, containing a kind of catechifm, or conftitution of the united Iriffimen, and fwore him the oath of fecrefy, and to be true to the faid conftitution until they met again, which he toM him would be the Sunday after, at Kilbechan chapel; and informant declared, that he took faid oath through fear of the faid Denis Maher arrd the party that attended him.

I fhall defer difcufling at prefent the policy and the good efi^e£l:s of whipping and free quarter, but the reader may form, fome judgment of it from the following inftance : Mr. Otway, of Caftle Otway, near Nenagh, had undoubted proof that the people in his populous parifli were fworn, organized, and well fupp’ied with arms; and that they were foon to rife and maflacre all the loyal fubjefts. He then took up a fellow, well known to have been fworn, and threatened to whip’ him, unlcfs he difclofed his fecrets of the confpiracy; but he called God to v/itnefs his innocence, and offered to make an affidavit of it; but Mr. Otway ordered him to receive twentyfive lafhes in the prefence of Sir Ja3nes Duff^; but he perfifted in profeffing his ignorance of the plot. Having been tied up next day, when his Ikin was tender from the preceding whipping, he acknowledged his guilt, that the pariih v/as organized, and the people were well armed with pikes. Soon after he was taken down, which convinced the confpirators that he had made a full acknowledgment of what he knew They then inftantly became emulous in making confeffions, and in furrendering arms, and in the fpace of a few hours, feventeen hundred pikes were furrendered; and father Kennedy, the pariflvprieft, voluntarily acknowledged, that he had been fworn by father Meara, apricft who had fworn many others, though he had been previoufly examined by Mr. Otway, and fwore that he was perfectly ignorant of the confpiracy. It appears alfo, that father Meara, parifh prieft of Nenagh, had fworn many priefts in his neighbourhood; and that father O’Brien, of the parifh of Doone, and he, were deeply concerned in the confpiracy; and they were both fentenced to be tranfodrted.

[G] ‘ No.

t

5© A P P E N D I X,  No. XIL

No. XII.

JDiJfentitig minijiei’s in the counties of Down and Antrim implicated in the rebellion 179S..

COUNTY DOWN.

Names.

Abode.

Sentence,

Porter,

Gray Abbey,

Hanged.

Warwick, Simpfon,

Kercubben,

Hanged.

Newtownards,

Tranfported.

Sinclair,

Do.

Do.

Ward,

Kellurchy,

Do.

Birch,

Saintfield,

Do. to America.

Adair,

Cumber,

Proclaimed.

Hull,

Bangor,

Do.

Mc’Mahon,

Hollywood,

Do.

Dickfon,

Portaferry,

Confined Fort George.

Barber,

Rathfryland,

Two Years imprifonment.

COUNTY

ANTRIM.

Achefon,

Glenarm,

Tried, acquitted.

Hill,

Ballynure,

Tried, partly guilty.

McNeill,

Clogh,

Accufed of being a leader, fen

tenced to tranfport himfelf,

Glendy,

Mahera,

Accufed, ordered to leave the kingdom.

Worte,

Lame,

Taken up, never tried.

Henry,

Connor,

Do.

Xelburne,

Belfaft,

Dp. difcharged.

Outrages by the defenders in the year 1 793,

I HAVE already ftated that one hundred and eighty houfes were attacked by them in the year 1792, in the county of Louth alone.

On the twenty-fecond of January, 1793, a numerous body of them well armed, wantonly attacked a detachment of the forty-firft regiment near Peterville, in the county of Meath, and had a fevere confli£l with them; and on that occafion the prefbyterians v/ho live in that country aided the king’s troops with great zeal, which Ihews that they were loyal at that time. About the fame time the defenders in grrat numbers furioufly afiaulted a company of the fame regiment commanded by major Grey, when on their march, at Manor Hamilton, in the county of Leitrim, and deftroyed their baggage, though they were uftimately repulfed; on that occafion the defenders charged the foldiers, and wrenched their bayonets from their mulkets.

A proclamation ilTaed on the thirteenth of February, 1793, againft them, ftating that outrages had been committed by them in the counties of Louth, Meath, Cavan, Dublin, Monaghan, and the county of the town of Drogheda; and it alludes to enormities perpetrated by them in the preceding year.

In the fame month a large mob of people aflembled at Woodford, in the county of Galway, declaring they would pay no more taxes > and fwore numbers of people

to

APPENDIX,  No. XH.

5^

to he!ruc to tliem and their caufe. They were incited to this by inflammatory hand-bills.

In the fame month a detachment of the eighth regiment was attacked by a numerous body of them at Athboy, in the county of Meath, and two of the foldiers were killed.

In the fame month a party of them attempted tb carry off four pieces of cannon from Garretftown in the county of Meath, but were prevented by the volunteers of Ardeath.

In the fame month they committed dreadful outrages in tlie barony of Innifliowen, in the county of Donegal; fuch as burning houles, dellroying corn, houghing’ cattle, extorting money, and writing threatening letters. At lait the proteftant inha^ bitants alTembled and offered a reward of two hundred guineas to any perfon who would enable their committee to profecute them.

In the fame month juftice Graham feized eight of t/iem near the Nau!, and found on Jofeph Corbaliy, their leader, a lift of fixty-fix perfons v/ho had enrolled themfelves as defenders.

In the fame month a numerous body of thfcm forcibly entered and plundered the houle of Mr. Mark Galhdy, of Derry, in the county of Mcnaghan, of arms, and other valuable articles.

The fame month a party of them well armed, attacked and fired on a body of the king’s troops near Ardee, who killed feven, and wounded a great number of them. For fome time after the inhabitants of that town were fo much afraid of being maflacred, that they, headed by the magiftrates, kept guard by night.

In the beginning of the yeai i’793, they often aflembled hi great numbers at Moneymore, in the county of Derry, and affumed the title of green cockade men, becaufe they wore that badge in their hats they paraded in arms, and exercifed in a publick manner; and at laft they became fo formidable, that general White was fent there with a body of troops to fupprefs them-.

In the month of May, 1793, there was a general rifing of them in the counties of Sligo, Mayo, Leitrim, and Rofcommon 5 and they ihewed great eagernefs to procure the fire-arms of proteftants. They deftroyed feveral gentlemen’s houfes; they plundered and demolifhed Coalville, the feat of Mr. Tennifon, valued at 6000I. Mr. Tennifon, with a party of foldiers, took fome of them prifoners, but the mob, fuppofed to be fix thoufand, rufVied on them, killed three of the foldiers, and refcued the prifoners.

They robbed of arms and ammunition captain Ormfby’s feat of Caftle-dangan, Mr. Johnfon’s of Adderfaid, and his fons, and captain Carter’s of Drumleafe. Mercury, the feat of Mr. Cooper, member for the county of Sligo, they plundered of fifty mulkets, and various other articles, broke all his windows, and drank or fpilled all the liquors in his cellars; moll of the gentlemen in that country were obliged to fly from their houfes.

In the month of June, a body of infurgents burned the houfe of Mr. Wilfon, of Caftlecomer, and allalBnated Mrs. Wilfon, as (he end-eavoured te efcape from the flames.

This year we find them in a fkate of infurredlion in the four quarters of the kingdom. Swearing the defenders oath toc^ place very generally in the beginning of the year 1 793, in the county of Wexford.

In the month of July, a number of them aflembled near Ennifcorthy, and after threatening to break open the gaol, they proceeded in immenfc numbers to Wexford, to liberate the prifoners confined there; and the brave major Vallaton, having led

[G 2] ou?

5*

APPENDIX,  No. Xir.

out a detachment of the fifty-fixth regiment to oppofe them, an<l Vhile hun)artel-r expoftulatnig with them, they gave him fome defperate wounds, of which he died foon after.  Great numbers of the infurgents were killed and wounded.

There was a dreadful fpirit of infurgency in various parts of the county qi’ Limerick in the month of July, which lafted fome days. N^ar Limerick, the infurgents had an engagement with part of the thirty-eighth regiment, who killed and wounded fome of them; however, the fame party afterwards burned the houfe of Mr. Oliver, who narrowly efcaped with his life.

At Bruff in that county, they fired trcacheroufly from the windows of that town, on a party of the king’s troops, commanded by captain Forbes, which occafioned a dreadful confli£l, and in which fome lives were loft.

In the month of May, 1793, a large body of them, after committing various outrages at Boyle in the county of Rofcommon, attacked a party of the king’s ti-oops, who killed nineteen of them.

In the montlis of May, and June, 1793, the county of Kerry was a good deal agitated; the pretext ot the difaffefted was a determination to oppofe the raifing the militia, but it was foon difcovered to arife from a deeper and more malignant fource, as the infurgents openly declared that nothing would fatisfy them but a divifion of property, and an abolition of tythes and taxes.

Early in the month of June, they attacked and difperfed the deputy governors, who aflembled at Dingle, to confer on raifing the militia.

A week after, about four thoufand ailembled and entered that town for the purpofe of fwearing the inhabitants to abide by their laws. The gentlemen of the county having had notice of their intention, united to the number of twenty-five 5 but found themfelves unable to withfland fo numerous a mob, of whom many were well appointed with arms. They therefore retreated to a houfe, and defended themfelves till night, when the infurgents difperfed.

A fortnight before St. John’s day, the -twenty-fourth of June, they proclaimed at their chapels, and by notices polled in all publick places, that they would meet jn great numbers on that day at Dingle, and carry all their plans into execution. In confequence of their declaration, Mr. MuUins got feventy foldiers from Limerick, who marched into Dingle the day preceding the intended meeting; and he gave publick notice that he would oppofe them : However, not deterred by the army, they entered the town In Immenfe numbers, armed with guns, piftols, fwords pikes, and fcythes mounted on poles. Mr. MuUins, defirous to prevent the effuficn of blood, remained in the barrack with the troops till three o’clock, though the infurgents were two hours In poireflion of the town •, but when they began to commit acts of violence on the inhabitants, and their houfes, he marched out, when the mob fired on them, and pelted them with ftones on which having ordered the troops to fire, they killed fourteen of the infurgents, and wounded many of them; after which they difperfed and fled, and did not ftop until they arrived at fome clifts over the fea, which were ten miles off; and they would not return till they made peace with the maglftrates. Moft of them gave Information one againft another •, and they fwore that their Intention was to have killed all the proteftant gentlemen, and to have confifcated their eftates. It was proved afterwards, that this plot was general in the county of Kerry; and that it extended even to the county of Limerick, for there were perfons flatloned at Tralee, and Tarbert, and in the intervening fpace, ready to convey the event of their attack on Dingle; that all the inhabitants of that Immenfe tra£t of country might have rifen at the fame* moment, and have aited in concert with them.  The exemplary punilhment ofr

ihcfe

APPENDIX,  N<». Xri.

thefe Infurgents has kept the county of Kerry peaceful ever fince *, fere though it wa: organized in 1 797, no outrages were committed but in one place. That falutary a6t of feverity probably faved many liundred lives afterwards.

Papers found at the meetifig at Oliver Bond’s on the fweifth af March.

Found on John Lynch at the meeting at Bond’s; hand^vviting ^ Wil^^rk-^lichael Bjrtit.

TPIE county W C  inform their condituents, tfeat by the a<lVieit

they have received from the provincial, it appears that very flattering accounts havd been received from abroad, which will, in a very few days, be officially handed down. The provincial returns of men have only eiicreafed a fevj theufands fmcc the laft reports; as the new county members have not yet come in, in confequence of the new ele£\:ions, which, each barony will take notice, muft be on or before, the fifteenth February next.

The county comm= again carneflly; recomniend it to their conftituents, to pay n© attention to any flying reports, as they know to a certainty, falfe emiflaries are encouraged to difleminate fuch news as may tend to dilunite or lead them aftray.

The C. C. hear with regret the dilTatisfadtion of the baronial committee of Newcaftle, with refpedt to their not being as yet fully fupplied with arms, &c. They aflure them that every exertion has been ufed to that purpofe, and that quantitie* of pikes are now ready manufadtured for delivery; but would at the fame time recommend to have as many made as poffible in each bas’ony, as they will thereby come infinitely cheaper.

The county committee cannot be accountable for any money io the hands of a baronial treafurer; and of courfe cannot account for any, but fuch as has been paid in to them, of which there appears a correft ftatement in the returns.

They feel with concern the apathy of their fellow-citizens of the co. W. who refufe fo fmall a pittance as one penny per man, to alleviate, in fome degree, the diftrefles of their fuff^ering brethren now in W. gaol, where there are many innocent cit. in want of the common neceflaries of life; but who, though famifhing, fcorn to betray the trtij} rcpofed in them.

The county com^ inform their conftituents, that,, fo far from having a fund in hands, they are now indebted to one of their members (No. 2.) who has kindly advanced 18I. 4s. ad. for the relief of prifoners; the county members are therefore intreated to forward to himy without delay, as much money as can be colledied ia their refpe£Vive baronies; as there appears to be now in gaol, from Arklow barony fouTy from Shillela Jivey from Ballinacoor fourteen, and one from Talbotftown fifteen, and from Newcaftle tivoy in all forty tiuoy without the fmallefl fund iar the enfuing m®.

Refolved, that a fubfcription be inftantly comimenced, for the purpofe Of forming a fund, for the employing and retaining council, which {hall be taken as a voluntary contribution, according to the circumftances of individuals, to be lodged in the hapds of a treafurer chofen by the county c».

Refolved, that it is requefted that the next meeting may be fully attended, as there is buGnefs of the utmoft importance to be taken into confideration.

C. C. Jan’’,

54

C.

Tal. . Low. D, Ar. Rd. N. C. W. B. L. B. ShiL

APPENDIX,  No. Xlf. C. Jany. 22, 1798.

20  3 10 

I,

Pd. prifonetb.

2974 706 2400 1200 1800 1800 840 1080

59 8 17 o

35 15 »3 15 8 2

7 19

 I ft. 12 10 3

 2d.  22 15 O

500 3d. 37 19 3  N”2. 12 6 5

X280O 162

85 10 I r Reft to province

3 4

“9

0

6

35

15

0

83

5

0

162

3

4

245

8

4

85

10

159

17

s

73

4  6 1

38 18 10

73

4 6

G.

P.

S.

B.

Ps.

B. C.

B.

lb. P.

TaL

181

78

66

134

321

3331

8315

75

Ar.

265

85

68

87

200

400

8050

500

N. C.

158

41

20

32

355

5965

169

R. D.

185

94

62

75

380

980

500

17

789

298

216

328

1256

47 1.;

22830

76 r.

Ar.

210

75

62 1

N. C.

100

0

0;

-At

R. D.

200

0

0 _

1299

373

278

Kudiare Wicklow Dublin Do. City Queen’s Co. King’s Co. Carlow Kilkenny Meath

No; r.

Papers found in the room at Bond*:., Hand-nvr ‘tting of John M^Can. do folemnly declare, that I came duly ele£led.

No. n.

Hand-nvrifing of John M’Cari.

1 ^ih Februa ry, 179 8 .

1 086;    In Treafurer’s Hand? 12095

3010

2000 1 1689.

3600

9414 624 14000

20 18;

20 —

67295

40 18 3

Refolved,

APPENDIX,  No. m

55

Rcfolved, that the colonels in each county fhall make out a. lift of three perfons to be adjutants-general for faid counties. The lifts to be tranfmitted, fealed, either through the provincial, or any other authentic channel to the executive, who vrill nominate one of the three to the employment.

Refolved, that our treafurer be allowed to pay i6 guineas to the delegate for to buy a horfe, which, when the entire county is organized, is to be fold, and the money paid back into the hands of the treafurer.

Refolved, that the ex. comm’ be requefted to account for the expenditure of 60 guineas voted them.

Refolved, that each co. who have not paid in any finance, (hall be requefted to pay in 70I. immediately, except the co. Carlow, which (hall only pay 40I.

Privates Test.

Hand-writing not htoiun.

I, A. B. do folemnly declare, that I will perform my duty, and be obedient to all the lawful commands of my officers, while they a£t in fubordination to the duly eledled committee.

Hand-writing of John M^Can.

Refolved, that we will pay no attention whatfoever to any attempt that may be made by either houfe of parliament, to divert the publick mind from the grand objedl we have in view, as nothing Ihort of the compleat emancipation of om country will fatisfy us.

No. III.

K.

J0863

W.

12095

D.

3010

C. D.

2000

CLC.

11689

K. C.

3600

C*.

9414

624

M.

14000

67295

In hands ^018 3

£’ 32 20 ■

40 18

Ten in the morning this day three weeks. No. IV.

Hand-writing of John M*Can.

Refolved, that it is the opinion of this committee, that if the other Ps. be in an equal ftate of preparation as Leinfter, as foon as we can procure the information of their ftate, and their determination to a£l in concert with the nation, we fhould immediately proceed to aft; and that the exe^« be requefted to take fuch fteps immediately, as will tend moft expeditioufly to bring about an union of the different prov*.

Refolved,

4

APPENDIX,  No. Xn.

Refolved, that the feled com* of five be requefted to prepare a military teft to be laid before the prov* at their next meeting for their approbation.

jExtra^ls from the pocket-hook of John M’Cati, found at Bond’s.

Kildare Wicklow Dublin D5. City Queen’s Co. King’s Co. Carlow Kilkenny Meath

P. C. ^Provincial committee.]

20th February, 1798.

10863

12895 3010 2177

11689 3600 9414 624

14000

£• 20 18 20

104 6

68272

4 8

Subfcrlptions :

Febr^ 9th,

1798.

Febr*’. i6th.

Febrr.

23

No.

8

8

I

I

I

6k

2

I

r

3

2

H

61

4

I

1

6k

6|

5

6i

I I

6

6i

7

I

I

6i

6k

8

6i

6k

9

2

81

10

I

I

2 Sk

2 2

II

I

I

6 6

12

61 & i 81

3 9k

£■ I

0

7

I  7 I

C.

C. [County committee.]

February 19th, 1798.

812 865 500

28 8 11”

19 15

9 13 6

46 9

2177   £, 104  6 5,

[Four divlfions of the city Dublin.]

D. C.

APPENDIX,

No, XT!.

D. C.

In hands £. i

0|

I

118

4 II

61 6i

2

I lo

3 ^9 7^

3

ft A

1 2

4

72

<Jf

S

1 20

■2

4

4

6

99

I 15

3

3

7

S3

02

o

o

9

I  12 lol

lO

&o

169

6§

1 1

70

I

4

4

12

I II 9

I

I

13

I

71

2

81

16

4

57

D. C. 8th March, 98, B. C. [baronial committee.]

5th March, 1798.

No. I

118

4

3

61

12

2

118

4

3

3

12

3

48

I

0

6

12

4

72

12

5

120

12

13

6

ICS

I

2

10

7

107

14

12

8

89

12

9

86

3

8

3

8

10

118

2

4

9

II

102

I

13

12

2

1 1

6

13

86

I

7

8

14

84

3

7

8

Exiracl of a letter found upon Oliver Bond, figned H. W. ( Hugh Wilfon; and -dated^

Cork 6th, 1798.

I have been fo cooped up fmce I came here, that had I known the fituation of the place, my mind Ihould never have been fo abominably clofeted, for any emolument that I may derive before a change of the prefent government takes place.

You can but faintly imagine how things, are going on here; give the people but a little time, and reft aflured the progrefs fcience is making will aftonilh the world. The enemies of the human race are much alarmed, and the revolt of the Dublin county militia has increafed their fears. Mr. Flnlay fays, they arc all aflaffms, and he is almoft afraid to truft himfelf with them. I hear they are to be difperfed among the Highlanders through the country  Numbers of preachers of

CH] the

APPENDIX, No. XIII.

the true gofpel are better than few, and thofe difperfed grains may not fall on rocky ground.

When the news came this morning of the Spanifh fleet being out, the ariftocrats feemed happy, faying, their doom was at hand, Tervis being after them. With beft regards to Mrs. Bond, and all friends,

I am fmcerely yours,

H. W.

No. XIII.

THE fubftance of an information fworn by a white fmith, in the city of Dublin, in the month of June, 1798, before John Claudius Beresford, efquire, who had him arrefted on a charge of being concerned with the united Iriftiraen. His name is concealed, left; he fhould be afFaffinated for being an informer.

That he was fcduced and made an united Irilhman the firft day of May, 1797, and belonged to a fociety of twelve, of which Rowland Goodman, a flalor, was fecretary.

That he hoped to rife to the rank of an oflicer in a fuperior committee, which regulated his, but which he had never feen, but he faw among their rules, fet out in a printed paper, that no blackmouth or blackbane, fliould ever rife and he difcovered afterwards that thefe appellations fignified a proteftant, and Goodman reported him to be fuch.

That one Hely, a chimney do£tor, was fubftituted as fecretary in the place of Goodman; and carried to the fuperior committee a propofal and plan for burning the caftle of Dublin, which v/as approved of. Informant aflced Hely how it was to be done? and when he was about to inform him of it, the reft of the committee prevented him, becaufe, as infoi^ant believed, he was a pi’oteftant.

Hely told informant, that Horifti* was a found good fellow, and much attached tothe caufe.

Rowland Goodman, and John Graham, afted informant to make pikes for the united Irilhmen, but on his hefitating, fufpicions M^ere entertained of his finccrity in the caufe; and Goodman went to his wife, and faid he feared that hs was not to be depended on, and that he would hang thoufands. One Mafterfon faid, if he makes the pikes he will do; if not, Browne will cut him; which was a cant-word for killing informers.

That a plan was formed in his committee, and carried up to the fuperior one, to feize the foldlers who lined the ftreets, when the lord lieutenant was going to the houfe of lords : That three men armed with daggers were to attack each foldier^ and difarm him, and if he refifted, put him to death : That they were to enter the houfe of parliament to kill fuch members as were not their friends, .and at the fame time to get pofleflion of the caftle. At laft ftrong fufpicions being entertained of informant, the queftion for his expuHion was put, and every member of the committee, but one, voted for it.

That no perfon of his committee had any knowledge of, or connection with the fuperior committee, but the fecretary.

While he was in the fociety, a plan was formed, and fent up to the fuperior committee, “ That each committee fhould fupply two men, who were not afraid 0/ lofing their lives, and that they were to form afiaflination committees of five, to kill the leading men of the kingdom.”

* A mafter fweep, deeply concerned in the confpiracy, was faid to be engaged i,i a, plan to buro thr raftle and many other building* and hou fes.

APPENDIX,  No. XIIL 59

That they endeavoured to keep the objeft a fecret from him; but fome of the members informed him, that it was to do out* the leading men of the kingdom.

He underftood that every Roman catholick in the kingdom was in tl\e united caufe, that the militia and yeomen of that pcrfuafion were attached to it, and that they were to kill all thofe of a different religion in action.

He was informed that all the popifh fervants in Dublin were united Iriftimen; and he law many of them at their different meetings.

They made it a religious caufe, and often faid, that a Roman catholick would certainly go to heaven, if he killed three proteftants.

They refolved, never to lay out fix pence with any proteftant.

Suci; -anatical converfation was very common in their clubs.

The caftle was to have been attacked in front, and in rear from Ship-ftreet.

The leading men in government, particularly the Beresford family, were to be done out. There was to be a general rifing; a ficy-rocket was to be the fignal for it, and informant was to get twenty-four hours notice of it.

The following regiments of militia were confidered as moft attached and fteady to the united caufe, the Kildare, Weftmeath, Longford, Kilkenny, and King’s county.

T/je Jhllomuing papery found by alderman Alexander in a boxy in the pojfejfion of Mr. Skeares, ivas read on his trial :

Note. The words in italicks were interlined : Thofe between crotchets were ftruck acrofs with a pen.

♦* Iri/hmen,

Your country is free; all thofe monfters who ufurped its government to opprefs its people are in our hands, except fuch as have”]

“ Your country is free, and you arc about to be avenged, [already] that vile government which has fo long and fo cruelly cppreffed you, is no more; fome of its moft atrocious monfters have already paid the forfeit of their lives, and the reft are in our hands [waiting their fate.]  The national flag, ihefacred green, is at this moment flying over the ruins of defpotifm, and that capital which a few hours paft [was the fcene] witnefled the debauchery, [the machinations] plots and crimes of your tyrants, is now the citadel of triumphant patriotifm and virtue.  Arife then, united fons of Ireland; arife like a great and powerful people, determined to [live] be free or die; arm yourfelves by every means in your power, and rufh like lions on your foes; confider, that [in dif;irming your enemy] for every enemy you difarm, you arm a friend, and thus becomedoubly powerful; in the caufe of liberty, inaction is cowardice, and the coward fhall forfeit the property he has not the courage to proteft.  Let his arms be feized, and transferred to thofe gallant [patriots] fpirits who want, and will ufe them : Yes, Irilhmen, we fwear by that eternal juftice, in whofe caufe you figlit, that the brave patriot, who furvlves the prefent glorious ftruggle, and tlie family of liim who has fallen, or fhall fall hereafter in it, fhali receive from the hands of a gi’ateful nation, an ample recompence out of [thofe funds] that property which the crimes of our enemies [ftiall] have forfeited into its hands, and his name [too] fhall be infcribed on the national record of Irifh revolution, as a glorious example to all pofterity •, but   likeivifefivear to punijlj robbery ivith death and infamv.”

[H 2] ‘ « We

* Do ou:, was a cant word for aifaninatin^.

\

A P P E N Er I: X, No.’XIIL.

We alfo fwe;vv, that we will never flieath the fword until every [perfon] being la tlie country is reftored to thofe equal rights, which the God of Nature has given to all men,— until an order of things lhall be edabliflied, in which no fuperiority fhall be acknov.’led;;ed. among the citizens of Erin, but that [which] of virtue and talent [fhall intitle to.]”

«‘ As tor thofe degenerate wretches wlio turn their fwords againft titcir native country, the national vengeance awaits them : Let them find no quarter unlefs they *ftiaLl prove their re^jentance by fpcedtly deferting, exchanging from the ftan.Iard of flavery, for that of freedom, under v/hich their former errors may be buried, and they ma)fliare the glory and advantages that are due to the patriot bands of Ireland.”

“ Many’ of the military feel the love of liberty glow within their breails, and have [already to] joined ihe national itandard; receive [thofe] with open arms, fueh as fliall follow fo glorious an example, they can render fignal fervice to the caufe of freedom, and fnall be rewarded according to their deferts : But for the wretch who turns his fword againit his native country, let the national vengeance be vifited on him, let him find no iquartcr.  Two other crimes demand

“ Roufe all the energies of your fouls; call forth all the merit and abilities which a vicious government configned to obfcurity, and under the condu£l of your chofen leaders, march with a Heady flep to viclory •, heed not the glai-e of a [mercenary] hired foldiery, or arijhcmtick yeomanry, they cannot fland the vigorous fhock of freedom, [clofe with them Man to Man, and let them fee what vigour the caufe of freedom can.] Their trappings and their arms will foon be yours, and the detefted government of England, to which we vow eternal hatred, fliall learn, that the treafures, [fhe, it] the\’ exhauft on [their mercenary] its accoutered flaves, for the purpofe of butchering Irifhmen, fliall but further enable us to turn their fwords on its devoted head.”

»* Attack them in every dire£lion by day and by night; avail yourfelves of the natu>t:: advantages of your country, which, are innumerable, and ivith iMch you are better f.cnuaintid than they : Where you cannot oppofe thera in full force, conrtantly harafstheir rear and their flanks : Cut off their provifions ‘and magazines, and prevent them as much as pofiible from uniting their forces : Let whatever moments you cannot [pafs in] devote to fighting for your country, be [devoted to] palTed in learning how to fight for ir, or preparing tlie means of war •, for war, war alone, muft occupy every mind, and every hand in Ireland, until its long opprefied foil be purged of all its enemies.”

“ Vengeance, Irifhmen, vengeance on your oppreflbrs — remember what thoufands of your der.reft friends have perifhed by their [murders, cruel plots,] mercilefs orders; remember their burnings, their rackings, their torturings, their military mafTacres, and their legal murders.  Remember ORR.”

Letter from John Sheares, found upon Sanuifl Neilfin, on the evening of the i^d -May.

SIR,

I HAVE fought you in every; dire£l:ion, but unfortunately in vain.. It is now too late to ufe many words upon the fubjeft of our intended interview — let it fuffice to fay that I am acquainted with the deftru£live defign you meditate, and am refolved to countera£l: it, whatever it may coft me — reil afl’ured that nothing fhall check a refolution, which honour, private afFeftion and publick duty unite to demand the immediate execution of; and that however unwilling I may be at any other moment to take the only ftcps which your obilinacy. may render necefTary this evening, for the prefervation of my friends and my country, I will without hefitation take them. The fcheme you have undertaken I view with horror, whether its efFefts be confidered as relating to my imprifoned friends, the deftrudtion of whofe property and lives mull be the

confequencc.

APPENDIX,  No. XIV.

61

confequence, even of your fuccefs, or as affefting Arthur O’Connor’s exlftencc, the precarious chance for which you thus cruelly lefTen, or (what is fuperior to every other confideration) as enfuring the ruin of Ireland’s freedom — in fliort, Mr. to be candid with you, the fcherae is fo totally deftitute of any apology, even from the plea of folly or pafhon, that I cannot avoid attributing its origin to a worfe caufe, and nothing can convince me of the contrary, but your immediately foregoing fo pernicious an enterprife. In thefe fentiments I am not fingular,. nor in the refolution which arifes from them; and (hould you doubt me, you muft purchafe conviftion at a very fevere coft; My refolution, and that of my friends, is this, if you do not by nine o’clock this evening, give us every neceffary and facred aflurance, that you will countera£l and prevent the perpetration of this plot againft all tliat you ought to hold dear, notice of it fhall be given to the government without a moment’s delay — for we do prefer that a few mifguided (not to fay guilty) individuals fhould periflij than that every remaining hope of our country’s fuccefs, and the lives of our moft valued friends fliould be facrificed, by the accomplifliment of a ftupid, perhaps wicked undertaking. Do not feed yourfelf with hope that any confideration {hall deter me from fulfilling this threat — if every poignard you could command were at my throat I would do my duty — I did think well of you — wifh to do fo ftill — you alone can prevent me. .

J. S.

Ildine at 52, Abbey-ftreet, where I {hall expeft your anfwer before eight o’clock..

No. XIV.

Three papers found in the pocket-book’’of ford Edward Fitzgerald, and in his poJfi’[ftony,

at the time of his arrejl.

No. L

T. Keathy, Eavemefs fencibles 50       with i Batt” of

Salt, Londonderry        47 i

Naas, Armagh          250 ‘

Green-Horfe    22

Gonnell             _i

Glane, Armagh          50 i Narragh Rab” K= county M.

SYu^I”“‘^  i   too ^

■l oth, dragoons f ^ ^ Louth M.; Kilkea, Do. Do. Do. 500 i

Kilcullen,   r 9th dragoons 80 ^ o

J Tyrone M. / 1 Suffolk f t Orange Yeo”; Garbery, Invernefs fencibles    50 o

Ophilia, fundr’ 600 2

County fundry returns 2319 with 10 batts of

1500

3819

50 chains

APPENDIX, No. XV,

No. II.

50 chains of 6 foot long, with 50 padlocks1000 fpike nails, 4, 6, 8 inches. 200 round ftaples.

20 cramp irons, ( ‘  “ ] in this form. 50 large fledges. 50 fmall ones. 50 hammers. 50 groove irons. 100 hatchets.

300 fhovels and fpades, or as many as can be procured.

150 hooks for fcaling ladders, the catching point to hav6 a hackle Cace.

No. III.

[/« the hand ivrititig of lord ^divard Fitzgerald.’]

Suppofe R. force divided into three columns. The left of the Kildare line* to [<50. lumn] to [afiemble at] Cloncurry, or betvi^een it and Clonard-bridge x a detachment to be fent to Clonard-bridge, as foon as pofliblc; that body [column] to advance by Jiikock, Maynooth, Leixlip and Chapelizod, towards Djublin.

No. XV.

An attempt to murder the revere?id Mr. Jones in the county of Kildare.

AS the reverend Mr. Jones, curate of the parifh of Moyglare, in the county of Kildare, was riding between Kilcock and Maynooth, on the eighteenth of January, 1 799, he was informed by a gentleman that fome armed rebels were riding about the parifli in queft of him, for the purpofe of murdering him; on which he proceeded towards Maynooth as faft as polTible; but his horfe having loft a fhoe, he flopped at a fmith’s forge, where it was foon replaced.  When he was about to mount, he faw fome horfemen galloping towards him, pn which he put fpurs to his horfe and fled with the gveateft precipitation; but his horfe growing reftif, and refufing to proceed farther, he difmounted, crofled a fmall river on foot, ran behind a farm houfe, lay down, and endeavoured to cover himfelf with ftraw; but one of the men coming up, curfed the woman of the houfe for having concealed him; faid he would cut him to pieces as a yeoman and a clergyman, arid called to his conn^ades to come to his afTiftance; on which Mr. Jones ftarted up, and inftantly one of the men difcharged a gun at him.  The ball hit him on the upper part of the forehead, inflifted a fevere wound, and made hira ftagger fome paces; but recovering, he ran at the aflaflin, and endeavoured to prevent him from charging his gun again. While he was attempting to do fo, the other gave him many violent blows with the butt end of his gun; on which he ran towards fome men vvho were ploughing in an adjoining field, and who remained tame fpeftators of this horrid ti-anfa£lion, without ofi^ering him any afliftance.  Mr. Jones perceiving that they piirfued him clofe, and that he could not poflibly fly from them, and deriving courage from defpair, he turned about fuddenly, feized the piftol of one of them, and while in the a£l: of

ftruggling

* The words in ilalicks had a line drawn through them \a the oiiginal.

APPENDIX,  No. XV.

ftruggling with him, the other, by repeated blows of the butt end of his piflol on the head, at length knocked him down As the laft refource, he lay proftrate, pretending to be dead, and while one of the ruffians went in purfuit of the horfes, the other laid his foot on his body, placed the muzzle of his piilol clofe to his head, and having fired it off, the ball produced only a fmall fradture, but which was attended with a great effufion of blood. Though he fuffered very great pain, he remained motlonlefs, pretending to be dead; but the aflaffm fearing that he had (till fome remains of life, charged his piflol a fecond time, and fired it on his hip, and being then certain that he was lifelefs, he left him. The names of the two afTafTms were Adams and Fox. The former, after he had perpetrated this atrocious a£f:, exultlngly boafled, that he had put out of the world a yeoman and an Orangeman, at the fame time damning his orange blood. Mr. Jones, with a laudable fpirit, had a£l:ed as a yeoman during the rebellion. After the lafl fhot was fired, they boafted that they had fent his foul to preach in hell. The ploughman, one of the calm fpectators of this bloody deed, was uncle to one of the villains, and the driver of the plough was his brother-in-law. Mr. Jones having heard that they were taken up, and confined in the provo’s prifon in Dublin, repaired thither, recognifed them, and having profecuted them, they were convidfed of this horrid crime and hanged.

Mr. Henley, of Summer-hill, in the county of Meath, In paffing near Maynooth In the autumn of 1 798, in his chaife, a party of ruffians having flopped him, dragged him out of it, and would have murdered him but that his poflilliqn fwore he was a Roman catholick, on which they let him pafs; but one of his fervants who follov/ed him on a jaunting car having fald fomething that difplcafed them, ^hey murdered him.

In the month of October, 1798, captain’ Walfh, of the Kilkenny regiment, quartered at Kllcock, going to dine at Maynooth, about three miles off, w?.s attended by two dragoons to efcort him at his return; at the turnpike, which is about half way, eight ruffians ruflied from behind a wall, and fired four fhots at the dragoons, which fortunately only hit their belts and their faddles. They fired two fliots at captain Walflr, quite clofe to him, and one of the balls pafTed by his ear. The dragoons having drawn their carbines, the afTaffins fled with great precipitation, but the enclolures prevented the dragoons from purfuing them; however they {hot one of them. They were deferters from fir Fenton Aylmer’s corps of yeomanry. Their vengeance was diredled againfl the earl of Ormond, on account of his well known loyalty, for one of them cried out at fi.rft, that they had got the bloody Ormond.

Captain Rairfon, ivho commands the Athy yeomanry, compofed and publij}}ed the folloiving exhortation, in hopes of conciliating the deluded multitude .•■

MY neighbours have hitherto condu£led themfelves In a peaceable manner, bur thould any of them have been unfortunately feduced to enter into illegal affociations, or to procure pikes or other weapons, with views hofllle to the king and government, their lives and properties will be at the mercy of the foldiers.

I befeech them to fly the many evils that mufl attend a perfeverance in error. Nothing fhall be left undone on my part to protedl the peaceable and welI-condu£led’ from fuflaining any injury, or even thofe who have erred, provided they make feafonable atonement by returning to their allegiance. — Such is the lenity of government, that fliould any mifguided perfons furrender their arms, and acknowledge their errors, they fhall find protecllon and forgivenefs. — Some perfons have bafely and malicioufly endeavoured to agitate the publick mind by reports that certain focletics

called

$4

APPENDIX,  No. XV.

called Orangemen have been formed for the extirpation of Roman catholicks : I declare folcmnly, that I do not know, nor do I believe that any fuch focicty exllls, or ever has been formed in the country. I am convinced in my mind, that fuch infamous reports were propagated for no other purpofe but to difunite the proteftants and Roman catholicks; and to kindle the moft implacable hatred in the latter agalnft the former, to anfwer the purpofes of rebellion. It is hoped then, that the members of both thefe orders will go hand in hand in love, in harmony, and refpedl for the laws; and in their joint adoration of the Almighty, and in praying tliat he will unite all defcriptions of chriftians in mutual afFeftion; and in defence of their king and country •, fuch union would be worthy of Irifhmen, and fuch is the conftant and fervent prayer of

THOMAS JAMES RAWSON.

Glallealy, 27th January, 1798.

N. B. The above was fent and read at all chapels in the country, and difperfed

through every part of it.

In Auguft, 1798, information was given to captain Rawfon, upon the oath of a creditable perfon, that the proteftants of Athy and its vicinity, were to be maflacrcd on the following Sunday, at the time of divine fervice; the plan was, to fet fire to fome cabins outfide the town, near the chapel; a cry of fire was to be given; and it was fuppofed the yeomanry would rufh irregularly to affift in extinguifhing the flames. Three hundred men who were to be concealed in Walfh’s inn yard, were to rufli out, gain pofTeflion of the gaol and court-houfe; and on a fignal being given, the mob at the fire were to feize the yeomanry, and difpatch them, and then, at their leifure, all the , repaining proteftants, men, women, and children, were to be butchered. There was an hefitation about giving information to a proteftant, who was married to a Roman catholick, not to go to church that day, as was his conftant pratbice; but it was determined to let him die with the reft, as he might difcovcr.

The informations of the above hellifli plot were fent to government, and one hundred and twenty of the Fermanagh militia, under the command of major King, by forced marches, arrived at Athy, on Saturday evening, to the affiftanee of the yeomanry, who, but for divine prote<£lion, muft have fallen an eafy prey to the nefarious plot.

At a late hour at night, the chapel of Athy was burned •, large rewards were offered by the proteftant gentry, the magiftrates, the yeomanry, and fome of the town^ people. Nothing tranfpired that has as yet become publiek, until Timothv Silllivan, late a foldier of the South Cork, who had volunteered for general fervice, was about to leave the town. He then told a ferjeant, that the officers and men of the regiment were in a very perilous fituation, and had much caufe to be watchful. The ferjeant gave information to his officers, major Hcnnis, and captain Ijangfton, who had Sullivan examined; and the refult of their enquiry will appear by his depofition. ,

Cou/ity of Kildare,’!   Timothy Sullivan, late a private foldier in the fcuth militia, to zuit.     > makech oath, that he was centinel at the gate next Mrs. Dooley’s

— : ■ 3 houfe on the night the chapel of Athy was burned •, faith he

was loiicited by Janies Noud to fwear againft three men undermentioned, and that he refufed, declaring Jiis want, of knowledge of the tranfatlion  that he was afterwards

followeil

APPENDIX,  No. XV.

followed to Klldare by Patrick Kelly, a Roman catholick prieft, and Thoufias Fitzgerald of Geraldine, who having got him into a private place, offered him 400I. to fwear againft the three men undernamed, for burning the chapel; and on his perfifting in his want of knowledge of the tranfa£lion, and refufing to fwear, faid Kelly and Fitzgerald went away that on the night of the fixth of April, inftant, he was in company with faid Kelly, faid Noud, Patrick Dooley of Athy, and Jofeph Hendrecan; that faid Noud, in prefence of the others, prelfed him to fwear againft a foldier of the South Cork regiment, and two yeomen, videlicet, John Mc<Keon, John Drill, and John Willock; and though he denied his knowing any thing of the bufinefs, yet he was Itill prelfed, under promifes of large rewards, which they had made up in the country; and after he had fworn, he might defert, and he would find protedlion at the houfes of the undernamed rebel captains, whofe names were written down by faid Dooley, videlicet, James Ryan, Patrick Dowling, Terence Toole, James Whelan, Cornelius Moore, Patrick Magher, and Thomas Connell, and at Englilh’s of Mageny, where they ufed to meet in committee; that they were all aftively employed in engaging large numbers to be prepared for a publick rifing on the twenty-feventh of April, inftant, when they expefted French alTiftance; that rebel leaders from the counties of Kildare, Carlow, Wicklow, and Queen’s county, met at Englifli’s, on the firft Sunday in every month, in order to concert their plans; that Maguire and Dalton, two rebel leaders from the county Wicklow, had thoufands under their command, ready to turn out at a moment’s notice; that Mr. Fitzgerald, of Geraldine,* was their great friend and that he was then in Dublin, fettling about the bufinefs of rifing with fome of their friends there; that forty thoufand would come from Rofcrea and Tipperary fide, to affift the caufe here; that this country was to be the central fituation for the firft attack •, that all the county Kildare rebels were to meet at Mageny-bridge; that the rifing was to be general, in order to prevent the military knowing where to a£t. Saith, that early in the morning of the feventh, inftant, he again faw faid Patrick Kelly, who defired him to wait behind a party he intended going with to Kildare; that faid Kelly would be at Geraldine, where he would have an horfe and fervant of Mr. Fitzgerald’s, with coloured clothes that they would then proceed to a magiftrate for examinant to lodge the wiftied-for examination; that he could then defert, and a place of concealment would be provided by faid Kelly, and would fend faid Sullivan’s wife after him.

Siuorny i^c. £5”V. ^c.

The original examination, as fworn before a magiftrate on the ninth of April, 1 800, is in the Crown-ofiice; and the names of the rebel captains as written by Dooley, are in the rnagiftrate’s hands.

There is not a doubt but that many other chapels were burned wantonly in the night in the province of Leinfter, to throw the odium of it on the proteftants.

County of Kildare^ 1   THE examinations of faith, that on or

fo ivit. Vabout the fourteenth of April laft, Patrick Dooley, James Noud,

 3 “^”^ Jofeph Hendrecan, all of Athy, were committed to Athy

gaol •, that informant fiiortly after was informed by faid Dooley, that they (meaning the difaffedted) were in expectation of the French coming fhortly to this country; that there was a new conftitution totally different from the old one; that they

[ I ] were

* This gentleman commanded a corps of yeomanry whith was clifmilTcd for difaifeiftioD, and he waj imprifoned fome time, but was afterwards liberated.

66

APPENDIX,  No. XV.

were making pikes on a new plan; that he had a converfatlon with a particular friend of his from the lower part of the county of Weftmeath, who informed faid Dooley, that the people there were going on faft with the bufinefs; and that faid Dooley knew that the people in the lower part of the county Kildarc were going on with it too, but that it had not properly reached up here yet •, that the faid Dooley was as well armed, accoutred, and prepared, as any man on the night they (meaning the rebels) were to have attacked Athy; that he had a cartridge-box before him, and another behind, both full of ammunition, two piftols and a fword; that when his houfe was fearched, they could not be found as he had them concealed behind the fire-place.

That on or about the fixteenth of April laft, Terence Toole, of Fonftown, (who to informant’s knowledge was a rebel captain,) and Cornelius Moor*, of Gurteen, with others, were apprehended and committed to faid gaol; that a converfatlon fliortly after took place in prefence of informant, between faid Dooley, Toole, and Moore, about the chapel of Athy which had been burned; faid Dooley told faid Toole and Moore, that he knew the caufe of their being committed to gaol, which was, “ that the faid Dooley, with Mr. Kelly the prieft, and James Noud, had offered Timothy Sullivan, a foldicr of the South Cork militia, 400I. to fwear againft John Willock, and John Drill, two of the yeomen, and a foldier of the South Cork, as orangemen, for burning the chapel;” that he, faid Dooley, had written down the names of faid Toole and Moore, with feveral others, in whofe houfes the faid Sullivan would be concealed, after he Ihould fo fwear; that he, faid Dooley, gave faid Sullivan a written order, requiring faid Toole and Moore, and faid other perfon* to conceal faid Sullivan; and faid Dooley repeated, that fuch was the caufe of their being confined, as he was afraid faid Sullivan had made a difcovery; and that faid Dooley, Kelly, and Noud, had offered him faid fum to hang three of the loyal men; and faith, faid Dooley further declared that he had mentioned the bufinefs of hanging faid orangemen to Thomas Fitzgerald of Geraldine, efquire; and that faid Fitzgerald replied, that if faid three orangemen could be hanged, he would get him faid Sullivan 400I. from government, and make up as much more amongft themfelves; and that he would then if poffible get Rawfon’s yeomanry broke •, faith faid Dooley alfo informed faid Toole and Moore, that the faid Sullivan was to quit the army, and be prote£ted by other perfons in the Queen’s county, and fo on from place to place, until he got home to his own country; faith, faid Toole, in the courfe of faid converfatlon, told faid Dooley and Moore, that the party under the .command of Patrick Dowling, of Fonftown, who were to have attacked Athy, expeftcd Queen’s county afliftance; that he, faid Toole, had gone acrofs the river Barrow, to the Queen’s county, to folicit it; and that the Queen’s county people would not afTift; and on faid Toole’s return with tlie account of fuch refufal, the faid party under faid Dowling, as principal in command, broke up and difperfed.

Sworn before a magijirate the 2d May, 1 800.   Original is in the Crown-o^ce*

Note, by any polTibility the above informant could not have had any communication with Timothy Sullivan.

After

* To the lenity of general Dundas on the Curragh, or what!s commonly called his capitulation, the dreadful (late of the county of Kildare, and the adjacent counties is to be imputed; and it is to be la»iented, that wide-extended mercy has produced the Jarae effed in every part of the kingdom, wherever it has taken place.

APPENDIX,  No. XV.

After Sullivan’s having given information was become publick, Mr. Fitzgerakf mentioned, that the perfons who burned the chapel, were Drill, Willock, and a’ Cork foldier; on the report reaching captain Rawlon, he had the two yeomen arrefted, and committed to the guard-houfe.

A long range of ftables in the poflelhon of Mrs. Dooley, a publican, were converted into a temporary chapel; and in three weeks after the firft burning, thefe were fet fire to at nine o’clock at night; the military and yeomanry inftantly aflembled, and by great exertions got the fire under, without the interference or affiftance of any except two fervants, and two only of the Roman cJ(tholick inhabitants of the town. Captain Rawfon then applied to Mrs. Dooley, to fend her hoftlers, left the high wind ftiould again fan up the flames; but fte pofitively refufed, faying, that her men (poor fellows) were tired, having had two gentlemen’s horfes to do up; and that they were gone to bed, and fhe would not difturh them; and with much difficulty flie was prevailed on to lend fome veflels, to put water on the yet-burning flraw; after doing every thing poffible, the military and yeomanry were difmilTed; and about one o’clock at night, the fire again broke out and confumed the whole of the building.

On the following day, a number of gentlemen met at the fovereign’s, and Mr,Fitzgerald came there; Drill and Willock were brought in cuftody, and no charge being brought againft them by Mr. Fitzgerald, or any other perfon, they were dif-” charged : ‘rhey have brought aftions for defamation.

Captain Rawfon felt much for the diftrefs of the reverend Mr. Keegan, the {■rariih prieft, a man of moft exemplary conduct •, and offered him the ufe of a large houfe he had lately purchafed near the town, for a temporary chapel : He accepted the offer; and the houfe was” prepared accordingly. His good intentions were fruftrated, as the rebellious had more influence than their worthy paftor, and not one man would attend him in the houfe of a heretick. Such is the force of f^naticifm!

The affidavit of Thomas Davis, of Profperotis^

Comity of thr cit^ of Dublin, T   THE examination of Mr. Thomas Davis, late of to ivit. > Profperous, in the county of Kildare, who being duly

 ■ —; fworn on the Holy Evangelifts, maketh oath and faith.

That for many nights previous to the night of the twenty-third of May laft, this examinant and his family were very much alarmed, left they fhould be attacked by the rebels, commonly called united Irifnmen; that examinant thought that -he and his ■ family were in fome degree fecure by the arrival of detachments of the Ancient Britons, and the North Cork militia; that however, examinant ftill continued to be alarmed, as his houfe was at a confidera’ole dillance from the barracks; that examinant faith, that he was awakened about the hour of one o’clock in the forenoon^ by the barking of a large dog he had; and fome time after he was alarmed by the firing of fome fliots. Examinant faith, that on looking out of his window, he perceived a great body of people, armed with pikes and fire arm.s, between whom and the foldiers in the barracks, a conftant firing was maintained; that as the balls paffed by this examinant’s houfe, (and one of them clofe to his head,) he withdrew, and let down the window; that foon after examinant faw the barracks on fire, and heard the foldiers exclaim, “ The houfe is on fire, wefhall be burned or fuffocated : We can fight no longer!” That foon after examinant faw the roof of faid barrack fall in. Examinant faith, that the faid rebels, whofe numbers had encreafed fo much as to fill the ftreets of Profperous aforefaid, and to cover the adjacent fields, on the falling in of the roof cf faid barrack, gave many {bouts, which feemed to rend the Ikies, and made this

^ I 2 ] examinant

68 A P P E N D I X,  No. XV.

cxaminant and his family, thrill with horror; that the fald rebels exclaimed, that the day was their own, and they would then plant the tree of liberty. Examinant faith, that the faid rebels knocked at his door, and defired to have it opened, expe£ting to find there a party of foldiers, who had been biilettcd there a fliort time before, and Mr. Stamers, who had lodged therein when he went there to receive his rents, as part of the town of Profperous aforefaid, belonged to the faid Stamers. Examinant faith, that as the faid rebels approached his houfe in a large body, fix of them preceded the reft, mounted on fome of the horfes which they had taken that morning from the Ancient Britons at Profperous aforefaid •, that examinant, as foon as he came out of his door, was furrounded by a party of the faid rebels, who prefented their pikes at him, and who he expe£led, froin the ferocity of their looks, would have inftantly put him to death; that one of faid rebels held a mulket at examinant’s breaft, with his finger on the trigger; that another of the faid rebels, who was a turf cutter, held a drawn fword over examinant’s head *, and examinant verily believes they would have inilantly put him to death, but a young man in the crowd, who feemed to have fome influence, interpofed, beat down the muflcet which was prefented at his breaft, and faid, they fliould not kill him. Examinant faith, that he knew many of the faid rebels to whom he and his family had been very kind; that foon after the faid rebels went in queft of the faid Stamers, who lodged at fome diftance from the faid town; that having feized him, the faid Stamers, they led him through the ftreet, by examinant’s houfe, furrounded by a number of pikemen, while a low fellow held a piftol at his head. Examinant faith, that as he pafled by the houfe of examinant, he, the faid Stamers, caft a melancholy farewel look at examinant and his family that foon after the faid rebels maffacred the faid Stamers. Examinant faith, that foon after he went out, with an intention of enquiring for his friend Mr. Norris, an inhabitant of Profperous aforefaid, and that before examinant had gone far, he was again furrounded by the faid rebels, who, he verily believes, would have put him to death but for the interference of the perfon who had faved him before. Examinant faith, he difcovered foon after that Mr. Brewer, a refpe£lable manufadlurer of faid town, who had employed many of the faid rebels, had been malTacred by them, and that his body had been mangled with favage barbarity. Examinant faith, that they alfo mafficred a poor old man, of the age of feventy years, and upwards, who ferved as a ferjeant in his majefty’s forces, having confidered him as an orangeman, though examinant is convinced in his mind that the only reafon why the faid rebels murdered the faid ferjeant was his being a proteftant. Examinant faith, that when the faid rebels had committed the faid barbarities, they exclaimed with favage joy, “ Where are the hercticks now Shew us the face of an orangeman 1” Examinant faith, that many women who were afting with the faid rebels, ufed expreffions of that tenor, as often and as loud as the men; and that fome old women who were amongft them, feemed tobrighten up on the occafion, and to fliew as much fervent joy as the youngeft amongft them : That fome of the faid women kifled and congratulated their fathers, their hufbands, or their brothers, on the viftory they gained, and exclaimed with joy, “ The kingdom is our own, for Dublin and Naas have been taken, and are in poffeffion o£ our friends — down with the hereticks! down with the Orangemen!” Examinant faith, that many of the wretches who had been aftors in that bloody fcene, had come into the town of Profperous aforefaid, the preceding day, and in the prefence of captain Swayne, of the city of Cork militia, (whom, with a party of his regiment, they had maffacred that morning, viz. the twenty-fourth of May,) and alfo in the prefence of their parifti prieft, of the name of Higgins, had declared their contrition for their paft

errors,

APPENDIX,  No. XVI. i.

69

errors, and gave the ftrongeft aflurance of their loyalty in future; that many of the faid rebels furrendered their pikes to the faid Swayne; and as fuch furrender was confidered as a teft of their repentance, and as neceflary to entitle tliem to a written. prote£l:ion, numbers of them lamented that they could not obtain fuch protefbion, as they never had a pike; and that many of them declared, they vt^ould fell their covv^ to purchafe a pike, if they knew where it could be bought. Examinant faith, that notwithftanding thefe declarations, many of the faid rebels appeared in the rebel ranks, well armed with pikes. Examinant faith, he is convinced in his mind that the faid rebels would have plundered and burned all the other loyal houfes of Profperous afore faid, and would have murdered the remaining proteftant inhabitants thereof, but that a patrol of the Ancient Britons and the city of Cork militia, being a part of the detachment they had murdered that morning, unexpedledly approached the town; and that the faid rebels on their appearance, fled towards the bogs and morafies. Examinant faith, he could not refrain from fliedding tears at feeing fuch fcenes of fayagc barbarity; and that a fervant who continued faithful to him, defired him not to fnew any figns of concern, left he might draw on him the anger and vengeance of the rebels.

THOMAS DAVIS.

Sworn before me the \6th of September, 1798,

THOMAS FLEMING, lord mayor of the eity of Dublin.

No. XVJ. I.

The foUo’whig addrefs to the inhabitants of the county of JVickloiv was printed and genera/Zy

dyiributed :

WE the magiftrates of the county of Wicklow, after the moft ferious deliberation,, the moft correct information, and the moft cautious delay, have at length confidered it as our indifpenfable duty, to have recourfe to the ftrong meafure of proclaiming the county to be in a ftate of difturbance, as the only means to crufti the feeds of rebellion, to reprefs outrage, and to protect innocence.

It is with extreme reluftance that we find ourfelves thus compelled to impofe a temporary reftraint, in fome particulars, on the freedom of the inhabitants; But this reftraint will ceafe with the occafion; and will, by preventing its abufe, ferve the caufe of real liberty. The impartial judgment of the publick, when the prefent ferment ftiall be fufficiently fubfided to permit calm and difpaflionate refleftion, will bear teftimony to the moderation of our conducl — And we appeal to the Searcher of Hearts for the purity of our intentions.

During the courfe of feveral months, we have held repeated meetings; at which we received too certain proofs that a fpirit of difafFe£lion had been diftufed through the county; that feditious meetings were held, and illegal arms concealed. W e held out repeated warnings, that unlefs thofe arms v/ere furrendered to the magiftrates, and thofe feditious praftices defifted from, it would be incumbent on us to purfue meafures of rigour. The event has not been fuch as we had reafon to expeft; the fame difloyal conduft has been continued, with the addition of many atrocious inftances of violence and outrage. While any hope remained that thefe outrages were cafual and local, and not the efFe£ls of a fyftematick plan of plunder and infurre£lion, we hefitated — we endeavoured to conciliate — v/e deferred perhaps beyond the bounds of propriety this a£t of neceflary feverity : We are now called upon by every motive of prudence and duty to adopt it; and having adopted, we fliall vigorouily and fteadlly fupport it.

But while the arm of juftice is thus ftrengthened, let it be remembered, that it is only ftrengthened to crufh the traitor, to punifti the affaflin, to reftrainthe plunderer.

In

APPENDIX,.  No. XVI. 2.

In no point are the rights of the peaceful and honed man infringed; No perfon can fall under the cenfure of the infurreflion laws, or feel their vengeance, but fuch as difturb the peace of the publick; fuch as coafpire the deftruftion of the innocent; and fuch as, foi’getting their facred duty to the country which gave them birth, endeavour to entail on it all the miferies of civil war, of foreign invafion, of defolation and maiTacre •, and to proftrate its honour and independence at the feet of an. infolent enemy, who have treated with equal tyranny the countries they have conquered, and the countries they have feduced.

Let us therefore implore you by every thing facred, as you refpeft religioni as you regard your unhappy country, as you value your domeftick happinefs, awake, ere yet too late, from this fatal delulion; withdraw from this infamous confpiracy; prove your repentance by furrenderiug illegal arms, and refraining from feditious meetings : Att thus, and fear not the laws; re-eftablifh the charafter this county has, until lately, fuftained for probity, virtue, and order; and behold in us your friends and protestors; who, on your returning fenfe of loyalty, will lofe all. memory of your temporary errors, and will, with the fincerelt joy, reftore you again to the full enjoyment of that glorious and inimitable conftitution which has rendered thefe kingdoms the admiration of the world; whofe inertimable value, by thofe who poflefs the blefling, is too often, not juflly appreciated; but which, if loft for ever, would, for ever be regretted, with deep and fruitlefs forrow.

Refolved, that we admire and highly approve of the fpirited manner in which Abraham Chritchley, of Ballyboy, efquire, and his family, repelled the attack of traitors . upon his houfe and property, on Sunday the twenty-fifth of March laft; and we do hereby pledge ourfelves to him, and to each other, to give the moft decided afiiitance and fupport to him, and to all other perfons of every perfuaficn and defcription whatfoever, upon whom fimilar outrages may be attempted.

Refolved, that the thanks of tliis meeting be, and are hereby given to the reverend Edward Bayly, for the very fpirited and loyal addrefs propofed by him to the meeting this day.

Lord Powerfcourt, having quit the chair, and William Hoey, efquire, being voted into it : —

Refolved, that the thanks of this meeting be, and are hereby given to tlie right honourable lord vifcount Powerfcourt, for his very polite and attentive ccnduft in the chair.

Signed by order ^ JAMES M’CLATCHY, rlcrh cf the pca.-e,

April 3f/, 1798.

2.

I   County ‘f Wicklonv, T   THE information of Terence Kinfelagh of Coolahuilen, who to ivit. > being duly fworn and examined, depofeth and faith, That he was

—; fworn a united Irifliman— oath of fecrefy — about twelve months

ago, by William Darcy of Kiininer, labourer; that he underftood the purpofe of the united Iriflimen was to rife in rebellion againft the king and government; and that it was their intention to deflroy all perfons who were not of their own religion of popery; that for that purpofe a number of pikes were made, and that he fav/ pikes in the Ihop of William Hopkins of Ballycoog, and that he has heard that John Doyle ct Ballykillayver did alfo make feveral; and that to the beft of his belief there were pikes made for the following town lands, Killahurler, Afhhinck,. Newtown, Ballyfad,

Killnener,

APPENDIX,  No. XVI. 3.

7£

Killnener, Croghan, Gllnoge; and that the number, as well as he can judge, amounted to three or four hundred.

TERENCE KINSELAGH.

Sworn before me the 2%th day of Augufy  1 798, EDWARD BAYLY.

3

Informant bound to profecute at the next and e/ery enfuing afTizes, until difcharged,

in the fum of 50L

COUNTY WICKLOW.

Publick Notice for furrender of arms.

WHEREAS a large body of troops has been ordered into this county for the purpofe of prote£ting the well-affefted inhabitants, and fuppreffing the feditious and treafonable fpirit which has of late difgraced the character of this once-loyal and induftrious county, and which has manifefted itfelf in various afts of alTaffination, robbery, and outrage; and as it is well known that arms, pikes, and other weapons, are concealed in confiderable quantities for the purpofes of infurredlion and rebellion, and that notwithftanding repeated and earneft admonitions from the magiftrates to the people, whofe arms have been, and ftill are contumacioufly retained, and no appearance has been hitherto manifefted of a returning fenfe of duty :

Lieutenant-general Craig, commanding the eaftern diftrift, previous to carrying into execution his orders for coercion, and before the calamities which will attend the obftlnately difafFe£ted, who are well known, are aftually inflicted, confiders it to be his duty, as well as an a£l: of humanity, to give this publick notice, that he has it in command to aflure thofe wicked and deluded people, if they do not immediately furrender at fome of the following depots. Bray, Newtown-mount-kennedy, Wicklow, Arklow, Coolatin, Rathdrum, Hacketftown, Baltinglafs, Dunlavin and BlefTington, or to the rpagiftrates or officers commanding the troops in their vicinity, all fire-arms, fwords, bayonets, pikes, or pike-fhafts, old fcythes and fpears, and every other ofFenfive weapon, that they muft exp2£l to be treated with the utmoft feverity.

It is his fincere wifh that he may not be compelled to have recourfe to fuch rigorous meafures, but by a timely furrender of their arms, which can alone denote their real repentance and determination to return to their former peaceable demeanour and habits of induflry. Thofe that aft fo may reft aflured of proteftion, both from the magiftrates and officers commanding the feveral detatchments, who are hereby required to ufe their utmoft diligence to prevent the well-afFefted, or fuch as fincerely return to their allegiance, from fufFerIng in perfon or property the fmalleft injury.

Such as negleft or defpife this publick and final warning can have no excufe to offer, and on themfelves and families muft reft the confequences.

PETER CRAIG, Hetdenatit-generalf commanding eaflern difiricl.

Bated this i ith of May, 1 798.

No. XVL

72

APPENDIX,  No. XVr. 4

A lifl of protejlants majfacred in the county of WicUoiu during the rehtllion^ and an account of fame of the outrages committed therein. The number on the left hand indicates nvhere the ajffidavits of the fufferers or their reprefentatives are regiflered in the archives of the houfe of commons. Each affidavit ivas verified by the fufferer and the parijh minifery uptn oath, and attefled by a neighbouring magijlrate.

No.   THE reverend Chriftopher Robinfon, curate of Stratford on Slaney, narrowly efcaped from the rebels, the twenty-fourth of May, 1798; one Patrick 4  Lea, a rebel, fnapped a piftol four times at him.  His houfe and all his property were deftroyed, by which he, his wife and feven children were reduced to the utmoft diftrefs.

Sworn before alderman Manders of the city of Dublin, g’h fuly, 1798.

202 The houfes and property of forty-nine perfons were burned by the rebels at 10250 Arklow the 9th of June.

Hannah Wallis fwore that her hulband, who was parifli clerk of Ballyhack ^ ^ church, was murdered by the rebels.; g   Judith Frayne fwore that her hufband, who lived in the parifli of Caftle Ellis, was murdered by them. 799   Ann Cahoe fwore that her hulband was murdered, who lived in the parifli of Killtegan, and left two children.

Mary Saunders fwore that her hufljand was murdered the 25tli June, and left two children of the fame parifli.

Margaret Ellifon fwore that her hufband was killed the 25th of June, lived °^ at Hacketftown and left four children. ^   ^   Sarah Free, of Stoops, fwore that her hufljand was murdered the 1 7th of ^33  June at Vinegar-hill, belonged to the parifli of Carnew, and left four children.

Eliza Foley fwore that her hufband was murdered the 25th of June and ‘^^^ left one child; he was of the parifli of Carnew. 1412   Anne Jackfon of Graige was murdered the 25th of June.

Eliza Freeman fwore that her hufljand was murdered at Denoloflbry, and ^533 left two children; he was of the parifli of Denoloflbry.

Jane Carleton of Kilguagan, fwore that her hufband wastaken from his 1635 houfe and murdered the fecond July, and left one child; he was of the parifli of Aghald.

^     Mary Waddock of Tomriland, fwore that her hufband was murdered the fourteenth of June with much cruelty.

Sufannah Gore of Marigar, fwore that her hufliand was murdered, and left

I *? 2 1 o  ‘ ,

‘ ^  two children; he was of the parifli of Tomriland.

,  Mary Twamly of Roflinaftraw, fwore that her hufl^and was murdered, and ‘2  left eight children.

_   Eliza Bolton, of Rathdrum, fwore that her hufband, a weaver, was killed there, and left one child; he was of the parifli of Clara. 1827   Eliza Mitchell, fwore that her hufband was murdered the fixteenth of September at Carnew, and left four children; was of the parifli of Carnew.

John Hope, yeoman, taken the loth of June, bi’ought to Vinegar-hill and piked  was of the parifli of Carnew, John Brady,  do.  do.  do.  of do.

John

APPENDIX,  No. XVI. 4.

73

John Forfter, piked the Sunday before the battle of Vinegar hill, atTInahely, was of the parifli of do.

John Walker, fliot and piked the day after cfo. at Shrule, was of the parifh of do.

Thomas Braddle piked at Monafeed, parilh of do. Jofhua Scott    do.   at    do. do.

Matthew Dowfe, of Ballynibarny, parifh of Kilpipe, was killed near do.

On the fecond of July killed at the battle of Ballyrahin, captaiij Chamney, his nephew Jofeph Chamney of Ballyrahin, captain Nixon of Nurney, James Twamley of do. Chriftopher Twamley of do. Michael Leonard of do. and James Bardon of do. in the parilh of Coolakenny; all proteftants.

Taken from Coolakenny town fame day and piked, George Davifon, Jofeph and William Halfpenny, Thomas Charlton, and alfo William Mires of Crownalay. The fame day William Watters and John Reftly of Coolatin, parifti of Carnew, were piked. The fame day, George Driver, William Rice and AnneHey Green of Tinahely, parifli of Kilcomen, were piked; all proteftants.

The fame day, James Smith, and John Watters of Crofs Patrick, were piked.

John Waddock, a papift, was taken out of his bed and murdered, for having felzed a rebel with a piftol in his hand, returning from the battle of Newtownmount-kennedy.

John Beaghan \(^as murdered in cold blood, parilh of Tomriland.

Mr. Robert Freeman, fen. do. do.

John Burbridge do. do.

Henry Marks do. do.

John Mafon do. of Raheen.

John Langrel do. of Cappagh.

Samuel Langrel do. of Bailynabarny.

William Carter do. of Ballintornhigh.

Thomas Hatton was murdered while attending his farm at Tomriland.

Jofeph EUifon, ‘1   They were three fupplementary yeomen, and having gone

John Bolton, > into the mountains to affift Mr. Chritchley in colledling catJohn Goggin, 3 tie, they fell into the hands of the rebels, who put them to death with extreme torture with pikes.

Edward Dockneil, of the parilh of Glanely, was piked to death, with extreme torture.

John Wheeler and Samuel Wheeler his fon, were taken from their looms at Mr. Allen’s woollen manufadlory, which they deftroyed, in the parifh of Greenane, and were carried to Glenmalure, where they were mangled with pikes in a moft Ihocking manner; the father received fixty pike wounds.

Michael Twamley, of Coolafaney, and George Heppenftal of Rofnaftraw, were taken off feveral miles and piked to death.

Moore and Chriftopher Kavanagh of Mt. Pleafant, carried to Ballymanus and piked to death.

Peter Twamley, of Coolkenno, was piked to death.

Peter Twamely, of Crownaleagh, do.

Roger Pierce, of Ballythomas, do.

Edward Hopkins, of Currindog, do.

‘S’e^^ Br Tn”‘ t  ‘^^^^^ from their houfes in the evening and butchered,

T    T, ^  ‘ C two brothers afid a fon, of Ballvknockan, James Bryan, 3

[K] Jofeph

APPENDIX,  No. XVI. 4

Jofeph Tate, of Coolflake, piked to death. Chriftopher Cooper, of Newbridge, do. John Leefon, of Ballytelkin, do.

Edward Keegan, yeoman, in Mr. Beauman’s corps, two of Homfpech s dragoons taken in Glenmalure, and two comniiflary generals drivers taken at Killballyowen, and killed at Aughavanagh.

J. Halfpenny, of Coolkenno, was piked to death.

On the 6th of Odober three men of the name of Hall, a fon and two brothers, of the Caftletown corps of yeomanry, were murdered near Wicklow. In the fame month two farmers, of the names of Stewart and Synnott, were;     murdered near Hacketftown.

One Cooke was murdered at Hollymount the fame month. George Carr was murdered the 28th of June at Loughpark. Lawrence and John Farren, two papifts, entered the houfe of William Moody at Coolabeg, county of Wiaklow, the 29th of September, 1798, and raviflied Anne his wife, one after the other, one held her for the other; and they faid, ‘ We will fow croppies in you, you heretick bitch!’ She had feven children near her while they perpetrated this barbarous a£l:, for which they were afterwards hanged.

A proteftant child of four years old was put to death at Tinnebawn, on the borders of the county of Wexford.  All the houfes of the middle and low clafs of proteftants, with very few exceptions, were burnt in the county of Wicklow, and the manfion houfes of the gentlemen fufFered the fame fate, except fuch whofe proprietors could afford to keep a guard in tliem. A proclamation, containing denunciations againft  the government and againft hereticks, was circulated in the parifti of Rathdrum and county of Wicklow,. in the Spring of 1798, and begins thus:

A notice and caution to the puUici.

“ WHEREAS we, the united loyal fubjefts of different counties to liberty, are eredibly informed that the orangemen and hereticks in geneVal of tlie parlfh of Rathdrum and county of Wicklow and other parts, by the authority of their diabolical government and their own infernal inftitution, are circulating through different parts of thefe counties, a proclamation for all united Iriflimen of every perfuafion whatfoever, ami croppies in general, to bring in all their guns, pikes, and arms of all forts, and to difcover all in general one of another, who made them united Irifhmen,” &c. &c.

This alludes to the manlfeftoes ilTucd by the magiftrates, offering the moft conciliating terms to the dlfaffeited, inviting them to return to their allegiance, and offering them a full pardon if they complied with them.

County of Wicklowy T   THE  informations  of Jofeph and John Thomfon of to ivit. V Roundwood in faid county, yeomen,  father and fon, who

 3 being duly fworn on the Holy Evangelifts, fay. That fhortly

after the pattern of the Seven Churches in June, 1 798, they were taken prifoners by the rebels, and after fome time they were brought to the Seven Churches and kept prifoners in an old yard. When the Wexford rebels joined thofe of the county of Wicklow, they afked them, what they, the informants and the other prifoners, were? They received for anfwer, that they were bloody orangemen. The Wexford men faid, why are you keeping them there, they fhould die? They were then driven by a mob of the rebels to the butt of the ftecple; they furrounded them> and made

them

APPENDIX,  No. XVI. 4.

75

them kneel down and were going to pike them, when fomc of the rebels cried out, that, as they were proteftants, their blood fliould not be fpilled on that blefled ground; they were then taken to anotlier part of the Seven Churches, again put on their knees and furrounded, firft having been ftripped of their ftioes, hats, and clothes; and again fome of the rebels cried out that it was blefled ground, and no proteftant blood ftiould be fpilled there; and that they Ihould be taken to the mountains, there to be piked that fome of them, fo far interfered in their behalf with the officers, that at laft their lives were fpared on condition of their joining the rebels, which they did, till they had an opportunity of efcaping.

JOSEPH THOMSON. JOHN THOMSON.

Taken and fworn before me^ this 20th of June, 1 799, WILLIAM COLTHURST.

Though numbers of the rebels had fallen by the fword and the gibbet in the province of Leinfter, a fpirit of difloyalty continued for many months after to be as great and as univerfal as it was previous to the eruption of the rebellion, particularly in the county of Wicklow.

It appeared on the trial of Jofeph Reilly, and David Condron, by court martial, the twenty-eighth of March, 1 799, that they attempted to feduce and attach to their caufe fome foldiers of the Fermanagh regiment and that they formed a confpiracy to murder William Booth, a proteftant, and his family, and to burn his houfe and offices. ‘^The foldiers pretended that they were Roman catholicks, to gain the confidence of the rebels. They defired the foldiers to go to maraud at Booth’* houfe •, and that he would entertain them if they faid they were proteftants. Condron declared to one of the foldiers, that no perfon would be allowed to live in the country contiguous to Roundwood, that was not a true brother.* He declared that they were well furnilhed with arms •, that they were to have taken Ennifke^ry, and expected to be joined by the King’s county militia.

On the trial of Charles Doyle, at Wicklow, the twenty-fecond of March, r 799, at appeared on the evidence of John Harrifon, and Arthur Cooper, two foldiers of the Fermanagh regiment, that they fuppofed them to belong to the King’s county regiment, and therefore confidered them as friends. Doyle afked Harrifon, whethci he was a true catholick? and on being anfwered in the affirmative, he faid, « God help the poor catholicks of Ireland! If it were not for die militia raifed there, not one of them would be alive at this time.” He alfo faid, what do you think of thf French fleet that were feen oflF the coaft? They are to land, not as they did before, but in two or three places, which will give all the true brethren in the kingdom, an opportunity of joining their friends. He faid, that they were all true brotherg In the Glyn, in which they lived, except Booth, who was a bloody Orangeman^ He defired him to meet him again on a particular day •, and that he would procure for him from his delegate a lift of the members of his corps; and he requefted that he would bring a lift of true brothers in his regiment, that he might return It to his delegate. He told him that they were foon to have a grand meeting of brethren in the Glyn, to infpe£t all their arms, and fee whether they were fit for

[K 2] an

• It appears that the words true brother were ufed by captain Shark?! ef the defenders, in the profpe<S^i:s louhd oa him in the year 1789.  See Appendix, No. II,

1

.76 • A P P B N D I X,  No. XVI. 4.

an engagemeiU. He that tlnry liad delegates at that time employed in collefting^ money for the caufe at Clouard, in the county of Meath, and at Carbevy, in ■ the county of Kildare. lie told Harrifon, that if he would defcrt from his regiment, he fhould have the rank of captain among the brethren. He alfo faid, that the bufinefs would be ready for a rifing on tlie fixtecnth or twentieth of April; and that they would be joined by fome friends from Dublin, and the King’s county; that in order to be made a captain, he mull afl^tll in murdering Mr. Colthurit, becaufe he was a£l:lve in taking up pikes. He faid, he had a pike hid in the hill, the head of which, covered with bacon, left it fhould ruft, was concealed in one place, and the handle or fliaft in another.

In the month of April, 1799, five foldiers of the Fermanagh regiment were tried at “Wicklow, for having confpired to murder their ofEcers, of which three were fentenced to be hanged, and two to be tranfported. Thcfe unfortunate men fell a prey to the delufive arts of feduftion, too often fuccefsfuUy praftifed on the king’s troops.

Early in the month of June, the rebels attacked and entered the towri of Llcfflngton, and burned the manfion of the marquis of Downfhire, whicl:, with the furniture, was valued at 12, cool, and many good houfes belonging to Mr. Patrickfon. A few days after they burned or deftroyed every good houfe in it, except the poftoffice, and Mrs. Farley’s. In fliort, they burned and doflroycd not only the houfes of the proteftant gentry, but thofe of the inferior c’.ifs of thjt order, and carried off all their cattle for fome miles round Blefrni;T;ton , -I’.ul the army and the yeorainry retaliated by burning the houfes of thofe who were noforioufly (iifaffe£led; and had joined the rebels. The rebels burned alfo the houfe of the earl Fitzwilliam, who has a very large eftate in the county of WickloWj, and whofe great generofity and benevolence to his numerous tenantry are univerfally known.

After the rebellion had exifted fome time, and had fpread univerfal defolation in that country, the marquis of Waterford repaired to his beautiful manfion at Hollywood, and, with his ufual humanity and benevolence, announced that he would rebuild all the houfes of the lower clafs of people which had been burned or deftroyed, provided they would return to their allegiance, and accept the amnefly humanely offered to them by government; but inftead of being touched with gratitude by his generous offer, they burned his houfe on the thirteenth of September.

John Mulligan, of Paddock, in faid county, depofed the twenty-firfl of May, 1798, before lord Powerfcourt, lord Monck, and John Edwards, efquire, that on the night when the report was fpread that the orangem^en were out to murder the Roman catholicks, he was met and informed by George Coleman of the Long-hill, that the Orangemen were to maffacre all the Roman catholicks; and that he fhould not get intelligence of it, unlefs he was fworn an united Irifliman, and that he was accordingly fworn by the faid Coleman, to whom he gave foon after 6d. to buy iron to make a pike head. The faid Coleman, and ‘others, cut fome afh trees on lord Monck’s land to make pike handles; and faid, that they expefted the French would land and gain the battle; and then that they would have their lands cheap.

Roger Coleman, of Ballyteflcin, in faid county, fwore before the faid magiftrates the twenty-firft of May, 1798,, that in the month of November, he met one Bufhe, a fchoolmafter, on the commons of the Long-hill, and fuppofing him to be a united Irifhman, alked him to fwear him into that fociety, becaufe he was informed and believed, that the French would come, and that his life would be in danger unlefs he was fworn.

William

APPENDIX,  No. XVI. 4.

William Kelly, of Killcroney, in faid county, depofed before lord Monck, that he was fworn a united Irifhman by one Burke, a fchoolmafter, for the fame reafon » (v/orn the twenty-fourth of May.

Garret Quin, farmer, of Glenene, depofed before lords Powerfcourt and Monck, the twenty-fifth of May, 1798, that he was fwOrn an united Irilhman by one Kelly, a cabinetmaker and that Charles Gallagher told informant, that they were to a^Fift the French when they landed, and to fight for Ireland againft king George.

County of Wickloiv, 1 ISAAC HARRISON, of Balllnagee, this day came before me, to ivit. > and made oath on the Holy Evangelifts, that about three weeks ■ 3 ^go Daniel Lamb, of Ballinagee’aforefaid, in the county of Wicklow, informed him, that a letter had been received from one Byrne, now imprifoned in Dublin, that the French were expe£led every day, but certainly not later than the laft day of May, inftant; that as loon as they arrive, it is intended to murder lord PowericOurt, lord Monck, Mr. Quin, Mr. Colthurft, and fuch gentlemen in the neighbourhood •, and farther faid Ifaac Harrifon has heard, and does believe, that Daniel Lamb, and many more united Irifhmen, being apprehenfive that information has been given againft them, intend to rife and maiTacre all well-afFedled perfons in the neighbourhood, either this day or to-morrow.

S’worn bifore me. May ^th, 1798, his

MONCK. ISAAC M HARRISON,

mark.

Witnefs prefentf E. QUIN.

State of toe archdiocefe of Dublin, in the autumn and -winter oj 1798.

t VICARAGE of Killfallaghan, three miles f^om Finglas, Mr. Collis, the vicaif, was obliged to abandon his parifli, and to retire to Dublin, through fear of the rebels, who broke into his houfe, and plundered it; moft of his proteftant pariftiioners were obliged to fly to Dublin to fave their lives.

2 Vicarage of Garretftown, Heftor Monroe, vicar, was obliged to fly to fave his life; and all his proteftant pariftiiohers were obliged to abandon their houfes for the fame purpofe.

3 Parifta of Clonmethan, lord Strangford, re£tor, Galbraith Fenton, curate, moft of the proteftant pariftiioners obliged to fly.

4 Vicarage of Holy wood, John Echlin, vicar; all the proteftants but one obliged to fly for their lives.

5 Vicarage of Lulk, Philip Ryan, vicar; all the pariftiioners obliged to fly.

iV. B. All the above are in Fingall, and the moft remote is not more than fixteen miles from Dublin.

6 Parifli of Hollywood, William Porter, reftor; all the houfes in the town burned by the rebels; the church converted into a barrack; the glebe houfe much damaged; all the proteftant pariftiioners, except one, obliged to fly.

7 Vicarage of Donard, Arthur ConoUy, vicar; the church almoft demoliftied by the rebels, and many proteftant pariftiioners obliged to fly.

8 Vicarage

78

APPENDIX,  No. XVI. 4.

 8   Vicarage of Donoghmore, do£lor Edward Ryan, vicar; fome of the proteftant

parifhioners murdered, the remainder obliged to fly; the houfes of mod of

them burned; no fervice in the church for feven months, p   Vicarage of Bleffington, Hill Benfon, vicar; the church greatly damaged by

the rebels; mod of the proteftant parifhioners obliged to fly. 10   Vicarage of Narraghmore, reverend dean Keatinge, vicar; obliged to fly and

refide in Dublin; glebe houfe much injured by the rebels  many of the prbtef

tant parilhioners murdered •, the remainder obliged to fly to preferve their lives.; I   Re£lory of Fonftown, “Walter Bagot, re£lor; the church almoft deftroyed;

one-half of the proteftant parifhioners murdered by the rebels  the reft obliged

to fly for their lives.

A foitg of the united Irijhmen.

ROUSE, Hibernians, from your flumbers! See the moment juft arrived, Imperious tyrants for to humble. Our French brethren are at hand.

Vive la, united heroes,

Triumphant always may they be,

Vive la, our gallant brethren,

That have come to fet us free.

Erin’s fons, be not faint hearted, Welcome, fmg then Ca Ira, From Killala they are marching. To the tune of Vive la.

Vive la, united heroes, &c. &c.

To arms quickly, and be ready, Join the ranks and never flee, Determined ftand by one another. And from tyrants you’ll be free’.

Vive la, united heroes, &c. &c.

Cruel tyrants, who oppreflTcd you. Now with terror fee their fall! Then blefs the heroes who carefs you. The orange now goes to the wall. : Vive la, united heroes, &c. &c.

Apoftate orange, why fo dull now? Self-willed flaves, why do you frown Sure you might know how Irifti freemen Soon would pull your orange down.

Vive la, united heroes.

Triumphant always may they be,

Vive la, our gallant brethren,

That have come to fet us free*

This was found on the mother of Dogherty, an united Irifhman, who was killed by Woollaghan, at Delgany, in the county of Wicklow, in autumn 1798. She was fcen 10 throw it out of her pocket, yet fhe fwore (he never faw it.*

A copy

* By means of fongs the paflions of the multitude were very much raifed.

APPENDIX,  No. XVIL

79

No. XVII.

QcPi of a letter addrejfed to the earl of Alountnorrisy by the undernamed pari/h priefis^ and their flocks; and figned by them at their refpeElive chapels^ in the county of Wexford.

November 26th, 1797.

MY LORD,

WE the parifhioners of having heard with aftonifhment and concern

the very extraordinary refult of the meeting at Gorey, the twentieth of this month, beg leave to aflure your lordfliip, that we are unconfcious of having incurred the ftigma, fo ungeneroufly thrown upon us, of difloyalty and difafFeftion; we therefore appeal to your lordftiip, as our neighbour, as a magiftrate, and as a friend to humanity, to receive our oaths of allegiance, and to a^^ure his excellency, the earl of Camden, that we are as firmly attached to the conftitution, as any other members of the community, whatever our enemies may infinuate to the contrary.

We further entreat your lordfhip’s interference with government, to avert a compliance with the prayer of the memorial,* agreed to on Monday laft, as being unfupported by evidence, and therefore ill founded.

A ftriking proof of the tranquillity of this peaceable country appeared at the convention at Ennifcorthy, when, after the ftrifteft inveftigation, there were not the flighteft grounds for any parifh in this diflri£t being proclaimed.

Allow us to afk your lordfhip. Whether any aft of outrage has been committed, to juftify or palliate fo cruel a meafure? Should your lordfhip’s exertions prove abortive, we mean to beg of you, as one of our governors, to call a meeting of the county and we truft that the fenfe of that meeting will evince how unwarrantably we xiave been pointed out, as profelytes to defenderifm, for the congregate body will always protett the individual’s good name, which is dear to him as his life. Before we take leave of your lordfhip, we humbly requeft, you will accept of our tribute of gratitude, for your oppcfition to the determination of the twentieth; and you will add to the obligation, by conveying our acknowledgments to the feven other magiftrates, who fo liberally ftepped forward, to Juflify us from an imputation which we reprobate as unprovoked and unmerited.

In confequence of this, lord Mountnorris, and fome more magiftrates, at his defire, attended thofe priefts at their refpe£tive chapels, and fwore the oath (given in the next page) on the altar :

Union of Blackwater, Kiilina, and three more parifhes,— Nicholas Redmond^ parifh prieft.

Millina, — Nicholas Synnott, parifh prieft.

Union of Rofmanogue, and two more, — ^Francis Kavenagh, parifh prieft. Kilcormuck, (the chapel is at Boulavogue,) — John Murphy, curate, a rebel generali who was hanged at TuUow.

Kiilina, — Nicholas Redmond, parifh prieft. Monomaling, — Michael Lacy, parifh prieft.

Caftle-ellis contains the following chapels, Blackwater, Killila, Ballivaloe, and Ballivalden, — ^David Cullen, parifh prieft.

Ballycanew,

* This alludes to a memorial fent to government, to have nineteen dlfaffe^led parifiies proclaimed; and thofe priefts and their congregations addreffed his lordlhip to avert that meafure, though thcfe pariHies were at tbar’time deeply engaged in the confpiracy.

Bo A P P E N D I X,  No. XVII.

Ballycanew, — Michael Murphy, a rebel general, fhot at the battle of Arklow. Kilmuckridge, and Killincooley, — Michael Lacy.

Clogh, — Francis Kavenagh, parifli prieft; John Redmond, his curate, a rioted rebel, was hanged. . . •

Ardemin, called the River chapel, — ^Nicholas Redmond, parifli prieft; Nicholas Stafford, his curate, a notorious traitor.

Gorey and Killinahew, — Francis Kavenagh, parifli prieft.

Kilbride and Ferns, — Edmond Redmond.

Donamore and Kiltiriflc, — Nicholas Redmond.

Balwaldin and Blackv/ater,^David CuUen.

N. B. The Roman catholick bifliops make fubdivifions of the pariflies, and they are denominated from the place where the chapels ftand.

A copy of afi oath^ fivorn by nineteen prtejls, and their congregations y in the county of Wexford, before lord Mountnorris, and other magif rates, in the month of November, 1797

I DO fincerely promife and fwear, upon the Holy Evangellfts, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to his majefty king George the third, and to the fucceflion of his illuftrious family to the throne. That I will, to the utmoft of my power, fupport the conftitution as by law eftabliflied. That I will ufe every poflible exertion to prevent and fupprefs all tumult, riot, or fecr&t confpiracy. That I am not an united Irifhman, and that I never will take the oaths of the united men. That I will give up all kinds of fire arms, or ofFenfive or defenfive weapons, in my pofleflion; and that I will inform againft any man keeping arms without being regiftered. All the above I moft folemnly fwear, in the prefence of the Almighty, and as I hope to be faved, through the merits and mediation of my blefled Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, without any equivocation or mental refervation whatfoever.  So help me^God.

Copy of a certificate given by the proteflant clergymen^ church’ivardens, and proteflant parifhioners, of different parifhes, in the county of Wexford, of the loyalty and peaceable deportment of their Roman catholick felloiv-fubjeBs, at the inflance of the latter, in the month of December,  1 797.

WE the minifter, , church-wardens, and proteftant parifhioners of the parifli of Kilcormuck, in the county of Wexford, do hereby folemnly declare, that we know of no difpofition to turbulence or difloyalty, now exifting in any part of the faid parifli,We fee the generality of the inhabitants of our parifli as quiet and as induftrioufly employed, as in the moft peaceful times. Given under our hands the third day of December, 1797.*

THOMAS HANDCOCK, reBor. :

It is remarkable that John Murphy, the popifli curate of this parifli, laid a plot to aflaflinate Mr. Handcock, and his cwngregation, on Whitfunday, when in church, but very fortunately the breaking-out of the rebellion prevented them from going ta. divine fervice.

The

* This does appear like cruelty or oppreffion in tire proteftants of Ireland, fo bafely and falfel/ imputed to ih.m by traiters, to palliate their difaffedton! , • —

APPENDIX,  No. XVII.

81

The folloiuing addrefs was prefented to the viceroy y the eighteenth of April y 1 798 :

Pari/h of Killeneriny and barony of Gorey; ftgned by John Synnott, pari/h priefl, l5f c, fir Thomas Efmond, oj Ballynaflray baronet., Laurence Doyle, of Springhdl, Laurence White, of Scarnagh, James Doyle, of Mayfield, and one thoufand three hundred and fixty inhahitafits of faidparifh. Dated Killenerin chapel, April the tnxtelfth, 1798, and publifhed in the Dublin Journal, the third of May, 1 798..

To his excellency John Jeffries Pratt, earl of Camden, lord lieutenant, and general

governor of Ireland,

WE the Roman catholick inhabitants of the parifliof Killenerin, in the barony of Gorey, and county of Wexford, do think it our duty to come forward at this crifis of internal difturbance, thus publickly to declare our unalterable attachment to his facred majefty king George the third; and we do hereby declare, and in the moft folemn manner pledge ourfelves, to fupport with our lives, fortunes and influence, his majefty’s happy government eftablifhed amongft us, determined as we are to exert ourfelves for the fupprelTion of rebellion and fedition. And we do likewife folemnly pledge ourfelves, fhould any perfon attempt to difleminate amongft us feditious or levelling principles, all of which we hold in the utmoft abhorrence, that we will ufe our utmoft endeavours in bringing fuch mifcreants to condign puniftiment. And wc 4o further aflure all our proteftant brethren, of our fincere afFedlion for them, and our abfolute determination to co-operate with them in every means in our power, for the fupport of this happy conftitution, the fuppreffion of rebellion, the welfare of l^s majefty’s government, and in love and loyalty to his facred perfon.

And we do requeft of the right honourable the earl of Mountnorris, and fir Thomas Efmond, baronet, to prcfent thefe our declarations to his excellency the lord lieutenant.

The folloiuing priejls and their congregations adopted the fame addrefs :

IV Caftlebridge chapel, figned by Michael Redmond, parifti prieft, and one hundred and fifty Roman catholick pariftiioners.

2. Ballynamonaboy chapel, figned by Nicholas Synnott, parifhprieft, and above one hundred and fixty pariftiioners.

3. Ferns and the Union ditto, figned by Edward Redmond, parifti prieft, and others for themfelves, and one thoufand five hundred of the Union, by and with their confent.

4. Kilmallock ditto, figned by Redmond Rooke, parifti prieft, and above one hundred and feventy parifhioners.

5. Gorey ditto, figned by Barnaby Murray, and others for themfelves, and fix hundred and forty-five other Roman catholicks of the parifti.

6. Kilcormick ditto, figned by John Murphy, curate, for himfclf and feven hundred and fifty feven cf the inhabitants, at the chapel of Boulavogue, on Monday, April tlie ninth.

7. Tomb, Killincher, Rofsmanogue, Cloiigh and Bajllyconeen, figned by Francis Kavenagh, parifn prieft of faid union, for himfelf and eight hundred inhabitants.

‘ 8.’ Ballycanoe, figned by M. Murphy, coadjutor prieft, for himfelf and feven hundred and feventy-three pariftiioners.

~ 9. Ardemine, figned by Nicholas Stafford, parifti prieft, and three hundred and fixty pariftiioners..

[L] 10. Donoghmorej

82 A P P E N D I X,  No. XVIII. i.

10. Donoghmore, figned by Nicholas Redmond, parlfli prieft, for himfelf and congregation, confiding of five hundred and thirty.

11. Kilmuckridge, KilUncooly, and half the parifli of MonomoHn, figned Michael Lacy, parifh prieil, and eight hundred and thirty-four perfons of faid parifties. Dated April the eighteenth, 1798, and publifhed in the Dublin Journal of May the fifth.

A reward of one hundred guineas was offered by the parifiies of Killenerin, Arklow, and Kilgorman (that is the Roman catholick inhabitants,) for the difcovery of wicked and defigning perfons, who fpread a report that all the different churches in tlie neighbourhood were to have been attacked on Sunday the twenty-ninth of April, and that a general affaffination of their proteftant brethren was to have taken place.

Signed by WILLIAM RYAN,

PariJJj pricjl of Arklaiu and Kilgorman,

JOHN SINNOTT,

Parijh prieji of Killenerin,

D. MURPHY,

Parish curate of ditto.

Sir THOMAS ESMOND, haronet.

LAURENCE DOYLE, and others.

In this they aflure their protcflant brethren, that they vnfli to have no intcreft feparate from theirs, &c.

No. XVIII. I.

7’he diploma of the reverend father John Murphy.

EGO doftor dominus Francifcus de Aquilar et Rivon, prefbiter, Hifpalenfis doftor theologus, ejus regise univerfitatis portionarius atque prebendatus metropolitanae ac patriarchalis ecclefije ipfiusmet civitatis, adminiftratorque a£l:ualis hujus fan61::e domus hofpitii Venerabilium facerdotum pauperum atque infirmorum falutem, fidera facio dominumjohannem Murphy, prefbiterumHibernum dioecefis Fernenfis, qui ad has partes ftudiorum caufa tranfivit atque exiftit a die decimo tertio menfis Julii, anni millefimi feptingentefimi oftogeffnni ufque ad prefens, in praedi£l:a domo vivere ac fubtentari pie cum affiftentia ad fpiritualia exercitia, cum bono exemplo, ac obedientia; vacandoque, cum applicatione, ad ftudia philofophica actheologica, majoris coUegii divi Thomse Aquinatis ordinum praedicatorum : Propter quod praedidlum dominum Johannem Murphy dignum ac idoneum exiftimamus ad fuse patriae redditum, ut facram miffionem fpiritualiaque officia ademplere pofllt; in quorum teftimonium praefentibus literis fubfcripfi die vigefimo nono Martii anni millefimi feptingentefimi odtogeffimi quinti Hifpali.

Doftor Francifcus de Aquilar et Rivon.

The

APPENDIX,  No. XVIII. r.

The iejihnonium of the reverend father John Murphy^ obtained in the univerfity of

Seville^ in Spain.

IN DEI NOMINE. AMEN.

NOS infra fcripti reftor, regens, ac collegiales cathedratici facrae theologije, et Artium almi majoris coHegii, ac generalis ftudiorum fcholae public3E, pontificiae, cefareae, ac regise fanfti Thomi? Aquinatis, ordinis prsedicatorum civitatis Hifpalenfis, actum facimus omnibus, ac fingulis prafentes literas infpefturis, D. Joannem Murphy, ex dicecefi Fernenfi oriundum, in publicis fcholis noftris philofophiae cathedras tribus integris annis Melchione Canono, alcexove theologie attente, foUicite, fineque notabili interruptione audivifTe; in quorum fidem hoc illi inftrumentum figillo parvo hujusnoftri majoris collegii munitum damus, juridice denuntiati in fupraditlo majori coUegio, die quinto menfis Martii, anni Domini millefimi feptingentefimi o£logcffimi quinti.

Sie^ni’d by

F. FRANCISCtJS DE LEON,

ReBor ac theolog. moralis cathed^

And a number of others y ivhofe names are now illegible.

[SEAL.]

Fatherfohn Murphfs journal; found by captain Hugh Alooret Saturday-nighty May 26, at 6 A. M. 1798.

BEGAN the repubhck of Ireland in Boulavogue, in the county of Wexford, barony of Corey and parifli of Kilcormick, commanded by the reverend dodtor Murphy, parifii prieft of the faid parifh, in the aforefaid parifh, when all the proteftants of that parifh were difarmed, and, amongft the aforefaid, a bigot, named Thomas Bookey, who loft his life by his rafhnefs.

26. From thence came to Oulart, a country village a<ljoining, when the republick attacked a minifter’s houfe for arms, and was denied of, laid fiege immediately to it, and killed him and all his forces; the fame day burned his houfe 3n4 all the orangemen’s houfes in that and all the adjoining parilhes in that part of the country^

The fame day a part of the army, to the amount of one hundred and four of infantry and two troops of Cavalry, attacked the republick on Oulart Hill, when the military were repulfed with the lofs of one hundred and twelve men, and the republick four killed, and then went to a hill called Corrigrua where the republick encamped that night, and from thence went to a town called Camolin, which was taktn without refiftance, and the fame day took another town and fate of a bilhop*. At three in the afternoon, the fame day, they laid fiege to Ennifccrthy, when they were oppofed by an army of feven hundred men, then they were forced to fet both ends of the town on fire, and then took the town in the fpace of one hour, and then encamped on a hill near the town, called Vinegar-hill, where they remained tliat night.

BRYAN BULGER,t

DARBY  MURPHY, his hand and pen, dated this 26th day of

[L 2] Orangemen

* Tt alludes to Ferns.

t This it isfuppofcd was written by one Bulger^ who attended father Murphy as aid d« camp.

APPENDIX,  No. XVIII. 2.

Orangemen are men that formed alliance to kill and deftroy all the catholicks cif this kingdom.

CARET LACEY.

28th. At three in the afternoon, which was Whitfun-rtionday, they marched towards Wexford, and encamped in a hill that night, called the mountain.

2.

County of the city of Dublin, 1   THE examination of Samuel Whealey, of Dranay, in to wit. > the parifh of Kilcormuck, and county of Wexford,

■ •    3 f^i’J^cr, who being duly fworn on the Holy Evangelifts,

maketh oath and faith, That he, this examinant, received information from fome of his friends and neighbours of the proteftant religion, on the firft day of May la ft, that there would be an infurreftion of the united Irifhm.en on that night, at the hour of one o’clock, and that a fignal would be given to them for that purpofe, by the lighting of a fire on the top of mount Leinfter* in faid county, which was to .be anfwered by fires lighted on the higheft hills in all the adjacent counties, as a fignal for a general infurreftion that in confequence thereof he and his proteftant neighbours were on their guard for many nights after, but that examinant could not perceive any fuch fire until Saturday evening, the twenty-fixth day of May laft, when about fun fat examinant faw a fire kindled on aii adjoining hill, called Corrigrua,f in faid county, and that examinant faw a few minutes after, another fire, on a rifing ground, contiguous . to the houfe of father John Murphy, of Boulavogue, in faid county, and about a quarter of a mile from the houfe of examinant; and that foon after the faid John Murphy, and fome other men, repaired to the houfe of one William Goff”, a near neighbour of examinant, and that the faid John Murphy cried out aloud,  « Pull him out! Pull him out! Have you got him?” to which anfwer was made, “Aye, aye,” and that foon after examinant law the houfes of John and Robert Webfher, both proteftants,:]: in a (fate of conflagration, and which houfes were fet on fire by the faid John Murphy, and his party.  Examinant faith, that faid John Murphy, and his party, proceeded to a townland called MuUaunree, in faid county, and fet fire to the houfe of James Dennifon, a proteftant farmer, after having put him and his family to flight.  Examinant faith, that he and his family fat up all night, as the faid John Murphy, and his party, were proceeding in their deftrutl:ive progrefs, and that being very much alarmed and terrified, one of this examinant’s fons, a private in the Ballaghkeene cavalry, repaired to captain White, who commanded faid corps, to inform him thereof; and his other fon went to Ennifcorthy, to communicate intelligence thereof to the yeomanry and king’s troops quartered there.  Examinant faith, that early on the morning of Whitfunday lafl:, the faid John Murphy, after having burned many proteftant houfes in the neighbourhood, attacked that of the reverend Mr. Burroughs, a proteftant clergyman, and that foon after examinant faw the houfe of the faid Mr. Burrowes on fire; that the faid John Murphy proceeded in his deftructive progrefs, buraing the houfes of proteftants, until he arrived at the hill of Oulart,§ in faid county, where the faid Murphy encamped, vi>^ith a numerous body of rebels, and where he the faid T.Iurphy, was joined by one Edward Roche, of Garrylough, attended alfo by a rnr; fiderable body of rebels.  Examinant faith, that having been informed that the f?id rebels meant to burn his houfe on the night of Whitfunday, he this examinant ordered his family to take the furniture thereout, and which they accordingly

* Plate 11. 6.

t Plate II. 7.

t Of Garrybritr.

§ Plate II f. a.

APPENDIX,  No. XV 111. 3.

85

cordingly did; that on the faid night, as foon as it grew dark, the faid rebels, headed by faid John Murphy, and the faid Edward Roche, went to the houfe of exanainant, and burned the fame; and that examinant lay concealed in a ditch, fo clofe to the faid houfe while burning, that examinant could with difficulty bear the heat thereof. Examinant faith, that the faid rebels carried off, or deftroyed, the whole of examinant’s furniture, except one bedtick; that a great number of rebels went the next day in queft of examinant, in order to put Irim to deatli, but that examinant lay concealed in ditches at Dranay aforefaid. Examinant faith, that two or three days after the burning of his houfe, the two daughters of examinant dug a hole in the bawn of faid houfe, and having laid fome oak planks thereon, and having covered the fame with ^ftraw, and afterwards with the afhes of hishouie fo burned, examinant lay concealed in faid hole for about the fpace of one month; and that examinant during that time was fupplied by his wife and daughters with food, but in the night only, lefi: he fhould be difcovered; examinant faith that during his concealment, the rebels came often and examined the ruins of faid houfe, and the fields and ditches in its vicinity, for examinant, declaring at the fame time, that they would put him to death, and that the faid rebels often faid during their fearch, at one time that he was a bloody Orangeman, though examinant faith he never faw an orangeman, nor knew what they meant by that appellation, except that examinant has been univerfally informed that they meant a proteitant by the word orangeman. Examinant faith, that one day that the faid rebels went to the ruins of faid houfe, in quefl: of faid examinant, they the faid rebels knocked down the fon of examinant, of the age of nine years, with the butt end of a firelock, becaufe the faid fon refufed to point out v/here his father lay concealed, and that faid rebels put examinant’s fon on his knees -three different times, and fwore they would fhoot him, unlefs he would do fo, but that his faid fon declared his ignorance thereof. Examinant faith, tha tduring his concealment at Dranay aforefaid, a great number of proteftants were fliot contiguous to examinant’s houfe by faid rebels, as they were flying acrofs the country from various quarters, from the mercilefs rage of faid rebels; and that Michael Shea, Anthony Thackberry, Samuel Judd, Benjamin Judd, Clement GofF, James Shaw and Henry Lancafter, were of the number of proteftants fo ihot or killed v/ith pikes. Examinant faith, that when the king’s troops were vi£lorious at Vinegar-hill, that his daughters called to his relief three of the Ancient Britons, who conveyed examinant to Oulart aforefaid, on horfeback, as examinant was unable to walk, having had a bad fever from his confinement, and that he was afterwards conveyed by hi« two fons to Gcrey, in faid county, where Mr. Peppard gave examinant a fmall lioufe, as examinant’s houfe at Dranay aforefaid, and all his fubftance, were deitroyed.

Sworn before me the na^th day of September, 1798, SAMUEL WtlEALET,

WILLOUGHBY LIGHTBURNE.

3

Ccuiity of Wexford,’^   JOHN ROSSITER of Grange, in -faid county, came before te ivit. V me this day, one of his Majefty s juftices of the peace for faid

; county, and voluntarily made oath on the Holy Evangelifts, That

he the deponent heard and believes that John Murphy, afliftant prieft of Boulavogue pariih, was at the head of the rebels -who had burned tlie houfes of the two Web

ftert

86

APPENDIX,  No. XVIII. 4,

fters of Garrybrit, and killed lieutenant Bookey, &c. fome hours before the houf<? of the faid John Murphy was burnt by his majefty’s troops.

Sworn before me this 2’jthday of fii/Vf 1798, his

JAMES BOYD. ‘ JONH X ROSSITER,

mark.

County of Wexford,-^   PETER CRAWLEY of Glandaw, in faid county, farmer, to wit. > this day came before me and voluntarily made oath on the Holy

. ; Evangelifts, That the reverend John Murphy w^as at the head of

the rebels and had burned the houfes of John Webfter and Robert Weblter, both of Garrybrit, in faid county, farmers and proteftants, long before the houfe of the faid John Murphy was fet on fire by the Ennifcorthy cavalry; and further, that lieutenant Thomas Bookey of the Camolin cavalry, and John Donovan a private of faid corps were killed by the faid rebels with the faid John Murphy at their head, many hours before faid Murphy’s houfe was fet on fire.

Deponent further faith, no houfe was burned in faid John Murphy’s parifli by the army, until he the faid John Murphy and party had burned the faid Webfler’s houfes> as aforefaid.

PETER CRAWLEY *

Sworn before, i^fc.

RICHARD NEWTON KING,

4’

Copy of aft affidavit made before the honourable judge Downes, by T. C. Biirrowes, late

of Kyle, county W exford.

THIS deponent faith, That the late reverend Robert Burrowcs, this deponent’s father, was reftor of the parifh of Kilmuckridge in the county of Wexford, and ixfided with his family, confifting of this deponent’s mother, this deponent, who is aged between fifteen and fixteen years, and two brothers and two fillers, all younger than this deponent, upon the lands of Kyle, within about half a quarter of a mile of the village of Oulart, which is diftant about ten miles from the town of Wexford.

That upon Saturday evening, the twenty-fixth of May lad, feveral of the parifliioners of Kilmuckridge and otlier loyal inhabitants of the neighbourhood of this deponent’s father, with their families, took refuge in his houfe from an attack which they faid was to be made on them by a numerous body of rebels; that they continued in faid houfe until eleven o’clock of faid night, when a man named Murpliy came to the houfe and informed deponent’s father, as this deponent has heard and believes, that he, faid Murphy, was himfclf an united Irifliman, and warned deponent’s father to protect himfelf againft an attack v/hich was intended to be made at day light in the morning •, that this deponent looked out about the houfe, and that it being an uncommonly light night, they could clearly difcern men crowding about the adjacent cabbins, and lurking about the hedges and ditches; that having fire-arjns and ammunition fufficient for eight or nine perfons in faid houfe, they refolved to defend themfelves to the laft extremity; that they accordingly barricaded the lower part

of

* Crawley wa» a lieutenant colonel in the rebel army.

APPENDIX,  No. XVIII. 5.

87

of the houfe, and ftationed themfelves at the upper windows at different fules of it. Deponent i’aith, that about funrife of faid morning, a numerous body of rebels, amounting to three or four hundred perfons, as this deponent believes, armed principally with pikes, approached faid houfe and attacked the fame, and fet fire to a range of thatched out-houfes belonging to and adjoining faid dwelling houfe, and fired feveral fhots at the windows at which this deponent and faid men were ftationed, and notwithftanding the utmoft endeavours of this deponent and faid men, by firing feveral ihots at faid rebels, and killing and wounding feveral of them as they approached faid houfe, the faid rebels fet fire to the kitchen door, which fhortly after came to the ftaircafe and other parts of faid houfe.

This deponent faith, that after a defence of about half an hour, being in danger of being fufFocated by the fmoke, or confumed by the flames, and one Murphy a prieft, who headed faid party, having promifed protection to deponent’s father, upon condition of furrendering his arms, deponent and his father ifTued from faid houfe, and this deponent and his father gave up their fire arms, whereupon a fhot was immediately fired at this deponent, and deponent’s father was attacked and murdered by feveral men, and this deponent himfelf was feverely wounded by a flab of a pike through the body, and left by the fide of his father apparently dead, and that feven of the nine men who were armed by this deponent’s father in defence of the houfe were murdered, and that the houfe and furniture, plate, clothing, leafes, fecurities for money, and property of every kind contained in faid houfe, were deftroyed, and that the entire itock upon the grounds belonging to the deponent’s father, except four cows and two calves, were taken away by faid rebels; that this deponent, about three o’clock in the afternoon of faid day, after the faid mob had departed, was found languifhing in the lawn before faid houfe, and conveyed upon a door to the village of Oalart, where deponent’s mother and brothers and fillers had been received; and that on Tuefday, the twenty-ninth of faid month, this deponent, his mother, and brothers and fifters were efcorted by a party of faid rebels to Caftle Annefley, about five miles diftant, and kept in cuftody of a party of faid rebels until Wexford was re-taken; and general Needham having difcovered where they were, fent a party of the Durham fencibles, who efcorted this deponent and the refl of the family of this deponent’s father to Wexford, where deponent’s mother, his brothers and fifters are now living; and deponent faith, that deponent’s mother and her family have been deprived of means of fubfiftence, by the lolTes fuftained by faid rebels, and are now reduced to a ftate of great indigence.

Sworn before me this twelfth day of July, 1 798, T. C. BURROWES.*

W. DOWNES.

* This amiable young man died in the fumraer of 1800 of the wound which he received.

5

County of the City of)   THE information of George Williams, farmer, and ElizaDubtiny to wit.   > beth Williams, wife of the faid George, both of Ballyadams,

 3 in the parifh of Kilmuckridge and county of Wexford; who

being duly fworn on the Holy Evangelifts make oath and fay, That the faid George is tenant to Wilham Bolton of Ifland, in faid county, efquire, and that faid George

William*,

APPENDIX,  No. XVIII. s

WliHams, who with his wife eommonly refides at Ballyadams, frequently flcpt at the houfe of the fuid William Bolton his landlord, for fome time previous to the twentyfeventh of May laft. Informant, George Williams, faith he was alarmed on the morning of the faid twenty-feventh of May, about the hour of four o’clock, in the faid houfe of Illand, where he had fleot the preceding night, by the barking of dogs, and the noife of a concourfe of people, tumultuoufly aflembled in different parts of the country, and alfo by the firing of fhots. This informant George faith, that on mounting to the upper ftory of faid houfe of Ifland, he faw the houfes of many proteftants on fire in different parts of the adjacent country, and great numbers of the lower clafs of people affembled together in a tumultuous manner, and moving from one part of the country to the other; this informant George faith, that he faw, among other houfes, thofe of the following perfons in a itate of conflagration : Edward Webfter’s, John Davis’s, Edw^ard Fox’s^ the reverend Mr. Burrowes at Kyle, in the parifh of Kilmuckridge, James Johnfon’s, Jofeph Afton and James Afton’s, John Rath’s and James Rath’sj William Walfli’s, Richard Burke’s, Edward Jackaberry’s, Francis Colbyrne’s, Robert Johnfon’s, Charles Francis, Blakeney Ormfby’s, and the houfes of many other perfons whofe names . this informant cannot at this time recolleft; all of whom were of the proteftant religion. This, informant Elizabeth, who had paffed the preceding night at her own , houfe at Ballyadams aforefaid, faith, that fhe was alarmed during the whole of the night by the barking of dogs, and that on rifmg about four o’clock, on the morn-ing of Whitfunday laft, (he faw great numbers of people moving about in a tumultuous and riotous manner, and fome perfons on the tops of houfes looking out as this informant verily believes for fignals; and that two boys, the fervants of the faid George, were on the top of the houfe of the faid George Williams, at Ballyadams aforefaid, looking out in the fame manner. This informant Elizabeth faith, that being much terrified at fuch alarming appearances, flie repaired to her huftand at. Ifland aforefaid, for protection. Thefe informants fay, that about the hour of ten o’clock on the fame day, Hawtry White, efquire, captain of the Ballaghkeene yeomen cavalry, arrived at the houfe of Ifland aforefaid, and Informed the. faid William Bolton that the rebels had affembled in fo large a body, that his corps joined to the yeomen of Gorey and Camolin were not fufficiently ftrong to face them, and the faid Hav/try White recommended to the faid William Bolton to make his efcape to the town of Gorey in faid county, as faft as poffible. Thefe informants jointly fay, that the faid William Bolton and his family fet out foon after, for Gorey aforefaid, confifting of himfelf, Mrs. Bolton and ten children, he and his eldeft fon on horfeback, the remainder of his family in his chaife and on cars. Thefe informants joint-ly fay, that they attended the faid William Bolton and hh fimily in their retreat, and that when they had advanced about one mile from Ifland aforefaid, the faid Willinm Bolton, who preceded the party, was furraunded by a large party of rebels, who robbed him of his arms. Informants fay, that the faid William Bolton Tind his eldeft fon on horfeback, and the chaife containing Mrs. Bolton, and fome of’ the children, were fuffered to proceed, but that three cars containing fome more of her children, and fome maid fervants, were obliged to retreat to fome farm houfes in the neighbourhood, and that one of the faid children, a fon, of about the age of twelve years, alarmed at the fciiltle which took place, jumped off of the carr, and. made his efcape in a circuitous manner, over hedge and ditch, to Gorey aforefaid. Informants fay, that the faid rebels difmounted and difarmed the fteward of the fajd William Bolton, and that. fome of them cried out, ‘« Cut at him!” And thefe informants

fay,

APPENDIX,  No. XVIII. 5.

89

iay, they are convinced in their minds that they would have murdered the faid {bevi^ard, whofe name is Richard Bohon, but that fome of them, who happened to have a regard for him, faved his Hfe by their interference. Thefe informants fay, they were fo much alarmed at the blood-thirfty difpofition of the faid rebels, that they retreated precipitately, and that thefe informants were clofely purfued by the faid rebels a confiderable way; but thefe informants efcaped, and arrived at their own houfe, at Ballyadams aforefiid, where he the faid George was difarmed of his gun by fome rebels. Thefe informants fay, that on their arrival at their houfe they found two boys, who were in their fervice, plundering it of different articles. Thefe informants fay, that this informant George “Williams aflced one of the faid fervants (both of whom were of the popifh religion) what he the faid George Ihould do to fave his life? and that the faid fervant replied, pointing at the fame time, “ You had better go to that country, which is inhabited by Romans, (meaning Roman cathoiicks,) as the men who refide there are gone to the proteftant country to burn the proteftants’ houfes; and lie down there till night, and then you can make your efcape.” Thefe informants fay, that when they had gone about a mile and a half from their houfe, they faw many houfes in Ballyadams aforefaid in flames, and that the houfe of thefe informants was alfo in flames. Thefe informants fay, that foon after they were purfued by a body of rebels from Ballyadams aforefaid, and they verily believe that the faid rebels were fent in purfuit of thefe informants by their two fer\-ants whom they left behind them. Thefe informants fay, they eluded the purfuit of the faid rebels by altering their courfe at different times, and by creeping under the cover of hedges, till they arrived at the fea ihore; that having afcended on a high bank near the fea, they faw a great number of proteftants’ houfes on fire •, that they faw, at fome diftance on the fea fhore, a woman who they feared would betray them to the rebels, but, on approaching her, they found her crying bitterly, and lamenting the ftate of the country, and, as fhe faid fhe was fervant to a Mr. Burkett, a gentleman farmer whofe houfe was contiguous, they afked her, whether fhe thought her mafter would give them fome nourifhment, as they had fled from their own houfe, and narrowly efcaped with their lives from the rebels, who had plundered them of all their fubftance, and that they were almoft famifhed? Thefe informants fay, they were well treated by faid Burkett, who gave them a plentiful meal; and that the faid Burkett, who is of the proteflant religion, fearing that his houfe would be burned, had taken out a great part of his furniture, which lay near the fhore, and that a new-born child lay crying in a cradle near the fea fhore. Thefe informants fay, that faid Burkett lamented his fituation to thefe informants, and expreffed his fears that the rebels would deftroy him and his family, as he was a yeoman in captain White’s corps of cavalry; and the faid Burkett implored thefe informants, on their arrival at Gorey in faid county, to excufe his non-attendance theie, as he could not abandon his family, who he feared would be murdered, and that all his fubftance would be deftroyed, if he left them unprotected. Thefe informants fay, they were informed by faid Burkett, that he was under the necefhty of foliciting the prote£lion of a mean popifh fervant, who lived with him, to fave his life, the lives of his family, and his fubftance, from being deftroyed, and that his reliance on him arofe folely from his being of the popifh religion; and that the faid fervant feverely rebuked him the faid Burkett, for making free witir this informant George, becaufe he was a loyal fubjeil and a yeoman. Thefe informants fay, that they arrived at Gorey in the evening, much harafTed and fatigued, without any clothes but what they had on their backs, and that their houfe and out-offices have been burnt, and that all their fubftance has

iMy been

90

APPENDIX,  No. XVIII. 6.

been deftroycd or carried ofF, except four cows and two yearlings, and a few metal pots. Thefe informants fay, that foon after their departure from their houfe at Ballyadams aforefaid, Mary Shakaberry, the mother of this informant Elizabeth, was attacked near Ballyadams aforefaid by Michael Redmond, fervant to thefe informants, about the age of twelve years, who threatened to put her to death with a pike, which he then had in his hand; and threatened at the fame time to burn her other daughter’s houfe, unlefs ftie would deliver to him fome wearing apparel of the faid George, which the faid Mary had in her cuftody, and that the faid Mary, who is very old and infirm, was obliged from motives of fear to give tlie faid wearing apparel to the faid Michael Redmond.

GEORGE WILLIAMS, ELIZABETH WILLIAMS.

Sworn before me the 21 th day of Aiigujl, 1798, THOMAS FLEMING,

lord mayor of the city of Dubliti.

6.

County of Wexfordy 1   THE examination of John Horton of Ballingale, of the pato ivit. > rifh of Ferns in faid county, who being duly fworn and exa

; mined upon oath, faith. That on the 27th day of May laft, exa

minant was in the houfe of the reverend Francis Turner, of Ballingale aforefaid, and that then and there examinant faw James Maher and William Beahan, both of Ballycarney in faid county, with a large number of rebels armed with pikes and guns, ■who violently attacked faid Francis Turner’s houfe, and did then and there murder the faid Francis Turner, William Chriftian, Thomas Dowfe, and three men of the name of Ganford; and that examinant faw the aforefaid William Beahan come into the room where faid Francis Turner lay dead and flourilh a fcythe blade, and faid, « You lye there, my lad, in lavender, like Larry Ward’s pig.’ Examinant further faith, that in a few hours after he faw the aforefaid James Maher fire at the Newtownbarry cavalry at Tonibrack in faid county.

his

Taken, fiuorn and acknowledged before me, being JOHN M HORTON,

f}f truly read to examinant this 1 6th March, mark. 1 799, at Newtownbarry in faid County, JOHN JAMES.

Examinant bound in the fum of 50I. to profecute.

County of the city of Dublin,”)   THE examination of James Doyle, aged feventeen to wit. > years, fervant to William Turner, efquire, who being

—  —; duly fworn and examined on oath, faith, That on Whit

funday laft, examinant being at his mafter’s brother’s houfe, the reverend Mr. Francis Turner of Ballingale, in the county of Wexford, about the hour of two o’clock in the afternoon, a large party of armed riebels, amounting to three hundred and upwards, came to faid Francis Turner’s houfe aforefaid, wlio called to them from one of the windows not to attempt his houfe, or he would tranfport them; whereupon they fired at him and wounded him in the jaw; faith, they afterwards broke into his houfe and demanded of him to deliver up his arms; upon his refufal, they murdered him and feveral other proteftant neighbours who came to his houfe for prote£lion, and then burned and deftroyed his houfe and concerns; faith, faid party of rebels was headed by Denis Carty of Ballycarney, who was armed with piilols, and fired leveral ftiots into the window of faid houfe in faid county of Wexford, likewife

Luke

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. r.

Luke Kchoe, Matthew Bulger, Murtha Nowlan, James Ryan, John Hendrick,

John Meade, Furlong, Peter Bryan, Mogue Redmond, Mogue Bryan, Martin

and Michael Rorke, and William Beahan.

JAMES DOYLE,

Swoni before me the l’]th day of March, 1 798, WILLIAM JAMES.

County of Wexford,    THE examination of Gambia Carty, wife of Mr. William to wit. > Carty, of Ballycarney in this county, who being duly fworn

 ■; and examined, depofeth and faith. That on the morning of the

twenty-feventh of May laft, Denis Carty of the city of Dublin, Mofes Redmond of Ballycarney, ‘ farmer, with many other perfons unknown to informant, left the houfe of faid William Carty of Ballycarney, with the profeffed intention of going to the houfe of the reverend Francis Turner, of Ballingale in this county, to deftroy the fame; that in about three hours after, he the fnid Denis Carty returned to the faid houfe of William Carty, accompanied by James Maher of Ballycarney, publican, and both the faid Denis Carty and James Maher did there and then declare that theyj with a number of other perfons unknown to informant, had broke open and afterwards burned the houfe of the faid Francis Turner of Ballingale, and that they had £hot the faid Francis Turner and afterwards burned him in his houfe; and that the faid James Maher did declare to informant, that a quantity of blood, which appeared on his breeches, was the blood of the faid Francis Turner; and the faid Denis Carty and Jamep Maher did declare they had alfo killed, at the houfe of faid Francis Turner, five other men, one of whom fell by the hands of the faid Denis Carty, as he the fai^ Denis Carty did declare.

GAMBIA CARTYv

Sworn, taken and aclnowledged before me, this li^th July, 1798, SOLOMON RICHARDS.

Informant bound in 20I. to profecute when called on.

No. XIX. I.

County of the city of Duhlinf-X   THE information of Benjamin Warren of Kilcorto wit. > miitk in the county of Wexford, yeoman, who being

; duly fworn on the Holy Evangelifts, informeth and

faith. That he was taken prifoner by the rebels at Kilcormuck aforefaid, on the twenty-ninth day of May, 1798, and was conveyed to the rebel camp on Vinegar hill in faid county, together with another protcftant prifoner of the name of Samuel Weft, of Kilcormuck aforefaid; that on the arrival of this informant at faid rebel camp, they put him into the walls of an old mill, where there were many other proteftant priloners; informant faith, that half an hour after the faid rebels led out informant to put him to death, for no other reafon than becaufe he was a proteftant; informant faith, that the faid rebels afked him, what religion he would die? on which informant anfwered he would die a proteftant as he had been bred fuch : informant faith that the faid rebels then faid to informant, “ You bloody orange thief, you are damned, and will go to hell the inftant we put the breath out of you. ‘ Informant faith, the rebels thereon gave him feveral ftabs of pikes in the body and neck, and that while fome of the faid rebels were wounding informant, others were engaged in tearing oflF with great vehemence the clothes of informant. Informant

[M 2] faith.

»

92

APPENDIX, No. XIX. 2.

faith, that he fufFered the moft excruciating pain from his wounds, and was fo exhaufted by the lofs of blood, that he lay motionlefs and fpeechlefs for fome hours. Informant faith, that faid rebels led out foon after thirteen proteftants whom they put to death with pikes one after the other, in the faid rebel camp, and that the body of one of the faid proteftants fell on this informant, which put him to very great pain, and almoft extinguifhed what little remains of life there were in him. Informant faith, that next morning, finding he had ftrength enough to creep all-fours, he crept to the gripe of a ditch near the road, where he remained till it was dark, and then informant contrived to make his efcape. Informant faith, he heard, and which he verily believes to be true, that the rebels fhot, or butchered with pikes, twenty-four proteftants on the faid day on Vinegar hill aforefaid. Informant faith, that father Murphy, parifh prieft of Kilcormuck aforefaid, was commander in chief in faid rebel camp, and that this informant applied to the faid Murphy to fave his life, but that faid Murphy replied, he would not interfere about him, as he was going to take Wexford, and that he would leave them (meaning the rebels) to do as they pleafed with them. Informant faith, that the faid father Murphy was the firft perfon who promoted an infurre£l:ion in the county where he lived, and that on Saturday the twenty-fixth, and Sunday the twentyfeventh of May laft, he, at the head of a rebel mob, caufed all the proteftant houfes In the faid parifh of Kilcormuck to be burned, except three or four which were faved. Informant further faith, that among the prifoners fo killed on faid day were Henry Hatton, efquire, portrieve of Ennifcorthy, in faid county, and a yeoman in captain Richards’s corps of cavalry, Thomas Colbourne of Ennifcorthy aforefaid, vi£tualler, George Stacey of Ennifcorthy aforefaid, two men of the name of Gill, of a place called the Oiled-gate, between Ennifcorthy and Wexford, Benjamin Stacey, of Ennifcorthy, aforefaid, farmer, Jacob Minchin, of Ennifcorthy, aforefaid, cabinetmaker, Edward Brilket, of Ennifcorthy, aforefaid, merchant, George Sparrow, of faid town, farmer, Jofeph Maud, of faid town, farmer and a yeoman in captain Cormick’s corps, William Tugman, of the parifli of Ennifcorthy, weaver, and feveral others whofe names informant cannot at this time recolleft. Informant faith, he heard, and which he verily believes, that a man of the name of Murtagh Bryan, a common executioner, fhot twenty-four proteftants in one day on Vinegar hill, aforefaid; that he obtained a glafs of whiflccy for every perfon fo (hot. Informant faith, he was informed, and verily believes that one Luke Byrne, an opulent farmer, aflaffinated many proteftants, and among others, one Samuel Goodifon, an opulent farmer of Glendow, in faid county.

Sworn before me, this 2T;d day of Augtflf 1 798, his

THOMAS FLEMING, BENJAMIN x WARREN,

lord mayor of the city of Dublin. mark.

ft

2.

County of the city of Dublin,”)   THE information of Richard Sterne of Ennifcorthy, to nvit. Vin the county of Wexford, ftaymaker, who being duly

— ■; fworn on the Holy Evangelifts, maketh oath, and faith,

that on Whitfun Monday laft, when the king’s troops and the yeomanry were obliged to evacuate the town of Ennifcorthy aforefaid, which they had defended for fome hours againft the rebels, captain Richards of the Ennifcorthy cavalry, recommended to this informant, and to many other proteftant inhabitants of faid town, to accompany them in their retreat, which they were about to make to Wexford from Ennifcorthy aforefaid, to efcape the furious rage of the popifh rebels, who in great numbers had attacked faid town, commanded by the reverend father John Murphy, of Boulavogue in faid county.  Informant faith, that he being an infirm

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 2.

93

old man, and having carried on his back a grandchild of the age of five years, he was unable to keep up with the faid troops in their march for Wexford; and therefore that he, this informant, accompanied by his wife and a fon, who was far gone in a confumption, concealed themfelves in a wood, called Ringwood, within half a mile of Ennifcorthy aforefaid, where this informant, and his faid family remained four days and four nights, without receiving any nourilhment whatever, except fome potatoes and about a pint of milk from a fifherman who lived on the banks of the river Slaney. Informant faith, that he, this informant, fooner than perifh with hunger, went out of the faid wood on or about the fifth day, in the morning, after he had made his efcape from Ennifcorthy aforefaid 5 and that he, this informant, was taken prifoner on the high road near Ennifcorthy aforefaid, by a numerous body of the faid rebels, who were headed by the faid father John Murphy, to whom the faid rebels conducted this informant; and that they afked the faid father Murphy what the faid rebels fliould do with this informant, and that the faid Murphy defired the faid rebels to difcharge informant, as they were on their march to Wexford, Informant faith, that neverthelefs the faid rebels kept this informant in their cuftody. Informant faith, that the faid rebels led this informant a fecond time before the faid father Murphy, who preceded the faid rebels on horfeback with a large crucifix in his arms; and that they aiked the faid Murphy a fecond time, what they fhould do with this informant? and that the faid Murphy replied, they, the rebels, may do as they chofe with this informant. Informant faith, that the faid rebels rebuked and abufed informant for not having proftrated himfelf before the faid crucifix, and frequently pricked him with their pikes for not having done fo. Informant faith, that the faid rebels frequently told him, this informant, that he was a heretick, that he was damned, and would go to hell; that faid rebels ftrongly urged informant to be chriftened, to receive the facrament from their prieft, and to go to mafs; and that by doing fo, he would be fure of going to heaven, or to purgatory, either one or the other. Informant faith, he alked the faid rebels, whether he would fave his life by conforming to their religion .’’ and that the faid rebels replied, he would not, but that by fo conforming, he fliould die an eafy death by being hanged, inftead of being tortured by pikes and that the faid rebels declared to informant that they would hang him to fave his foul, left he {hould afterwards relapfe and become a heretick. Informant faith, that the faid rebels then condu£l:ed him to the crofs roads near the church of Killuran in faid county, where the faid rebels again urged this informant to change his religion, having threatened to put him to death with their pikes, unlefs he would do fo; but informant replied, he would not, that he would die any death, and that inftant, fooner than change his religion. Informant faith, that a rebel ferjeant thereon gave this informant a violent blow of a fpade handle in the head, which fpads handle was fhod or pointed with iron; and that when the faid ferjeant was on the point of giving him the faid blow, he called out to the other rebels to pike him. Informant faith, that he was knocked down and made fenfelefs and fpeechlefs by the blow fo inflifted by the faid ferjeant; and that when he lay quite infenfible on the ground, the other rebels gave him many ftabs of their pikes in the body; and that one of the faid pike wounds pafled through the body of this informant from one fide to the other. Informant faith, that the faid ferjeant gave him, this informant, a defperate wound in the head, from whence 1 there ilfued a great quantity of blood. Informant faith, he lay fpeechlefs and fenfelefs on the road where he was wounded for about an hour, when having recovered his fenfes, he crept to the houfe of George Ogle, efquire, about two miles dillant,

where

94

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 2.

where he received fome nourifliment from the fteward of the fald Georgle Ogle; and that the faid fteward told informant he muft depart, for that as he was an Orangeman, (meaning a proteftant) that his mafter’s houfe would be burned; and that he, tliis informant, would be killed by the rebels if he kept him in it. Informant faith, that he, thereon repaired to an adjoinin£f wood where this informant remained two days and two nights, during which time he received fome nourifh^ ment from the fame fteward. Informant faith, he was at lull difcovered in faid wood by a rebel woman, who was conftantly plundering the houfe of faid George Ogle; and who informed the rebels who were ftationed therein, that the faid wood was full of Orangemen; but that faid fteward informed the faid rebels, that this informant was not an orangeman, and had nothing to do with them; and that he was a poor old man who was wounded, and that he would bring this informant to them, the faid rebels. Informant faith, that the faid fteward, and the faid rebels repaired to the place where informant lay concealed in faid wood; and that faid rebels declared, on feeing the deplorable ftate of informant, that they would not hang or pike this informant. Informant faith, he was then taken to the ftable of the faid George Ogle, where he remained two days and two nights; and then, that he, this informant was fufFered to make his efcape. Informant faith, he was foon after taken prifoner by another body of rebels, who condu£ted him to a rebel guard houfe at Ennifcorthy aforefaid, where he remained four days, with thirty-two other proteftant prifoners, where informant would have ftarved, but for fome nouriftiment which informant received once a day from his wife. Informant faith, that he, and his fellow-prifoners were conveyed on the fifth day (to the beft of informant’s recollection) to Vinegar-hill, to be tried by a committee of rebel officers, on which hill, contiguous to Ennifcorthy aforefaid, he remained two days and two nights. Informant faith, that faid rebels fliot twenty-three of the fellow-prifoners of this informant, and in the prefence of this informant, on Vinegar-hill aforefaid; and this informant is convinced in his mind, that the faid rebels had no other charge or accufation againft the faid prifoners, but that they were of the proteftant religion. Informant faith, that before the execution of the faid prifoners, another prieft, of the name of Murphy, harangued the faid prifoners, in words of the following purport : “ You fons of Belial, that withftood our holy religion which exifted eight hundred years before yours began; (cracking the fingers of his right hand, and then of his left,) you will fee how thefe pikemen will treat you to-morrow, unlefs there is a great reformation in you.” Informant faith, that the faid prieft exprefled the faid words with a loud voice, and in a very angry tone. Informant faith, that his life was faved by the interference of one William Lacy, brother to a prieft of that name, who feemed to have great power in faid rebel camp on Vinegar-hill aforefaid, and with whom informant had been long acquainted, and from whom informant obtained a protection. Informant faith, that the rebels before they wounded him at Killuran aforefaid, ftripped informant of his hat and wig, coat and waiftcoat.

RICHARD STERNE.

Sworn before me, l^th of Atigufl, 1798,

THOMAS FLEMING, lord mayor of the city of Dublin.

County

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 3.

95

3

dounty of the city of Dubliriy 1  CATHARINE HEYDON, widow of the reverend to •wit. > Samuel Heydon, late of Ferns in the county of Wex

 ■ 3 ford, deceafed, and late vicar of the faid parilh of

Ferns, and alfo late redlor of Came in faid county, having been duly examined on the Holy Evangelift, depofeth, and faith, That examinant, her hufband, and all the proteftant inhabitants of Ferns aforefaid, on hearing the rebels were advancing in great force, commanded by the reverend John Murphy, a prieft, on the morning of Whitfunday, the twenty-feventh day of May, laft and that this examinant, with her faid hufband, was obliged to fly precipitately to Ennifcorthy, in faid county, along with a fmall detachment of the North Cork militia; and depofeth, that faid town of Ennifcorthy was taken by the rebels, on Monday the twenty-eighth day of May laft; and that on the faid day the king’s troops and yeomanry, with moft of the proteftants there, were obliged to retreat to the town of Wexford, to avoid the mercilefs rage of faid rebels; by which examinant and her faid hufband were left unprote£led, and were obliged to fly from one houfe to another for proteftion, as moft of the houfes there were on the fame day pulled down, or burned by the rebels. This examinant faith, that fhe, and her faid hufband retreated at laft to the houfe of one Stephen Lett, a cabinetmaker, and that two parties of the rebels came into faid houfe, and aflured the faid Samuel Heydon, that they would not injure him, he being a good-natured man, as fome of them declared; and that foon after one other rebel came into faid houfe, and faid, that his information was right, for that faid Mr. Heydon was there; on which faid Heydon replied, that two parties were there before, and faid he fhould not be molefted, at which time ftones were thrown up at the windows; on which faid Lett declared, that his houfe would be deftroyed, if he gave examinant and faid Heydon prote£lion any longer, and advifed examinant and faid Heydon to apply for a protection to a prieft. Examinant faith, that this examinant and faid Heydon immediately after left faid houfe, and did accordingly apply to the reverend John Sutton, a popifti prieft, for protection, in the ftreet of faid town, as they were furrounded by a large party of the rebels who became riotous, and joftled examinant, and her hufband; on which faid Sutton cried out to faid rebels, “ Fie! fie!” but aflbrded them no other proteftion, at which time this examinant perceived blood running from the nofe of her faid hufband; and. that his cheek was laid open by a pike, as examinant believes. Examinant faith, that foon after he ftaggered and fell to the ground, with this examinant, who kept her arms about him; that thereupon the faid rebels dafhed his head feveral times againft the ftones, for the purpofe of extinguifliing what life remained in him; that he foon after groaned and expired in this cxaminant’s arms, during which time t’lis examinant, and after, received from them feveral blows on the back; that faid rebels thereupon took from faid Heydon his watch, money, and pocket-book, containing feveral bank notes, the amount of which this examinant knows not, but believes faid pocket book contained the amount of his whole property, both in money and bank notes. This examinant further depofeth, that foon after, a ferocious rebel dragged this examinant by her arm down a fteep hill with great violence, and over the bridge, and to the water fide, ufing at the fame time, very infultir.g and opprobrious language, and afked examinant if fhe would go to mafs, and damned examinant for a bitch; faid fhe was always an enemy to the Roman catholicks; and afked examinant why fhe had left her houfe; faid, they (meaning the faid rebels) had fettled it this morning, and faid rebel declared, he would take examinant to the camp at Vinegar-hill, though faid rebel was dragging examinant

» contrary

$5

A P P E 1^ D I X,  No. XIX. 3.

a contrary way. Examinant further depofeth, that fhe called out for help, when z rebel unknown to examinant, refcucd examinant, and conveyed examinant to the houfe of one Walili a rebel captain, who had been that morning liberated out of prifon. Examinant faith, that foon after (he arrived at faid houfe, her aunt, a lady aged eighty-one years, or thereabouts, v/as brought there by her fervant maid, after having been robbed of her ready money, and all lier worldly fubftance, which ftie by her will bequeathed to this examinant to a confiderable amount. Examinant depofeth, that during ten days fhe refided at hid Walfh’s houfe, flie fufFered very much from poverty, filth, and the fociety of the moll profligate wretches, who conftantly uttered treafon and blafphemy, and often hinted that examinant had better go to mafs •, and faid Walfh, and his wife, informed examinant that it would be at the rifque of their lives, to harbour a proteftant, as an order came from the camp, not to proteft any fuch; that during examinant’s refidence at faid houfe, and for fome time after, fhe had no other clothes to wear, but what (he had on her back, and no bed to fleep on for five weeks and five days. Examinant faith, that on leaving faid Walfti’s, fhe repaired to the ruinous houfe of Henry Gill, poftmafter of faid town, which had been plundered and made a wreck of by the rebels. Examinant faith, that foon after fhe went to the faid Gill’s houfe, a meflage was fent to her by faid Walfli, that her life was not fafe, unlefs (he went to mafs; and in a few days after, about five o’clock in the morning, two rebels armed with mulkets, broke into examinant’s room, and called out to Mrs. Gill to throw this examinant down flairs, and if Ihe did not, they would, and her houfe ihould be burned; on which examinant alked them what charge they had againft her? to which they replied, her obftinacy had been reported yefterday •, and that fhe mull go to Wexford, meaning by the word obftinacy, as Ihe verily believes, was for not going to mafs; that examinant, dreading fhe might be abufed by the rebels, afked the faid two ruffians to fhoot her, on which they replied, they would have nothing to do with one of her fort, meaning, as flie verily believes, a proteftant; and then faid examinant might ftay there until further orders. Examinant faith, that Mrs. Gill told examinant, that fhe could not any longer protedl her with fafety to herfelf, and eleven children; on which examinant went to feveral houfes, whofe inhabitants refufed to receive her, though proteftants, from motives of fear, and the papifts from motives of hatred; that thereupon one father Clinch, a prieft, brother io a tenant of examinant’s, informed her, that fhe need not leave faid houfe, where fhe remained in great poverty and diftrefs, until the king’s troops arrived, after which time fome of the officers, from motives of compaffion, fupplied this examinant with provifions. This examinant faith, that the lofs fhe fuftained by having her houfe plundered of houfehold furniture, and other valuable articles, amounts to between five and fix hundred pounds, exclufive of the money and notes her faid hufband v/as plundered of at Ennifcorthy aforefaid. This examinant faith, that her late hufband, by his livings and his agency from the right honourable lord Monck, including the glebe-houfe and lands at Ferns aforefaid, enjoyed a yearly income of fix hundred pounds and upwards.

CATHARINE HEYDON.

Snvorn before me, this ‘^\Ji day of Augujl, 1798,

THOMAS FLEMUNG, lord mayor of the city of Dublin.

Part

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 4.

Part of a converfation ivhich Lewis Bulger had with Mrs. Heydony after the death <f her hufband in Ennifcorthy; he had lived fourteen years with her as butler, and was very aBive in plundering her houfe at Ferns as foon as the rebellion broke out.

A few days after the death of Mr. Heydon, and while Mrs. Heydon was in the iitmoft diftrcfs in Ennifcorthy, Lewis Bulger vifited her, told her he would fave her jaunting car, and convey her in it to her own houfe; flie faid flie had no houfe, as it belonged to the bifhop, until he appointed another incumbent, “ The bifliop I” faid, Bulger with much contempt; “ the bilhop has no houfe, now!. it may be mine, or that man’s,” pointing to a pikeman who fat in the room; « but the bifliop has nothing to do with it; there will be no laws now, for in about three months, every thing will be fettled in a much better way than they were.” He told her, that fhe might live happily again iri her own houfe, provided fhe would become a Roman catholick, and be furrounded by none but by perfons of that religion; Ihe anfwered, that fhe had charity for perfons of every religion, but that flie would live and die in the faith in which fhe was brought up.. Bulger then faid, you are liable to be fhot if you appear in the flreet; there will be but one religion on the face of the earth, this is ali the handywork of God •, and as a proof of the divine interpofition in favour of the rebellion, he faid, “ Father John Murphy catches red hot bullets in his hand.”* If a priefl were to. blefs a piece of meat, the mofk hungry dbg would not touch it-, this is acommon opinion among the lower clafs of papifts. A priefl can bring a lighted candle out of a tub of water; he faid to her, fure you won’t remain there; fhe anfwered that fhe had no houfe to go to, but that fhe hoped foon to meet his mafler in heaven; on which he obferved, “ I will promife you, that you will never meet him there What can be expe£led from a populace drenched with fuch fuperflitious and deleterious d’odlrines; and who believe that their priefts can fufpend and counteract the operations of nature! What a fruitful fource of treafon muft that opinion be, that the divine will was vifible in favour of a rebellion, formed for the proftration of the proteftant ftate, and the exclufive eftablifhment of the popifh religion, by which alone the mafs of the papifts believe they can be faved!

4

County of the city of D’uhlin, T  THE information of Edward Stacey, of Tomgarrij to wit. > in the county of Wexford, farmer, who being duly

■ — — 3 fworn on the Holy Evangelifts, maketh oath, and faith,

That he, this informant, was taken prifoner at his own houfe at Tomgaraaforefaid, by four rebels armed with mufkets and fpears, on the fixteenth day of June, 1798; and that having led informant to a folitary place, about a mile and a quarter from his houfe, one of the faid rebels afked informant of what religion he was, to which informant replied, he was born and bred a proteftant; on which one of the faid rebels alkjed informant, whether he did not know that while his body was creeping on earth, that the fouls of liim and all his fort were burning in hell? Informant faith, he anfwered faid rebel, by telling him he believed no fuch thing. .. Informant faith, he was then led by faid rebels to a deep marl pit which was full of water, and tlien that one of faid rebels afked informant whether he could fvv^im, and that he fhould have his choice of leaping into faid pit, or of . being fliot; to

[N] which

* All ihe priefts aiSively concerned in the rebellion endeavoured to pe?-fuadc their flock that they could do fo.

5.8 A P P E N D I X,  No. XIX. 5.

which informant replied, that he would not be acceflary to his own death. Informant faith, that one of the faid rebels aflced him in what he believed; to which informant replied, that he believed in the great God that made the heavens and earth on which the faid rebel aflced informant, whether he believed that the virgin Mary was blefled above all women; to which informant replied, that he believed fhe was. Informant having anfwered, becaufe it was left on record, that all genera. tions fhould call her blefled; and that the faid rebel faid thereon, « You vagabond, how fhould you know what was left on record?” Informant faith, that the faid rebels then compelled him to go on his knees with his back turned towards them; and that one of the faid rebels then fired a mufket at informant, charged with a ball, which ball entered at informant’s rump, and pafled through his private parts. Informant faith, he fell to the ground as if dead; that his wife, having heard the Iliot, came up to hirn, and had informant carried to his own houfe, where he continued confined to his bed for fix weeks, and at length recovered, though informant had not the afiiflance of a doftor or a furgeon. Informant faith, that the rebels deprived him of his arms on the twenty-eighth day of May preceding. Informant faith, that his nephew Benjamin Stacey was fliot in the rebel camp on Vinegar-hili for being a proteflant; and that George Stacey, the fon of informant, was killed at Vinegar-hill aforefaid, for the fame reafon. Informant faltji, that of the four rebels who took informant prifoner as aforefaid on the fixteenth day of Jime, Edward Slnnot was the only perfon he knew; that informant was the near neighbour of faid Slnnot, and had been in a ftate of friendfliip with him; and yet the faid Edward Slnnot was the perfon who fhot inforanant as before mentioned. Informant faith, he verily believes that twenty-three proteftants were mafiacred on account of their religion, and for no other reafon, within one mile and a half of the. houfe of informant-, and that the following perfons were among thofe who were fo mafiacred : John Cliffbrd of Caftle Annefley, efqulre, John Lord, his fervant, James Johnfon, Robert Johnfon, Robert Aflon, William Abraham, John Colburne, WiJllam Johnfon, James Shaw, Charles Ormfby, Eyre Ormfby, John Johnfon, Elizabeth Stacty, fifter-in-law of informant, George Greenlee, Margaret Greenlee his fifter, Henry Roufom, Robert Aire, Edward Earle, Jofeph Afton.

EDWARD STACEY.

Sworn before tne, 2/\th of Aiigufl,  1 798,

THOMAS FLEMING  lord mayor of the city of Dublin.

5

A copy of Mrs. Margaret Hunt’s petition^ ivhofe htifband, a lieutenant in the Ennifcorihy yeomanry, -was murdered at Vinegar-hill.

THAT her hufband, fighting againft the rebels at Ennifcorthy on the twentyeighth of May, 1798, was wounded in the morning of faid day by a gun-fliot in the belly ) and on the faid day received feven wounds in his head, three in his body, and one in his arm.

That having in part recovered the feveral wounds of faid twenty-elghtli inltant, he was on the day following felzed and taken out of his bed by faid rebels, one of whom ran up and fired a loaded piftol at him, by which he fell; another, fuppofing him not killed, fired a fecond piftol, and a third fired at him, while down, with a mufket.

That,

A P P EvN D I X,  No. XIX. 6, 7.

99

That, having furvived all this barbarous and cruel “treatment, he was dragged from his bed by faid rebels, and was afterwards confined with petitioner in a cold guard-houfe for nine days, where they bad no bed, and but little food.

That from thence he was dragged to the rebel camp at Vinegar-hill; from thence to a prifon near faid hill, where he was (hot; that after his body Ir.y expofed on the publick high road for many days, not being fuffered by faid rebels to be buried or. given up to petitioner.

MARGARET HUNT.

Sworn before me ia,th July, 1798, RICHARD NEWTON KING.

And verified on oath by her and the reverend fofnia Nunn, vicar of Ennifcorthyt ivhf fnvears he ivas an eye luitnefs of a great part of the faid fa vage treatment,

[_No. 200, archives of the hotfe of commons.^

6.

County of Wexford, 1   EDWARD ST. LEGER of Bormont, in the county of Wexto wit.     > ford, having been duly fworn on the Holy Evangeliils, depofeth

; and faith, That on the firft day of June laft, he was made a

prifoner by a party of rebels, and brought to the old wind-mill on Vinegar-hill, in faid county, and which the rebels ufed as a prifon. That he remained in faid pri-i fon about half an hour, when he was releafed at the interceffion of one Fenlon. Deponent faith, as he was leaving the prifon, he faw a man fitting on the ground without clothes, with a bit of a ragged blanket thrown over him, that he never faw fo horrible a figure, that his eyes were out, his head and body fwelled, his cheeks covered with ulcers; that on deponent’s exclaiming, “ My God! what miferable objeiSl is that?” the man attempted to fpeak, but was unable to articulate, and ‘ from the founds he uttered, deponent believes his tongue had been cut out. Deponent faith, that a rebel with arms in his hands, who deponent believes was one of the guard, told deponent that the man was under punifhment, and mentioned fomething of a flow death •, meaning, as deponent believes, that the wretched objeft was condemned to fufFer a flow death.

EDWARD ST. LEGER.

Sworn before me this i oth day of January y 1 799, JOHN W. LYSTER.

7

County of Wexford,”^   THE information of John Pickering, of the Shelmalier yeoto wit.     > man cavalry, who being duly fworn on the Holy Evangelifts,

■ ‘    ; depofeth and faith, That on or about the fecond of June laft,

about midday, a large body of rebels appeared near the town of Ennifcorthy, and in a field of Mr. Beal’s immediately joining the road, that amongfl; others he faw a man, commonly called Gray Thomas, a proteftant, who lived at Newcaftle, near the houfe of Mr. John Hay, and that he faw the faid Mr. Hay make a defperate ftroke of a fword at the faid Gray Thomas, without any provocation that informant could hear, which ftroke divided a confiderable portion of his flcull, and that immediately afterwards a fhot was fired by a perfon unknown at the faid Gray Thomas, of which he immediately died •, but informant is of opinion, that the firft wound he received from the fword of faid John Hay would have proved mortal; and informant further ijitb, that, upon the murder being committed, the rebels ftiouted and

[N 21, he

loo A P P E N D I X, !?o. XIX. 8.

he exclaimed that they had put one devil out of the world; after which Mr. Hay addreffed the rebels, in words to the following efFedl : “ Boys, if there is any among you of the fame profeflion (meaning, as informant declares, a proteftant) put him to death immediately; and if you know any of you to harbour or protect one, I will m.yfelf put fuch perfon to death, for they will betray you hereafter.” And informant further faith, that during the v/hole of this tranfa£tion he was not above fix or feven yards from tlie faid John Hay, being detained a prifoner by the rebels.

Sworn before me this 2Stb of December, ‘1798, beins; JirJI duly read to him,

NATHANIEL CAVENAGH,

a magi/lratc.

Witnefs prefeut, ARM^ BROWNE, Firft lieutenant Shelmalier cavalry.

8.

authentic account of the behaviour, conduB and confejfton, oj jfames Beaghan, luhj ivas executed on Vinegnr-hill, on Saturday the tivcnty-fourih day of Augufl, 1799-taken before Chriflian Wilfon, efquire, high-ffjeriff’ of the county of Wexford, and J. H. Lifter, efquire, one of the jujiiess of the peace for the faid county.

THE day but one before his execution, two popifh priefts went to vifit him, and upon their entering his cell, he exclaimed againft them in thefc words : “ Begone from me, you accurfed, who have been the caufe of my eternal damnation; for were it not for you, I never would have been guilty of murder.” — Having fo faid, he tunied from them, and requefted that they might be put out; and in fome ftiort time after, he requefted that captain Boyd might be fent for, to whom he made the following confeihon :

I, James Beaghan, acknowledge and confefs that I am guilty of the crime for which I am to fufFcr •, but that I did not commit it from ill-will to the people that were murdered, but from the order of * Luke Byrne; I could not difobey him — no perfon dare refufe to obey the orders of the commanders. I am fure that . any man in command could fave the lives of the poor.j every man that was a , proteilant was called an orangemen, and every one was to be killed, from the pooreft man in the country. Before the rebellion, I never heard there was any hatred between Roman catholicks and proteftants, they always lived peaceably together. I always found the proteftants better mafters and more indulgent landlords .than my owji religion; during the rebellion, I never faw any one interfere to prevent murder, but one Byrne, who faved a man. I think all that were prefent werfe as guilty as thofe that perpetrated the murders. It was thinking that we were all equally guilty, that prevented me from flying the country. The women were numerous, and were as bad as the men. The rebels treated the prifoners with great feverity, very different from the way that I have been ufed in gaol. They thought it no more a fin to kill a proteftant than a dog; had it not been that they were fo foon quafhcd, they would have fought with each other for the property of the proteftants. They .were beginning before the battle of Vinegar-hill.  Ever fince the rebellion I never

heard

* Luke Bj-rne, a prieft and a commander in the rebel-army .

JOHN PICKERING.

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 9. loi

heard one of the rebels exprefs the leaft forrow for what was done on tlic contrary, I have heard them fay, they were forry that whilft they had the power they did not kill more, and that there were not half enough killed. I know that the rebels were determined to rife if the French ftiould come; and I believe they did not give up half their arms.  There are guns, bayonets and pikes hid in the country.

* Now, gentlemen, remember what I tell you : If you and the proteftants are ever in the power of the catholicks again, as they are now in yours, they will not leave one of you alive; you will all go fmack fmooth; even thofe who campaigned with them, if things had gone well with them, would ift the end have been killed. I have heard them Xay fo many times.

Take/1 before ris, Augufl 23, 1799,

CHRISTIAN WILSON, his J. H. LYSTER, jtipce 0} the peace. JAMES X BEAGHAN,

mark.

(A copy.)

Having arrived at the place of execution, captain Boyd brought him a fide, and read his confeflion, and alked him if it was corredlly taken down, to which he anfwered in the afErmative. Juft as the executioner was about to turn him off, he called out faying, <«Stop!” and lifting up his cap, faid with a very loud voice, “ Captain Boyd, you have taken down my confeffion perfectly correct; if it was not for the priefts I never would have been guilty of murder, nor have dragged five unfortunate perfons out of the windmill to be murdered.” Amongft thefe five, were the fon of old Minchin the carpenter.

A lifl of fame of the proteflatiis maffacred }?i the d’locefe of Ferns and county of W exford^ fpecfying the parifh or toivnland ivhere they refided and ivere killed, with an account of many atrocities. The furviving fujferers made application to the commiffioners appointed by parliament for part of the fund appropriated for their relief and their lofs was fubflantiated by their oivn affdavit andlhclt of the pariflj minijler, and was certified by their landlord and by a neighbouring magiflrate. Such afjidavits were numerically regifiered in the archives of the houfe of commons. The number in the left column refers to the number of the ciffidavit.

No. Samuel Atkin, :tide-waiter at Wexford, maffacred at the bridge of Wex69 ford.

James Auflin of Ballyadams murdered; left a wife and fix children. James Afton of Kilmukridge, murdered there. 47   Reverend Thomas Troke, curate, murdered on Vinegar-hill firft; of June, his widow in a fl:ate of derangement from her misfortmies; one of her children was ftarved to death, and another died from the fame caufe. 2 William Daniel, furveyor, murdered on the bridge of Wexford twentieth of

June, 1798, left a widow and feven children in the utmoft diftrefs. ■\   Middleton Robfon, exeife officer, murdered fame time and place. 5   Reverend Arthur Conolly, his houfe and all his property dellroyed.*;, .

7 Reverend

* From this mark Beaghan fpoke without having been afked any qusllions, and fpokc with an carneft> 7i<fs and in a manner that Ihevved his fincerity.

102

APPENDIX,  No. XJX. 9.

44 56

58 John Smyth, hatter,

58 Thomas Crane, hofier,

58 Abraham Henefy,

69 Kenneth Mathewfon,

58 Thomas Ganford,

69 George Tully, clothier,

69 Richard Whitney, farmer,

60 “

Reverend Simon Little, reduced to the utmofl: want and indigence with his wife and four children, by the deftruclion of all his property at Killan.

Lieutenant Garden ‘of the Scarawallh yeohien infantry, killed the twentyeighth of May, 1 798, in defence of Ennifcorthy.

John Clarke, weaver, maflacred on the bridge of V/exford, twentieth of June.

do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. Reverend Ulyfles Jacob, curate, obliged to fly on Whltfunday from the pariflj of Donamore.

69   Edward Turner, efquire, a magiftrate, murdered at the bridge of Wexford

twentieth June, 1 798. 78   Robert Earl, murdered near Arklow, and all his property deftroyed.

10 1 Jane Reftwicke fwore, that her hulband was burned at Scullabogue. .

102 Elizabeth Powel fwoi’e, her hufband was burned at do.

113 Mary Reel fwore, her hufband was burned at do.

114 Frances Tweedy fwor,e, her hulband was burned at do.

1 2 1 Ann Barrett fwore, her hufband was ftiot through miftake by a Heffianj while Handing at his door.

1 23 Ann M’Coy fwore, her hulband was (hot on the bridge of Wexford.

124 John GilFard fwore, that his father, Milward Giffard, furveyor of excife, was {hot at Scullabogue.

122 Sufannah Turner fwore, her hulband, Samuel Turner, a fchool-mafter at Taghmon, was fhot at Scullabogue.

1 34   Eliza Box fwore, her hulband was murdered by the rebels near the Carrig

ferry-bridge, the thirty-firll May, 1798. 1 3 1   Henry Roe, M. D. was obliged to fly from Gorey when colonel Walpole

was defeated, and had all his property deftroyed. 145   John Hatchel, hatter, mafliacred at the bridge of Wexford.

158 David Dalton, ganger, of the Ennifcorthy yeomanry, was murdered a* Wexford. ^

159  Tomkin, of Ballygullen, was murdered by the rebels.

169 Robert Miller, of Tintern, burned at Scullabogue.

170 David Cruin do. do.

171 Thomas Power, and his fon aged fifteen years, do. do.

172 John Pierfon, Ihoe-maker, burned or fhot at do.

173 Patrick Power, mafon, do. do.; 74 George Smith, flater, do. do. T75 Jofliua Box, weaver, and fon aged twelve years, do. do. 176 Samuel Boyce, fhoe-maker, do. do. (77   George Boyce, Butcher,                do. do.

178 George Canney, weaver, do. do.

179 James DufHeld, do. do. 380 Thomas Eakins, do. do. iSi   james Carlifle, labourer, do. do.

Revere i\d

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 9.

184 Reverend James Morgan, re£tor of Horetown was driven out of the county, with a large family, and deprived of fubfiftence.

190   Robert Wheatley’s fon was murdered at the church of Gorey.

270 The Reverend George Howfe, redtor of the union of Inch in the diocefe of Dublin and county Wexford, was obliged to fly from his houfe to fave his life, which the rebels plundered to the amount of four hundred pounds. His wife, three fons and three daughters, fled without any clothes but what they had on their backs.

274 Mary Rigly fwore, her hufband was murdered by the rebels the 29th of May, at Ennifcorthy, and her houfe, voffices, and all her property deftroyed.

275 Lucy Hunter fwore, her hufband, William Hunter, was murdered fame time, and her houfe and property deftroyed at Ennifcorthy.

276 Peter Bates, of Monart, farmer, fwore, his houfe, offices, and all his property, were confumed by the rebels, who murdered his two brothers, two brothers-in-law and one uncle, the twenty-eighth of May, 1798, all of Templefliambo.

277 Frances GilL of Monglafs fwore, her hufband John Gill, farmer, was murdered on Vinegar-hill the twenty-ninth of May, her houfe and property deftroyed, and flie, with fix children, reduced to great want.

278 Alice Butler of Marley fwore, her hufband, Richard Butler, was murdered at Ennifcorthy the twenty-eighth of May, for his loyalty; his houfe, offices, &c. burned, and flie and three children reduced to want.

280 Jofeph Hawkins of Fairfield, murdeixd on Vinegar-hill for his loyalty, his houfe, offices, &c. burned, and his wife and three children reduced to want, do.

283 William Simmons, of Shannaul, burnt at Scullabogue, fifth of June, his widow and three children reduced to want.

284 Thomas Whitty, of Rattfilla, fhot at do. do.

285 Samuel Simmons, burnt at do. do. 291   John Hogan, an opulent fhop-keeper, imprifoned by the rebels at Wexford,

and his houfe plundered to the amount of locol.

294 Reverend Roger Owen, loft to the amount of 700I. and he, his wife and feven children reduced to the utmoll want, at Camolin.

297 Robert Burkett, of Ennifcorthy, plundered to the amount of 1263I.

295 John Harries, of Gorey-hill land, murdered by the rebels.

298 Reverend William Hinfon, curate of Ennifcorthy, deprived of means of fubfiftence.

304 Jane Hatton, of Hollywood, fwore, her father, Henry Hatton, deputy portrieve of Ennifcorthy, was murdered on Vinegar-hill, fooner than change his religion.

328 John Whitney, of Oldcourt, v/as fhot at Scullabogue, of the parifh of Adamftown.

329 William Neile, had one brother fhot, and another burnt at Scullabogue, and Robert Parflow’s father was fhot, and his brother burnt at do. do.

300 William Dobbyn, of Myfter, with his father and two brothers, v»^ere burnt at Scullabogue.

331 Elizabeth Dobbyn, widow of James Dobbyn, of Old-court, burnt at do. 322   I’atrick Dobbyn, of do. do.

360 Mary Store, fwore, her hufband, James Store, of Windmill, near .Wexford, was dragged from his houfe to Three Rock camp, and fhot thcrs.

1,66 Jant

I

ito4 APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 9.

366   Jane Rath, of Jameflown, fwore, herhufbaiid, Jofcph Rat’h, was murdered’.

at Ennifcorthy for his loyalty, parifli of Rofsdroit. 371   Margaret Shaw, of Clough, fwore, her hu (band, Abraham Shaw, was killed’

by the rebels.

390   Rebecca Colebymcj of Ballnaftra, fwore, her hufband was murdered the

thirtieth of May, of Monomolin parifli. 382   George Abraham, of Ballyedmord, murdered by the rebels, the fecond of

June.

392 Henry Johnfton, of Balmurtra, murdered on Whitfun Sunday, of the paridi of Monomolin:

395 Mary Rowfom, of Cullentragh, fwore, her hufband, a weaver, was murdered’ by the rebels, of the parifli of Monomolin.

429 John Oaks, gardener, of Hawtry White, efquirc, of Peppard’s caftle, murdered on Whitfun Sunday.

434 Thomas Thornton, coachmaker, of Taghmon, murdered the beginning of the rebellion.

435 John Boydi efquire, murdered at Wexford.

442   Reverend Richard RadclifFe, re£tor of White-church, plundered by the

rebels, and deprived of fubfiflience. 445   Robert Johnfton, of the Ballaghkeene cavalry, killed in a battle near Carnew,

the thirtieth of June.

450 Edward Slye, fliop-keeper, murdered at Ennifcorthyj twenty-eighth of May, of St. Mary’s parifli.

452 John Plumer, white fmith and yeoman, wounded, and afterwards murdered at Ennifcorthy, twenty-eighth of May, of St. Mary’s parifli;

454 Thomas Oaks, of Ennifcorthy, publican, murdered on Vinegar-hill, the thirtieth of May.

455 Francis Monk, and his fon Edward, mafiacred at Scullabogue, of RofTgarland.

456 William Jordan, of Foulkes-mill, fliot at Scullabogue, of do.

457 John Eakins and his fon, Thomas, burnt at do.; left a widow and five children, of do

458 Thomas M’Donnell, fteward of Mr. Leigh, M. P. maffacrcd at Scullabogue, left a widow and fix children, of Roflgarland.

459 WiUiam Gray, weaver, and fon, feventeen years old, both murdered atScullabogue; left a widow and four children deftitute.

460 John Magrath’s daughter, of Ballybrack, aged eighteen years, was ftiot by the. rebels  he, his wife and fix children reduced to want.

461 Richard Davis, of St. John’s, burnt at Scullabogue; left a widow and fix children.

462 Jofeph Stannard, and Mary, his wife, both burned at do.; left fix children,, of do.

463 Owen Field, weaver, maflacred at do. •, left a widow and fix children, of do»

464 John Lindfay, aged twenty-one, and William, his brother, aged nineteen, burnt at do. of Clongeen.

466   John Moran, aged twenty years, maflacred at do.; left a mother and her five

children, younger than him, in want and mifery, of do. 543   Mary Edmonds, of Rathafpeck, union of Wexford, fwore, her hufband,.

John Edmonds, was murdered by the rebels, and left four children. 548   John Chamley, burnt at Scullabogue, of Horetown.

549 Samuel

APPENDIX,  Ko. XIX. 9.

549 Samuel Hall, yeoman, of Templefliannon, killed at Ennifcorthy the twentyninth of May; left a widow and four fmall children, of St. Mary’s.

550 Henry Reafon, a quaker, fliot at Scullabogue, left a widow and two children,

551 William Fanner, burnt at do. left a widow and three children, of do.

552 John Crumpin, yeoman, in the Scarrawalfh corps, murdered the twenty-fifth of July; left a widow and three children, of Drumgold.

556 Edward Byron, burnt at Scullabogue; left a widow and two children, of Horetown.

557 Jofeph Power,   do.   at   do. left a widow and children, of do. 561   Jofeph Turpin, murdered by the rebels in cold blood, at Foulks-mill, on the

fifth of June; left four orphan children, of do

567 George Fiflier, murdered the twenty-fourth of June  left a widow and four children, of Mothel and Dyfart.

568 Anne Tracy, fwore her fon was killed by the rebels, who was her only fupport; fhe is a widow with feven children, of do.

588 Margaret Tugman, fwore, her hulband, William Tugman, a weaver, of Ennifcorthy, was killed by the rebels, and left eight children.

589 Francis Plumer, of Ennifcorthy, murdered on the bridge of Wexford, the twentieth of June; left a widow and four children.

594 Benjamin Stacey; murdered the firft of June, on Vinegar-hill *, left a widow and four children, of Templefliannon.

595 William Power, of Ennifcorthy, murdered the firft of June, on do. 5 left a widow and four children, of St. Mary’s.

Samuel Radwell, killed at Ennifcorthy, the twenty-eighth of May, in battle, of Rofl’droit.

Andrew Radwell, murdered the thirtieth of May, at David’s-towri. • 1S24  Anne Cauifiekl, her hufband murdered at Oulart, William Hawkins, killed at Ennifcorthy.

Six of that name and family were murdered, a father, five legitimate, and one natural fon.

597   George Steacy of Ennifcorthy, wheelwright,’ murdered at Vinegar-hill; widow and fix children left.

597   Jefeph Mackins, fchoolmafter of Ennifcorthy, murdered on Vinegar-hill;

widow and three children left. 599   Thomas Vv’alkins, farmer, of Glonjordan, murdered on Vinegar-hill, thifty

firft of May; widow and one child left. 000   James Campbell, and -fon, murderedon Vinegar-hill; a widow and four

children left.

602   Thomas Simpfon, linen-weaver,’ murdered on do. 5 a widow and two children left.

606   William Caflin murdered on Vinegar-hill, thirty-firft of May, a widow and

fix children, and an infirm mother-in-law left. 609   John Crofiiew, murdered at Ennifcorthy, twenty-eighth of May; a widow

left.

612   William Carrol, murdered on Vinegar-hill, thirty-firft of May, a widow and feven children left.

Mary Maud, widow, her fon killed on do. twenty-ninth of May, of Craken, Ennifcorthy.

616   Samuel Crumptonj killed at Ennifcorthy, thirtieth of May; of do. a widow and eight children left.

[O] 620 Samue

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 9.

620   Samuel Barber,  of Clevafs, murdered,  twenty-eighth of May; a widow

and five children left, parifh of Ennifcorthy. 622   Charles Cooper, brazier, murdered near Wexford, firft June; widow and

two Imall children, and (he pregnant. ^23   Benjamin Sunderland, hatter, of Ennifcorthy, murdered on the bridge of

Wexford, twentieth of June; widow and five children left. ,627   Eliza Pepper, of Tincurry, a fon killed by the rebels, flie a widow, and feven

children left, parifh of Ferns. 628   Patrick Connor, murdered on Vinegar-hill, thirtieth of May; widow and one

child left, of Ennifcorthy.

630 John Baubier, of Einchoge, near Ennifcorthy, killed the twcnty-eigh.th of May; three fmall motherleis children left.

63 1 James Rigley, murdered, thirtiethr of May, on Vinegar -hill, a wi^raaker and a Chelfea pcnfioner; widow and three fmall children left, of Ennifcorthy.

^32 Thomas Hall, murdei-ed on Vinegar-hill, fourteenth of June; a widow and nine children left, of Ennifcorthy.

633 William Baubier, of Ennifcorthy, murdered, twentieth of June, on the bridge of Wexford; widow and two children left.

634 John Hawkins, murdered, twenty-eighth of May, at Ennifcorthy, of Tomakippeen; widow, three daughters, and one grand-child left.

635 James Sutton, of Clonmore, murdered, fourteenth of June, on Vinegarhill; a widow, one child, father and mother lef):, of Ennifcorthy.

637   John Smith, murdered in Ennifcorthy, twenty-ninth of May, 3 hatter; a

widow helplefs, aged feyenty-nine, left, of Ennifcorthy. 639   Samuel Oakes, killed at Finlhoge, of Ennifcorthy.

,640   Michael Sutton, murdered, thirtieth of May, at Ennifcorthy, of Finflioge;

a widow antd fix children left. 643   John Copeland, killed twenty-eighth of May, at Ennifcorthy, of Ennifcorthy. 645   John Larkln, of Ennifcorthy, killed by the rebels.

^48 Walter Green, flioemaker, murdered at Ennifcorthy, twenty-eighth of May; a widow and four children left, of Ennifcorthy.

656 Margaret Dixy, of Ennifcorthy, two fons killed for their loyalty.

657 jofeph Copeland, murdered on Vinegar-hill, twenty-firft of June, parifh of Kilcormuck.

.659 William Wrllis, corn-mercharjt, of Ennifcorthy, murdered on Vinegar-hill, twentieth of June.

660 Edward Sly, of piackftoop, farmer, murdered at Ennifcorthy, twenty-eighth of May, parifli of Ennifcorthy.

662 William Mooney, innkeeper, murdered, firft of June, near Wexford; widow pregnant, and four fmall children left, of Ennifcorthy.

676 Thomas Crowley, Ihoemaker, killed at Ennifcorthy, twenty-eighth of May; widow and five children left, of Ferns.

678 William Rlchardfon, parifh clerk and fchoolmafter of Ferns, killed at Ennifcorthy, twenty-eighth of May; widow and five children left.

683 James White, nailer, killed at Rofs, fifth of June; widow and feven children left.

710   William Sherlock, of Monart, farmer, murdered the twenty-eighth of May;

four motherlefs children left. 722   John Whiteacre, of Gprey, murdej”ed.

729 Hannah

A P P E N D I X, No. XIX .  9. ro?

729 Hannah Walker, of Killinahue, near Gorey, her hufband murdered on Whitfunday, and fhe fled and left her property; two children left.

730 Robert Webfler, of Garrybrit, murdered in cold blood on the bridge of Ennifcorthy; left a widow and eleven children, property burned, hie. eldeft fon in Ballakeen cavalry, parifli of Killcormuck.

731 Eliza Crane, her hufband killed on the bridge of Wexford, twentieth of June.

738   Cornelius Hogan, of Gorey, killed by the rebels.

749 George Hornic, of Girraiie, two fons killed, one between Ennifcorthy and Wexford, the other fliot at Ennifcorthy, thirtieth of May. His fon-in-law, George Cooper, was alfo murdered, his houfe burned and property deftroyed, parifii of Killane.

748 William Neal, two fons killed, one on Vinegar-hill, and one at ScuUabogue, of Ballybrennan.

778   Eliza Bates, her hufband killed the fourth of June, 1798, parifh of Camolin. 857   Jane Maud, her hufband and two fons killed; nine children left, parifh of Clough.

866   Anne Maule, her uncle murdered, parifh of Clough.

933 Mary Murphy, of Tomgara, her hufband killed; two children left, parifh o^” Killincooly.

936   Anne Johnfon, her hufband, fon, and apprentice, murdered, of Gorey. 958   Alice Kennedy, her hufband killed, parifh of Clough. 986   Anne Piper, her hufband killed, parifli of Clone.

996 Anne Hendrick, her hufband and fon killed; three children lefr, parifli of Clone.

*oo2   Catharine Crofts, her hufband murdered, at Ennifcorthy, twenty-eighth Oi

May; four children left, of Clone. 1009   Jane Cooke, her hufband killed at Ballatigan.

Reverend Mr. Pentland, killed on Vinegar-hill, he was a refident at Killan

Parifh.

iooi   Alice Butler, her hufband killed, twenty-eighth of May, at Ennifcorrhy^

parifh of Templefliambo. ioi5   Margaret Stanford, of Tubberneering, her hufband killed; five children left. 1072   Jane Gibfon, her hufband murdered on the bridge of Wexford, twenty-firft

of June; two children left, of Wexford.; 094   Eliza Ellifon, hufband killed; fix children left, parifli of Killan. 1098   Mary Byron, her god-father, mother, uncle, and hufband, murdered at New

Rofs.

foio  Jane Warren, her hufband murdered at New Rofs, hem eldeft fon gone mad. 1126   Sufannah Whitney, her fon murdered on the bridge of Wexford, parifh of New Rofs.

1 130   Anne Vero, of Verona, her hufband, Charles Vero, efquire, a magiftrate mur-^

dered at Ennifcorthy, of Rofsdroit.; 134   Alice Foxton, of Kyle, her hufband murdered, twenty-fecond of June, near

Gorey; three children left.

1136 Sarah Hinch, her hufband murdered near Gorey, parifli of Killnehew.

1137 Mary Lord, of C. Annelly, her hufband murdered at Kilmuckridge; fix children left.

H43   Sarah Hubfter, her hufband -murdered; five children left, parifh of Kilhiehew.

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 9.

1 144   Eliza Bafs, licr hufband, Jofeph, murdered fourth of June; two childroi

left, parilh of Gorey. 1 146   Mary Whitty, her father murdered at Ennifcorthy, twenty-eighth of May,

of St. Mary’s parifh.

1152 Ehzabeth Dormer, her hufband murdered; four children left, of St. Mary’s parifh.

1 156   Margaret Goodefon, her hufband killed at Ennifcorthy; nine children and

mother left, of Kilcormuck. -1158   Mary Johnfton, of Garane, her hufuand killed, fourth June;’ -one child and

mother left, parifh of Kilmuckrldge. 1 1 60   Elizabeth Coinerford, of Kyle, her hufband killed; five children left, of

Kilmuckridge.

1 1 94   Mary Edwards, her hufband burnt at Scullabogue 3 one child left, of Kifavin.

1202 Mary Ralph, her hufband killed, twenty-eighth of May, at Ennifcorthy; feven children left, of Ferns.

1203 Alice Brownrigg, father murdered; five children left, of New Rofs.

121 1   Catharine Warren, her hufband murdered; two children left, of Bailycanew.

1 215   Anne Saunders, her father and mother murdered, of Bailycanew.

1 21 7 Efther Crofliaw, her hufband and three fons murdered, verified by the reverend Jofhua Nunn, of RofTdroit.

J 255 Elizabeth Walfh, of Carrigeen, her hufband killed twenty-eighth of May, at Ennifcorthy; one child left.

1269   Anne Love, hufband murdered, parifli of Bailycanew.

1272 Efther Hawkins, hufband murdered, fifth of June, near Ennifcorthy; three children left, of Templefhannon.

1274 Sufannah M’Paniel, of Daphne, hufband, William, murdered, twentyeighth of May, at Ennifcorthy; four children left, of Rofsdroit.

1280 Elizabeth Sparrow’s hufband, of Templefhannon, murdered on Vinegar-hill, twentieth of June; two children left.

1284 Mary Hatton’s hufband, of Ennifcorthy, murdered on Vinegar-hill,was portrieve of Ennifcorthy, of StMary’s.

1288 Mary Sparrow’s hufband, Henry, of Ennifcorthy, murdered on Vinegar-hill, thirtieth of May, of St. Mary’s.

1289 Agnaia M’Daniel, of Ballygeflon, hufband murdered on Vinegar-hill, thirtieth of May; five children left.

1 29 1 Sarah Ganford, of Monglafs, hufband murdered on Vinegar-hill, twenty-firfl cf June.

1292 Mary Prefcott, of Ennifcorthy, hufband murdered on Vinegar-hill, twentieth of June; five children left.

13,00  Hannah Birt, of Ennifcorthy, hufband murdered there, twenty-eighth of

May; two children left. 1315   Elizabeth Jones, of Tincurry, hufband murdered on Vinegar-hill, feventhof

June; fix children left, parifh of Ferns. 1 3 19   Sarah Brickley, of Ennifcorthy, hufband murdered; three children left

132 1 Martha Rath, of Ennifcorthy, hufband killed there; one child left.

1322 Anne Warren, of Ballinbeg, hufband killed, parifh of Killan. 1336   Reverend Mr. Haydon, murdered in Ennifcorthy, reftor of Ferns’.

^354 Elizabeth Beates, of Ballynamona, fon killed; three children left, parifh of Tomb.

1358 Ehzabeth

4

APPENDIX,  No. XIX.  9. 109

T358   Ellzubeth Butler, of Ballycomeclone, hufband killed; two children left. 1375   Mary Langrifli, of Sandyford, hufband killed at Gorey, in June; three children left young.

1392   Jane Gordon, of BallydufF, hufliand murdered on Wexford bridge, twentieth

of June; four children left, parifli of Tomb. 1445   Catliarjne Taylor, hufband killed; five children left, parifli of Camolin.

1463 Eiinor M’Bryan, hufband killed at Ennifcorthy, twenty-fifth of June; one child left, of Ennifcorthy.

1464 Mary Saunders, of Ennifcorthy, murdered the thirtieth of May.

1467   John Stringer, killed at Ennifcorthy by the king’s troops, through a miftake. 1489   Sufannah Leech,  of Ennifcorthy, hultand murdered tirft of June; three children left.

1491   Anne Bint, of Ennifcorthy, hufliand murdered, twenty-eighth of May.

J 496   Anne Baflet, of Ennifcorthy, wounde<l at Ennifcorthy, twenty-eighth of

May, and murdered on Vinegar-hill, thirtieth of May. 1497   Margaret Hawkins’s hufband,  of Greenville, Ennifcorthy,  murdered on

Vinegar-hill, feventh of June; fix children left. 1500   Thomas Daly,  of Ennifcorthy,  miller and yeoman,  two fons burned at

Scullabogue, one twelve years old, the other fourteen. 1502   Mary Coplin’s hufband, murdereS on Vinegar-hill, thirtieth of May; fcvcij

children left, of Edermine. 1504   Rebecca Darmond, of Corrygrege, murdered on Vinegar-hill, twenty-ninth

of May, parifh of Templefhambo. -1506   Elizabeth James, of Mangan, hufband murdered at Ennifcorthy, twentyninth of May; feven children left, of Templefhambo.; 5 09   Mary Martin, of Oulart, hufband murdered near Ennifcorthy, firfl of June,

parifh of Kilcormuck. * 1 5 1 2   Jane Whitney, of TInnick, hufband, Thomas, murdered near Eanifcorthy,

firlt of June, parifh of Kilcormuck. 15 17  Rebecca Mowles, of Craneful, hufband murdered, twenty-ninth of May, in

flying from Ennifcorthy to Rofs; two children left, parifli of Clone. 1521   Anne Hawkins, hufband murdered on Vinegar-hill, twenty-ninth of May;

three children left, of Clone. 1526   Margaret Thomas’s hufband murdered at Ennifcorthy, twenty-eighth of

May, fexton to Ferns church; four children left.; 566   Henrietta Parfons, 0/ Gorey, hufband killed near C:: mew,thirtieth of June,

of Gorey.

t577   Mary Lett, of Newtown, hufband murdered; eight children left, parifh of Kilmuckridge.

J 5 79   Winifred Slator, of Smithfield, county of Dublin,  hufband murdered at ScuMabogue.

1652   Hannah Pender, of Clough, hufband murdered; four children left. 1667   Eliza Sutton, Ennifcorthy, hufband murdered at do. twenty-ninth May, three children left.

1672   Mary Brophy, of Curraghmore, hufband murdered at Scullabogue, of Tintern.

1681 Eliza Auftin, of Ballyadams, hufband murdered, fix children left.

1682 Eliza Frances, of Ballyadams, hufband killed, fix children left.

J 698   Eliza Butler, hufband killed, of Gorey cavalry^ two children left, of Prof’ pea.

1755 Elinor

uo

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 9.

1755 Elinor Johnfon, hufband murdered, four children left, parifli of Kilrufli. 1759 Ann Stephens, of Ballinree, hulband taken prifoner iithjune, ftripped almoft

naked, marched, after five days imprifonment, to Vinegar-hill, without hat

or flioes, and fhot there, carried firfl to Gorey, her father alfo killed, three

children left, of Tomb. 1761   Mary Hawkins, of Monart, hufband murdered, three children left, of Mo

nomolin.

1769   Mary Lord, of Monomolin, hufband murdered, nine children left. 1771   Hannah Hawkins, of Ennifcorthy, hufband murdered near do. firft June,, four children left, of St. Mary’s.

1807 Ann Griffin, hufband murdered at Vinegar-hill, fix children left, parifli of KiUan.

1808 Jane Donovan of Tubbergall, hufljand John killed, three children left, parifh of Kilcormuck.

1809 Mary Lawler of Wexford, killed at do. in a gun boat, three children left. 1 8 1 2   Mary Johnfon, hufband murdered, parifli of Kilmuckridge.

J 81 7   Mary Whitney of Adamftown, fon John burned at ScuUabogue, parifli of Adamftown.

1829 Catherine Reynolds of Monart, huiband murdered at Ennifcorthy.

1830 Catherine Murphy of Ennifcorthy, hufband murdered at Vinegar-hill, thirtieth May, of St. Mary’s.

1831,   Mary Farrel of Ennifcorthy, her fon, one of the five murdered in Killoughrain wood.

1833   Juliana Pepper, fon murdered eleventh June, on Vinegar-hill, parifh of Killan.

1837   Mary Edwards, hufband murdered at Vinegar-hill, parifli of Wexford. I 841 Ann Ormfby of Gorey, hufband, father, brother, and three coufins, murdered. 542   William Butler of Clough, tliree miles from Gorey, murdered, widow and tliree children left.

1630   Ann Chriftian of Clobemon, hulband murdered at Ballingale, at Mr. Turner’s, with torture, left four children. 949   Mary Cane of Clone, murdered.

1277   Margaret Callifter, purfued and wounded at Ennifcorthy by rebels, twentyninth May, and killed unknowingly by the king’s troops, twenty-firil June. Thomas M’Daniel, Jofeph M’Daniel murdered 20th May, of Rofsdroit. Henry Biftot murdered 28th May^ at Ennifcorthy.

Jacob Minchin, wounded on 28th May, at Ennifcorthy, afterwards murdered on Vinegar-hill.

Richard Whealy, an old man of eighty-five years, murdered at his own door, of St. Mary, Ennifcorthy.,

Thomas Hall murdered, in prefence of liis wife, on Vinegar hill, being firft cruelly whipped with a fcourge, compofed of whipcord and twifted brafs wire, of do.

Thomas Cavenagh endured the fame treatment, and fufFered in prefence of his wife, of do. 628   Pat. Connors, killed on Vinegar-hill. 631   James Rigly murdered on Vinegar-hill, of do. William BafTet,    do. do. of do.

Michael Furlong,   do. do. being firft cruelly fcourged, of do.

Edward Prefect,   do.     do. of St. Mary, EnnifcortJjiy.

, Thomas

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 9.

Ill

Thomas Robfon, murdered on Vinegar-hill, of St. Mary, Ennifcorthy,

William Sly, do. do. of do.

Thomas M’lirair, an officer on half pay, murdered on the hill, of do.

Richard Bcnnet, murdered near St. John’s, of do.

Garret Murphy, murdered on the hill, of do.

Richard Murphy, murdered in Barony of Forth, of do.

•Henry Drury, murdered in Templefliannon, of do.

Thomas Rigley, murdered and burned in the market-houfe of Ennifcorthy. Sarah Daly, wife of a yeoman, forced to Scullabogue and burned in the barn, of do.

William Daly, James Daly, only children of the?bove, burned with their mother in the barn, the eldeit fcventeen years, the other fourteen, of d&. John Plunket, fenior, murdered at home, of do.

John Plunket, junior, yeoman, wounded in the attack on the town, afterwards thrown by the rebels from an upper window and killed, of do. Jeremiah Smith, murdered on the hill, of do. John Smith, do. do. of do.

Charles Taylor, revenue officer, murdered at Edermine, of do. Jofeph Smith, murdered on the hill, of do.

Benjamin Sunderland, murdered onthe bridge of. Wexford, of do.

William Moony, murdered on the road from Wexford to Ennifcorthy, of do.

James Lett, do. do. do. of do.

Thomas Wilkinfon,  do. do. do. of do.

Charles Cooper, murdered near Caftle-bridge, of do.

Thomas Knight, killed in the engagement at Ennifcorthy, of do.

Robert Hornick, piked on the hill the twenty-ninth of May, and thrown naked among other victims. He revived in the night and crawled off to his father’s houfe, parifh of Killan, where he did not arrive till Friday. Finding it deftroyed and deferted, he returned into the parifh of Killegney, where he got fome bread at a farmer’s, but they would not permit him to flay. He then went towards Rofs, but a party of rebels met and murdered him.

John Brahee, murdered on the hill, of do.

Henry Bafs, murdered fourth June, at Gorey.

James Wheatly, do. at do.

William Spencer, and William Wallcer, do. fixth June, at do

Thomas Jolly, George Reed, Michael Patchell, John Needham, Jofhua Cheafe, William Hill, Henry Rogers, Jofeph Reed, George Nicholfon, George Cockell, William Bates, John Cooke, William Spencer, Humphrey Spencer, all murdered twenty-fecond June, at Gorey, called bloody Friday, with twelve more.

John Godkin, George and William Butler, Clough Peter, Stranford Clough, John Buttle, all killed at the battle of Bally-ellis thirtieth June, Kilbride.

Ralph Williams, murdered fecond July, at Gorey.

Robert Webfter, Henry Kinch, do. twentieth June, at do.

William Buttle, do. twenty-third June, John Burke, John Ellis, Joha Fowler, murdered fixth June, at do.

Robert Maude, Jonathan Sadler, George Carley, George Thomas, John Bennett, proteftants, killed in the union of Ardcolm, the church in Caftlebridge.

T^vo

12

APPENDIX,  No, XIX. 9*

Two brothers of the name of Bateman, compelled by their landlord John Hay, to join the rebels, were killed by the king’s troops on their return from Vinegar-hill.

 Stephens^ of Caftle-bridgc, was killed there by the rebels on their

firft rifing.

Philip Hornick, fteward to Mr. John Glafcott, of Aldertown, fhot at Scullabogue, of Whitechurch.

John Shee, burned at Scullabogue, of BallybraziL WiUiam JeiTares, killed .jt the battle of Rofs.

Richard Burrell, killed by the rebels in their retreat from Rofs, of MuLlankin.

Hyacinth White, burned at Scullabogue, of do. do.

Ifaac Jeffords, killed by the army, of do. do.

Peter Burb, Robert Burb, murdered on Wexford-bridge of do.

Samuel Murphy, James Fannin, John Warren, George Piper, Jofeph Henry, Thomas James, Samuel Jaines, Robert Hughes, Michael Deacon, proteftants, murdered in the parifh of Killan,

Edward Dorman, fliot fourth June, at Gorey»

William Prender, piked on Gorey-hill, at do.

William and Robert Bale, killed at do. twenty-fecond June, of Rofsmenouge.

James Dorman, do. of do.

Robert Mercy, killed tenth June, of Killtennell.

Robert Earl,    do. twenty-fecond June, of Monomolin.

William Griffin, do. twenty-fecond do. of Ardemine.

Ifaac Earl, piked on Vinegar-hill, of do.

John Feltis, piked do. on Gorey-hill, of Kilnahue pavifli.

John Tomkin, do. tenth June, on Limerick-hill, of do.

James Moore, do. ninth June, at Arklow-hill, of do.

William Inman, do. thirtieth June, at Ballyellis, of do.

—    Dowger, fecond July, piked on Gorey-hill, of do.

Roger Pierce, do. at Limerick-hill, of do.

John Maud and fon, piked on Gorey-hill, of Clough.

John Shaw, do. of do.

William Dobbin,    do. of do.

Peter Stanford, do. thirtieth June, at BallyelUs, of do.

William Butler, do. thirtieth do. at do. of do.

William and Jofeph Spencer, twenty-fecond June, of Killcaben.

John and George Hall, killed by Hackct’s party, fifteenth Oclober, of do.

John Lancafler, twentyfevcnth May, of Kikrilh.

John Langrell, do. of do.

Two Shaws, fliot do. of do.

 Grindly, aiid filter, fhot do.   of do.

Harry Johnfon, of Killena, twenty-feventh May, of DoROUghmore. James Wrath, do. twenty-feventh May, of do. Jofeph Kennedy, twenty-fecond June, of Tomb.

Richard Errett, John Lee, John Sharp, of Clough, killed at Gorey, twentyfecond June.

Timothy Toxton, killed at Gorey, twenty-fecond June, of Kilcormuck. James, father and fon, murdered, ftriving to efcape from Rofs, before the battle of Rofe.

Clement

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 9.

Clement GifFord, piked to death, of Rofs.

Three gentlemen, meflrs. Bartholomew Clifte, Richard Elliot, and Richard Annefley, murdered at the Roar, Rofs.

Two others, a father and a fon, named Meany, were alfo murdered at a little diftance in the county Kilkenny, of Rofs.

William Hoare, efquire, of Harperftown, captain Allen Cox, of Coolcliffe, piked on Wexford-bridge, twentieth June.

William Eakins, of Slevoy, burned or fnot at Scullabogue

Pobert Cook, butler to reverend Robert Hawkfhaw, do.

Do. his wife murdered.

James White, of Taghmon, killed in Rofs.

Benjamin Green, of CoolftufF, murdered in Wexford.

Two men of the name of Efmond, William and Thomas, burned or fhot at Scullabogue.

James Wade, mafon of CoolftufF, burned at do.

Peter Standford, and William Butler, killed at Ballyellis, of Clough.

William Butler, at Gorey, twenty-fecond June, of do.

William Dobbin, and Jcfeph Kennedy, twenty-fecond June, of do.

William Jones, fourth June, Thomas Fennel, twenty-fecond June, of do,

Richard Dugan, do. William Pendor, fourth do. Henry Rynehart, on Wexford-bridge, of do.

Reverend Mr. Burrowes, Jofeph Afton, of Kilmuckridge.

Thomas Earl, and Edward Howlan Darcy, efquire, twenty-feventh May, of do.

James Afton, Henry Rath, Robert Johnfton, of do.

Clement GofF, killed in cold blood on his own ground of Tomnaboly, parifh of Kilcornick.

Anne Efcott, a poor old fchool-miftrefs, wife of a Chelfea penfioner, wantonly fmothered with others in a pump hole, of do.

Holland Pinlay, burned in Scullabogue, of do.

George Warren, murdered on Vinegar-hill, of Killan.

James Fannin,   do. do. of do.

Allen Ellifon,   do. do. of do.

Thomas James,  do. on the road to Rofs, of do.

Reverend John Pentland, murdered on Vinegar-hill, of do.

James Wade, burned in the barn at Scullabogue, of do.

Samuel Cottom, (hot at Scullabogue, of Adamftown.

John Cottom,   do.   do. of do.

John Whitney,  do.   do. of do.

John Parflow, murdered near his own houfe, of do.

Thomas Parflow, almoft an idiot, murdered near his father’s houfe, of do.^

Shepherd Parflow, efcaped from the firft perfecution to Rofs, returned to make up his harveft, when he was horridly murdered by fome of the rebellious banditti that infefted the country, of do.

Thomas Bell, ftiot at Scullabogue, of Tintern.

David Befley, do.   do. of do.

Miles Vaughan, do. do. of do.

William Reel, burned at do. in the barn, of do.

Walter BaiFet, do. do.     of do.

[P] Thomas

/

114

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 9.

Thomas Kelly, burned at Scullabogue, of Tintern.

John Duffield, do. do. of do.

John Power,  do. do. of do.

Jane Prefley,  do. do. of do.

Ann Prefley,  do. do. of do.

Walter Green, murdered on Vinegar-hill, St. Mary’s, Ennlfcorthy.

William Owens, an aged man, his brains daflied out by an iron bar, of do.

John Larkin, do. in the barony of Forth, of do.

Henry Cookman, a gentleman deranged in mind, murdered in the ftreet, of do.

John Kenerfley, murdered on the hill, an old man, of do.

John Hill, do. do. of do.

George Sparrow, do. in the town of Wexford,    of do.

John Clarke,    do. in Ennifcorthy, of do.

Edward Flinn,   do.    do. of do.

John Walfli,    do.    do. of do.

Philip Annefley, do. on the hill, of do.

William Clampit, John Dixcy, John Farrell, John Crumpton, and James Peppar, yeomen, furprifed and murdered near the woods of Killoghoran, of do.

Thomas Cook, murdered on the road from Wexford to Ennifcorthy, of St. John’s.

Jofeph Grotheir, do. on the hill, of do.

William Power, do. do. of do.

Saunders Frain, forced by the rebels to Rofs, and put in front of battle where he was killed, of do.

John Englifh, burned in the barn at Scullabogue, of do.

James Trimbly, do. do.    do. of do.

John Prefcott, murdered in the town of Ennifcorthy, of do.

Edward White, efquire, fenior, do. at home, of do.

Edward White, junior, do.    do. of do.

William Hawkins, murdered at Davidftown, of Templefhannon.

John White, efquire, do. on the hill, of do.

James Brickley, do. at Oulart, of do.

San.ael Brumpton,   do. in the barony of Forth, of do.

John Brumpton,    do. on the hill, of do.

Edward Hayes, do. do. of do.

Thomas Rath, do. at the fort of Duncannon, of do.

Samuel Hall, do. in the town, of do.

Samuel Mills, miffing, of do.

Mrs. Efmond, ftarved while the rebels held Ennifcorthy, of do.

Edward Hawkins, murdered on the hill, of Ballitwifhard.

John Carton, do. do.   of do.

Samuel Babier, do. on the hill,   of do.

James Sutton, do. do.   of do.

Miles Frain, do. at Bailimurran, of do.

Thomas Watkins,   do. at home, of Templefhambo.

Edward Watkins,    do.    do.   of do.

John Stafford, do.    do.   of dc.

Thomas Dormer,    do.    do.   of do.

Roger

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 9.

Roger Percival, murdered on the hill, of Templefhambo.

Jofeph Brown, do.    do.   of do.

William Nanton,    do.    do.   of do.

Richard Gantford,   do.    do.   of do.

Stephen William Reynolds, do. on Vinegar-hill, of da.

George James, do. at home, of do.

Richard Coplin,    do.    do.   of do.

John Hawkins,     do. on hill,   of do.

William Sherlock,   do. at Ennifcorthy, of do.

John Sherlock,     do.    do. of do.

John Pounden, efquire, firft wounded in the engagement twenty-eighth May, then murdered, of do.

Samuel Murphy, murdered on Vinegar-hill, of Killan.

George Kearley, boat builder, aged about feventy, a proteftant, was dragged out of his houfe, put on his knees in his garden, where his brains were blown out; an innocent honeft man.

William Thornton, coachmaker in Wexford, in endeavouring to make his efcape to Waterford, taken near Taghmon, his eyes firft piked out, and barbaroufly murdered the next day.

Protejlant inhabitants of the parijh of Ferns y murdered in the rebellion.

Thomas Bookey, efquire, lieutenant of Camolin cavalry, killed in battle o^ Ferns.

Reverend Francis Turner, redtor of Edermine, murdered in his ovra houfe of do.

Robert Ganford, farmer, Richard Ganford, his fon, Richard Ganford, his nephew, Thomas Dowfe, farmer, all murdered Jn the reverend Mr. Turner’s houfe, all of do.

William Richardfon, parilh clerk, Francis Smith, ditto, Richard Tackaberry, farmer, William Rudd, farmer, Thomas Crofts, ditto, John Crofts his brother, John Crofts, his nephew, all killed in Ennifcorthy, the day of the firft engagement, twenty-eighth of May, and all of do.

Roger Sparks, farmer, John Sindon, labourer, John Hawkins, farmer, Thomas Piper, farmer, Thomas Kendrick, farmer, Samuel Kendrick, ditto, his fon, Samuel Crofts, farmer, William Kane, labourer, Thomas Mowles, farmer, all murdered on Vinegar-hill, of do.

John Pounder, farmer, John Sly, ditto, John Rickaby, linen weaver, Nicholas Jones, carpenter, John Mackee, gauger, all murdered on Vinegarhili, of do.

John Berry, labourer, killed at Gorey, of do. Philip Bacon, labourer, murdered on Wexford-bridge, of do. George Graham, farmer and miller^, murdered in his own houfe, of do. Thomas Hawkins, and Edward Sly, farmers, killed in retreating to Duncannon Fort, of do.

Thomas Wallis, labourer, killed at Ferns, of do. Francis Monk, murdered, of Horctown. Richard Davis, do. of do.

Edward Monk, do. of do.

J. Chamney,   do. of do.

|;;P 2 2 , Proteftants

ii6

«

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. lo.

Proteflaiits ivho ivere murdered in the rebellion in parjjh of Kilcormick.

RolDert Webfler, the nephew of Robert, fenior, of Kilcormick.

Holland Finley, Thomas Floyd, Roger Floyd, Thomas Floyd, Thomas Whitney, Samuel Weft, Samuel Judd, Benjamin Judd, Thomas Fogan, Ann Kfcott, George Kearley, all of Kilcormick.

lO.

County of the city of Dul/lin, 1   ANNE PIPER, alias Kendrick, widow of the late to wit. > George Piper, came before me this day, and made oath

 3 ^°’y Evangelifts, and faith, That (he and her late

hufband, George Piper, lived in the parifh of Clone, in the county of Wexford, where their houfe and offices were burned, and all their fubftance was deftroyed by the rebels, on the twenty-ninth, or thirtieth of May, 1798, for no other reafon, as flie verily believes, except that they were proteftants; for the property of all the loyal proteftants in that county was deftroyed. Deponent faith, that her faid hufband was taken prifoner between Vinegar-hill and Scullough’s-bufli, in faid county, by a party of rebels, who condufled him to Vinegar-hill aforefaid, where the faid rebels were then encamped; and that deponent and her faid huftiand, with four children, remained there till next morning, viz. Thurfday the thirty-firft of May, 1798, when they were difcharged, in confequence of an oath fworn by one Thomas Hart, to the following purport : “ That; he, the faid George Piper, was a quiet innocent man j” which oath was fworn before a rebel court-martial, at that time fitting at Vinegar-hill aforefaid. Deponent faith, that her faid huft)and was difcharged, but at the fame time Was informed, that he could not be fafe without the protection of a prieft. In confequence of which flie and her huft^and repaired to father Edward Redmond, parilh prieft of Ferns, in l^iid county, but as deponent and her hufband were going there, they were arrefted at Milltown bridge, near Ferns, aforefaid, by another party of rebels, well armed, who led her faid huft)and before one William GofF, who feemed to be a captain of faid rebels, who ordered him to be put to death, and repeatedly faid and fwore that he and every perfon of his profeffion that came in his way ftiould be put to death; on which the faid George Piper produced a pafs obtained from one William Lacey, a rebel leader, and commiflary to the rebels on Vinegar-hill aforefaid, to enable him to go and to fecure his perfon, while he went to father Edward Redmond aforefaid; but as the faid GofF declared that the faid pafs was a forgery, Ihe, this deponent, went off with the utmoft fpeed to the faid Edward Redmond, whom fhe folicited to fave the life of her huftjand, but the faid Edward Redmond declared that he could not, nor would not do any thing for deponent or her huiband, though the father of deponent and the faid Edward Redmond had always lived on terms of intimate friendftiip. Deponent f;iith ftie returned direftly to Milltown bridge aforefaid, and that flie told the faid rebels, though falfely, in hopes of faving her hufband’s life, that the faid prieft defired that her huft)and ftiould be condu£ted to him, and he was accordingly led by a party of rebels before faid prieft. Deponent faith, that the faid prieft became very angry, and much enraged, on feeing her and her huftjand, and declared he would do nothing for her, or any of her huftjand’s fort, and he ordered the faid George Piper to Vinegarhill, to fuffer where he would get his deferts; and faid, that he and all his fort, that came in his way, ftiould die, though deponent on her knees, and with tears in her eyes, folicited him by the early friendftiip of their fathers, and their clofe intimacy as neighbours, to fave her hufljand’s life : bi;t the. .faid prieft remained deaf to her in

trearies,

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. n.

117

treaties, and ordered her hufband to Vinegar-hill to fufFer; in confequence of which, deponent faith, a rebel attempted to put her faid hufband to death with a pike, but the faid priell feized the rebel in his arms, and ordered the faid rebels to take the faid George Piper to Vinegar-hill, the place of fulFerance for him and all his fort. Deponent faith, her faid hufband was immediately conduced to Vinegar-hill, and as Ihe verily believes, was put to death there that evening, as a woman of the name of Walkin, related to the faid George Piper, declared, and has fince proved, on a courtmartial held at Ennifcorthy, in the aforefaid county, that fhe faw the body of the faid George Piper after he was killed, on the evening of fame day, on Vinegar-hill aforefaid.

Sivorn before me y this ^th day of Juney 1799, her

W. LIGHTBURNE. ANNE |x! PIPER,

mark.

I I.

ROBERT WHITNEY of Moneytucker in the county of Wexford, a member of captain Richards’s yeoman cavalry, depofes. That he was at Ennifcorthy on the twentyeighth day of May laft, on which day the rebels made an attack on faid town; that when the troops evacuated faid place, he returned to his houfe to proteft his wife and family, was purfued, and narrowly efcaped the fury of the rebels, by concealing himfelf in a covert of furze •, that deponent and wife, feeling their fituation unfafe and dangerous, quitted their houfe, and went for better protection to. Henry Alcock’s of Willon in faid county, efquire, where they remained for that night; the next morning deponent, anxious about the fate of his houfe and property, returned and found that his houfe was nearly plundered, and learned that vengeance was denounced againfl him; that in confequence thereof, he and his wife on the fame day removed from his own houfe to Lingftown, in the barony of Forth, to the refidence of Mr. Boxwell, diftant about twenty miles, and remained there for a few days; in the mean time the rebels plundered him of the entire of his houfehold furniture, provifion of all kinds, horfes, cows, fheep, pigs, calves, fowls, &c. burned his dwelling-houfe and out-ofhces, propagated evil reports of his condudi:, as the means of working his deftruftion; in confequence of which, a fearch was made for deponent by the rebels, under the command of Thomas Doyle of Moneytucker, who ftiled himfelf a captain.  Deponent was found and brought a prifoner by a guard of rebels from Lingftown to Ennifcorthy; the charge againft deponent was, that he was an orangeman, as his mittimus let forth, figned by John Colclough of Ballyteigue.  Deponent on his way experienced feveral fevere afl’aults and infults; being brought to Ennifcorthy, deponent was put in clofe confinement for three days, was then taken under a ftrong guard to Vinegar-hill, where he expe£led every inftant to be murdered; that many of the rebels Hiarpened their pikes in his prefence, and with a favage pleafure, exclaimed they did lo in compliment to liim, that he might the fooner be put out of pain; that he was confined in the tower of a windmill on faid hill, from feven o’clock in the morning until about five in tlie afternoon without receiving any kind of nourifliment; was then marched back to Ennifcorthy, and put into his prifon again, where he remained about an hour, when. he -was defired to come out by Thomas Carty of Ennifcorthy, to a place where the rebels had juft whipped one George Stacey a loyalift; without any trial or reafon that deponent could account for, he was ftripped of his coat, waiitcoat, \snd fhirt, and tied up to a tree, planted in the main ftreet of Ennifcorthy, which the rebel*

called.

(

!iS APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 12.

called the tree of liberty  when one of the rebels pvefcnt ordered him to get one hundred and fifty lafhes with a fcourge compofed (he was told) of whipcord and wire •, before he had received this number, the cords with which his hands were bound loofed by his flruggling, when deponent fell on his knees to fupplicate the rebels not to punifh him any more, declaring that the face of God he might never fee it he knew any thing of an orangeman; that the rebels immediately cried out that he was very fafe in faying that, as he knew that no heretick could ever fee the face of God; not content with this cruelty, they kept him in the ftreet with a gun prefented at his breaft, declaring that they would deprive him of his exiftence. After fuffering all this agony, they blindfolded him with his fhirt tied about his head, and dragged him in this condition back to prifon, exclaiming in the mod fliocking manner, that if he did not relent before morning, and make fome difcoveries of orangemen, that they would pike him to death; that he was ordered drefling for the wounds he received on his ribs and loins; the next day he was marched along with other prifoners to the town of Wexford, guarded by feveral rebels, who frequently goaded him with their pikes, to make him get on with that fpeed, which his languid and reduced condition would not admit him to do; that the faid rebels flopped him three times on his way, fwearing that they would (hoot him; that he was confined in the coal-houfe of the barrack of Wexford, and remained there (landing in mire for one whole night, faflened by cords to another prifoner, nor did he receive more food than a few cold potatoes; that deponent was removed from thence to another apartment not quite fo bad in the barrack, and contin\ied there a prifoner until liberated by his majefty’s forces, when they took pofleffion of faid town of Ennifcorthy.

ROBERT WHITNEY.

Sworn before me this thirtieth day cf OBober, 1 798, STEPHEN RAM.

12.

County of Wexford, 1   ROBERT WHITNEY of Moneytucker, in the county of to -u’/t. > Wexford, yeoman in the Ennifcorthy cavalry, maketh oath,

; That he heard the rebels fay while their prifoner, that if any

one of them killed three proteftants he was fure of falvation; and if any one of them M^ere killed they went dire<3:ly to heaven, as they were fighting the battle of Chrift; that on the contrary, for any heretick like me went to hell immediately ^ that they faid it was prophefied many years ago, that there would be but one religion, and that it would be theirs (meaning the popifh religion,) and any that would not comply by fair means, fliould by the point of the fword; he alfo depofes, that the rebels (converfing about the murders that had been committed) faid that was the way to put dov/n herefy, from which he firmly believes, that it was their intention to murder all proteftants; and he further believes, that no proteftant can at prefent refide with fafety in the country; that his farm is between four and five miles from Ennifcorthy, and that he has not been there fince the twentieth of September laft, through fear of being murdered; he alfo depofes, that while he was at Mr. Boxwell’s in the barony of Forth, whither he fled for fecurity, he heard and truly believes, that one Whitty a popifh prieft in that country chriilened many proteftants; and that he, with thirty-feven other prifoners in Ennifcorthy, were

obliged

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 12, 13.

oTDliged III prefervation of their lives to crofs themfelves (or to blefs themfclves) as the papifts term that ceremony.

Sworn before me at Enn’ifcorthy in the county of ROBERT WHITNEY.

Wexford, this yl day of December, 1798, WILLIAM RICHARDS.

12.

County of Wexjord, “)   THE Information of Samuel Hendrick, of Kilconnei, in faid to wit. > county, farmer, who being duly examined and fworn, faith,

; That on the twenty-ninth day of May laft, informant was taken

prifoner by a number of rebels, and by them brought to a Patrick Quigley, popifti prieft of the parifh of Clone, in faid county, in order to obtain a proteftion from him, to preferve him from being murdered. That informant being brought, as aforefaid, to the faid Patrick Quigley, he replied, when afked for a prote£lion, that informant, until married, could not obtain a proteftion, as his prefent marriage, viz. by the reverend Mr. Standcock, minifter of the parifli of Kilcormuck, was of no ufe, as it only ferved to gratify a brutal pafFion; muft, therefore, be married by him, or fome other of his perfuafion. That informant, in prefervation of his life, was again married by the faid Patrick Quigley, and that the laid Patrick Quigley, at the time of him thus being married, extorted from informant, the fum of one pound two fhillings and nine pence.

SAMUEL KENDRICK.

Sworn before me at Ennifcorthy^ this twenty-ninth day of March, 1 799, A. JACOB.

The trial of Thomas Clooney.

ON the trial of Thomas Clooney, a rebel leader, held at Wexford, the eighth of July, 1 799, it appeared, on the evidence of Richard Ganford, and others, that a gang of rebels, who were fent in queft of proteftauts, feized on Whitfun Monday, 1798, at Mountglafs, near Clooney’s houfe, the faid Ganford, John Gill, Ifaac Rigley, his fon, and fome other protefhants; that after burning their houfes, they kept them prifoners that night, and conveyed them next morning to a place called the Leap, where Clooney, and a Mr. Devereux, another rebel leader, were, :at the head of a numerous body of them; that thefe two captains ordered the loyalifts into a gravel pit, and defired them to prepare to be executed; that foon after, an order was given to march to Vinegar-hill, which was inftantly obeyed that when they arrived at Mr. Swiney’s houfe, in Templelhannon, a fuburb of Ennifcorthy, William Hanton, a Prot^-flant, was dragged out by a party of rebels, and put to death; that the remainder of the prifoners, were committed to the old walls of the wind-mill 5 that John Gill applied three or four times to Clooney, to fave his life; that at laft he ordered the rebel guard to let Gill out to him, which they complied with •, that Gill ftood near Clooney, who was on horfe-back, for near two minutes, about three fteps from the mill door, when Clooney turned his horfe away, as if to depart. He was then forced back into the mill, and foon after fome perfon cried out, « Drag the orange rogue out!”‘ on which Gill wa3

forced

I20

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 14.

forced out of tlie mill, and a rebel cut his throat with a fcythe. Edward Hampton, one of the prifoners, while on his knees, preparing for dfeath, was fo near Gill, that his blood fpouted on him.

VINEGAR HILL.

The  trial of William Feuloru

ON the trial of William Fenlon, the twelfth of September, 1799, at Wexford, for the murder of Thomas Hall, a proteftant, on the fourteenth of June, 1798, at Vinegar-hill, it appeared, on the evidence of Mary Hall, widow of the deceafed, that on the morning of that day, (he fent her fon with fome tea to her hufband, who was at that time a prifoner in Mr. Bayle’s barn : her fon returned foon after, and told her that his father begged (he would repair direftly to him, as he had been put into the wind-mill, on the top of the hill, and was afraid of being put to death; and on going to her hufband, he faid, pointing to William Fenlon, the nailer. Bill Fenlon is the perfon that will kill me. Fenlon then entered the mill, and df fired her hufband to come out with him. She afked Fenlon, whether he would not give her hufband a trial? He anfwered, that he would, and that Daniel Flaherty (a man who had fworn againft her hufband) (hould try him. She faid fhe was contented, provided he was tried; and begged he would have compaffion on her and her ten children. Fenlon then faid, he would flioot him firft, and try him afterwards. Fenlon, on that, tore her hufband out of her arms, and placed Gentries on each door to keep her in. Some time after, hearing a fhot fired, fhe forced her way out of the door, and faw the rebels dragging a body by the heels. Fenlon was there with a blunderbufs and an officer’s fafh, and on enquiring, flie found that the body they were dragging, was her hufband’s. She took the body in her arms, during which time it thundered violently, with much lightning; on which the rebels fell on their knees, and bleffed themfelves. Some of them defired her to throw away the body of her hufband, and to blefs herfelf. They afked her, “ What was the reafon of the thunder?” She anfwered, “ That God was angry at their a£ls.” “ No, you whore!” “ replied they, God is founding the horn of joy, becaufe an Orangeman is killed.” Her hufband, who fhe thought was dead, flretched out his feet, and turned to her, faying, “ Molly, my dear, take me from thefe people on which he expired. His body was black, as if from a cat-o’nine -tails, and had the mark of a bullet, that entered his breaft, and came out at his fhoulder. The rebels, among whom was the prifoner, refufed to let her take the body; but fhe faid fhe would not leave it. They faid they would not kill her, as fhe was with child, and fhe would have a chriftian,* which fhe never had before; but that if fhe was fo fond of a dead hufband, they would cut him in pieces, and put him in her ikirts.

James Hall, fon of the deceafed, confirmed her evidence, and added, that Morgan Byrne,f ordered a man to whip his father, and called out for one Murtagh Keane,J to come to fhoot him; but fome one anfwered, that Keane was gone to Mr. Richard’s.

The

* On a fuppofition, that the child muft be brought up a Roman cacholick. I The fon of Luke Byrne, a man of wealth and education.

4 The common execjJiioner, who, it is faid, put three hundred perfons to death on Vinegai-h:ll.

A P P E   D I X,  No. XIX. i^.

121

IS

The following faRs appeared on thetrial of Andrew Farrelly a leader of the rebels , charged with being concerned in various murders. He was tried the iwentyfecond of May, 1800, at fVexfordy having eluded jujlice a long time.

WILLIAM FURLONG, a proteftant, declared upon oath, that he was taken prifoner by the rebels, on Whittun Tuefday, 1798, and condu6^:ed to the windmill, where he law the reverend Mr. Pentland, and the reverend Mr. Trocke, three men of the name of Gill, and about thirty more loyalifts. Andrew Farrell had a fword in his hand, and was called captain by the rebels. He defired the loyalifts to fall on their knees, and prepare for death, as they ftiould be killed direflly. He then feized Mr. Pentland by the breaft, and dragged him out of the mill by force, though he refifted as much as he could. He was inftantly put to death, and fourteen or fifteen more immediately met with the fame fate. Andrew Farrell told the witnefs, that he muft know where there were arms and ammunition concealed in Ennifcorthy, and that he fhould be faved if he difcovered where they were. He faid he would; and on going there, his life was faved by a man who had been malfter to his uncle. He faw Farrell diftributing powder to the rebels. He believes that only eight of the proteftants who were in the windmill, efcaped death.

Francis Bradley, faw Farrell conducing to Vinegar-hill Philip Annefley, a proteftant, who defired him to take his watch and money, and give them to his friends, becaufe he faid Farrell was taking him to be killed; but he was afraid to do fo.

Henry Whitney, a proteftant, who had been a prifoner in the windmill, faw Mr. Pentland piked to death, and he believed that twenty-five proteftants more were put to death at the fame time. He faw their bodies lying dead out-fide the windmill. Mr. Pentland’s, which was naked and bloody, lay feparate from the reft.

When the prifoners were defired to go on their knees, and prepare for death, meflieurs Pentland and Trocke expoftulated and begged they might be faved, as they were both clergymen. The former faid he was a northern man, and had been but a fliort time in the country. He then offered his watch, which was taken by a man of the name of Foley.

John Gill, a witnefs, was a prifoner in the windmill, on Whitfun Tuefday. The party who condu£l:ed him into it, faid, captain Farrell (pointing to Gili) there is an Orangeman. Gill afked Farrell to fave his life, as he faw him much in the efteem of the rebels. He alked him his name. He anfwered Gill. Farrell replied, that is a bad name, prepare for death, you have not an hour to live. Gill was a proteftant name in the county of Wexford.

John Gill, of Monglafs, was lying dead there. A party of rebels, with guns and pikes, formed a line in front of the windmill door, and behind them there were fome inen on horfe-back. On being led out, he addrefTed the rebels, and afked them if they would put a man to death without a trial Andrew Martin, the executioner, who ftood infide the line with a drawn fword, cried out, Damn your foul, do you come here to preach? made a ftab at him, and v.’ounded him in the wrift. Some of the rebels defired Martin to ftop, and afked Gill how he would choofe to die? He replied, as a chriftian. A man on horfe-back faid, are you a chriftian? He anfwered, that he believed in the faviour of the world, and that he hoped to be faved through him. Martin then faid, Oh! Damnation to your foul, you are a chriftian in your own way, and diredly ftabbed him in the fide.  He then fell on his face, and was ftabbed in the

[CLJ back,

APPENDIX,  No. XIX, i6.

back, and beat on the head with fome heavy inftrument. He ftill continued in hi« fenfes. His brother was next brought out, and having been aiked the fame queftion, he boldly anfwered that he would die a proteftant; on which he was inftantly put to death. He then fainted, and continued infenfible till his wife came for him in the evening, and flie found great difficulty in faving him, as there was an old man with a fcythe, examining the bodies, and ftriking it on the head of fuch of them as had any figns of life. She took him to the bottom of the hill, where, finding tliat he had fome appearance of life, {he concealed his body. Next morning he was difcovered by a party of rebels, who carried him to the hill, where he was faved by a man who was to have married his daughter. About half a mile from the hill, he was met by two men, one of whom fired at him, and the ball grazed his head and flunned him. His wife, at her return, found him again, and from that time, till Vinegar-hill was taken by the king’s troops, he lay concealed in ditches in that deplorable flate*, but at lafl recovered, and is ftill alive. John Auftin, a proteftant, was taken prifoner and conduiled to Ennifcorthy by one captain Weft, when Farrell was on parade with fome rebels. Weft faid, captain Farrell, here is an orangeman. Farrell ordered him to a rebel guard-houfc, where there were fifteen or fixteen loyalifts, and he fwore that he would have them all put to death the next night. A Mr. Robinfon who was there begged that Farrell would fave them. Auftin was faved by the intercefhon of a rebel. John Mooney fwore, he faw Farrell head a party ^t the attack of Borris, the feat of Mr. Kavenagh. That after it, he faw him fwore in a captain, on which, father Kearns, the prieft, kifTed him.  He was called St. Ruth.

Morgan Byrne and he difputed who fhould be eldeft captain. The former faid he had fubfcribed a long time to the united Irifhmen; Farrell anfwered, that he had fubfcribed full as long.

David Ogden, a witnefs, fwore, he was taken prifoner by him at Mr. Wheeler’s houfe, whither he had taken refuge. He took him and Mr. Wheeler to conduft them, as he faid, to Vinegar-hill; but they were releafed by one M’Lean, who threatened to go to the hill, and difcover there, that Farrell, on the day of the battle of Ennifcorthy, (lifguifed in woman’s clothes, was robbing, inftead of fighting the king’s army.

ON the trial of Nicholas Walfh, a rebel leader, held at Wexford, the fourteenth of April, 1800, it was proved that he was a captain of rebels at Ennifcorthy during the firft week of the rebellion, that he danced round the tree of liberty before his corps in the ftreets of that town, and offered 50 1. for the head of Mr. Jacob, or any other heretick.

On the feventh of June he went to the houfe of Thomas Hall, with a number of pike-men, and dcfired his wife to deliver up that bloody orangeman her hufhand. On her faying he was not at home, he went up ftairs to fcarch for him, leaving two ccntinels at the front door and two at the back door. She and her children followed him up ftairs : Walfh found her hufband in the garret, conceale<l in the fet-ofF of the chimney, and delired him, the orange rafcal, to come down. She, on her knees, implored mercy for him; on which he fwore he would cut her head off in two minutes, if flie did not defcend, and he threw down ftairs two of her children. He then conveyed him to the rebel guard-houfe, and defired his men lo give three cheers for having taken the orangeman, and faid he fliould be killed next day.  He was kept there till the eleventh of June, when Walfh repaired thi

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. 17.

ther, and afked why the prlfoners were not put to death? and faid he would kill the guard if they were not put to death before next day. The prifoners, in number twenty-four, were conveyed that evening to Bayle’s barn, which lies at the foot of Vinegar-hill, and was ufed as a prifon for proteitants by the rebels. Next day meffieurs Hunt, Reynolds, Robinfon, and one Simpfon a weaver, were murdered. Mary Hall faw their bodies lying naked in the fields. On the fourteenth, her hufband and fixteen more were murde,red. The rebels dragged the body of her hulband round the hill.

It was proved that Walfh, with a party of rebels, murdered William Mooney, Richard Leech, John Hawkins and James Lett near Caftlebridge, a week after Wexford was taken by the rebels. When they were fliot, Walfh difmounted, and r\m his fword into orie of their bodies. Moles Allen proved that he faw this horrid tranfaftion; and John Mooney, the brother of William, that he faw the four bodies lying dead.

William Furlong and John Mooney faw Nicholas Walfh fworn in as captain of the rebels at Ennifcorthy, when father Kearns, the prieft, kifled him and wifhed him good luck.

George Freeman, a proteftant, and a prifoner, proved that Nicholas Walfh, who headed a party of rebels at Vinegar-hill, compelled him to fhoot John White, efquire, an aged gentleman, and a magiftrate; and the fame day he ordered five or fix more proteftants to be put to death with pikes on Vinegar-hill, and to be buried in a hole; and as fome of them had life in them at the ti ne of interment, Nicholas Wallh (tabbed them with pikes, and cut down one of the prifoners with his fword.

As foon as the prifoners were put to death, he ordered his rebel corps to fhout aloud, and to go off in queft of more proteftants.

John Harris fwore that he was ordered to throw Mr. White’s body into a hole, and that he was gafping while he was doing fo.

This wretch was in good circumftances, and was well educated. He was hanged on Vinegar-hill.

Vinegar-hilly fftesJifh July^ 1 799.

Trial of James Bea^han, at W exford, charged with the murder of George Piper , Thom.is Piper and William Keariy on the thirty-firf May, 1798, on Vinegar-hilL

Alexander Magee fwore, that he was taken prifoner in Wexford on Wedncfday the thirtieth May, 1798-, that the day following he was led to the windmill on “V^inegar-hill, where he found a great number of people; that foon after George and Thomas Piper and William Kean were put in there that in a quarter of an hour Luke Byrne came to the door of the mill, and ordered thofe fellows to be taken out to be fhot. Immediately after James Beaghan ftept out and alked, which of them? witnefs did not hear Byrne’s anfwer; but Beaghan rufhed into the mill, and fwore by Jefus Chrift he would neither pick them nor choofe them, but would take the firft that came to his hand. He then laid his hand on one of the Pipers, and turned him and his brother out. Witnefs heard the report of a gun, and immediately each man was carried out. Kean was led out in the fame manner. Beaghan then led out a ftranger, who refifted, and cried out, “ Murder!” on which Beaghan pufhed him againft the wall, gave him two boxes, and faid,   Damn you, you he

[0^2] retick

124

APPENDIX,  No. XIX. i8.

retlck dog;” and having dragged him out, he was killed within three yards of thtf door. Next morning, about eight o’clock, witnefs was taken out to be ftiot, w lie» he faw the two Pipers lying dead, with eighteen or nineteen bodies more. Witnels was faved by a rebel who took compaffion on him.

Michael Foley was tried for the murder of Mr. Henry Hatton, deputy portrieve of Ennifcorthy, April nineteenth, 1799. Henry Whitney declared, that the prifoner fwore vehemently on Vinegar-hill, that he would have the life of Henry Hatton;

that fome perfon having tried to difluade him from it, he fwore vehemently that he would quit the hill with one hundred men,* if he was prevented from killing him; on that he puflied Mr. Hatton out of the windmill and fhot him. Several perfons were led out of the windmill and murdered the fame day.

James Beaghan who was tried and convifted of the horrid crime of murder,

.made the confeflion, the day but one before his execution, which we have inferted ta page 100 of the Appendix, No. XIX. 8.

18.

County of the city of Dublin, 1   THE examination of Mr. John Semple, of Borri«, to luit. > in tlie county of Carlow, engineer, who being duly

— — 3 fworn on the Holy Evangelifts, depofeth, and faith,

That on the twelfth of June, 1798, and at the hour of one o’clock in the afternoon, ♦he toMi’n of Borris in the county of Carlow, was attacked by a numerous mob, who called themfelves united Irifhmen; and who had three pieces of cannon, and were armed with guns, fwords, piftols, and pikes; that the faid mob attacked and forcibly entered the houfs of examinant, at Borris aforefaid, and felonioufly took thereout all the houfehold furniture, and many books, papers, and bonds of very great value. Examinant faith, tliat as foon as the faid mob had fo plundered liis houfe, they fet fire to the fame. Examinant faith, that, at that time he was at fome diftance from the town of Borris aforefaid; and that on feeing a fmoke iflliing out of faid houfe, he this examinant ran towards faid houfe, with a defign of relcuing his books, papers, and bonds from the flames. Examinant faith, he was made a prifoner by the faid mob, who ftripped him of all his clothes before he arrived at his houfe •, and that they prefented five pikes and a mufket at examinant, with an intention, as he verily believes, of putting him to death. Examinant faith, he immediately threw himfelf on his knees to implore mercy, and afked the faid mob what crime he this examinant was guilty of? On which two of the leaders or captains of the faid mob cried out aloud, “That he, this examinant, was a vagabond. t)rangenian, and mufl inftantly die;” by which examinant is convinced in his mind the faid captains meant a proteftant, as this examinant, who was born in Scotland, was not an orangeman, nor had any connexion with orangemen. Examinant faith, that two other of the faid captains then faid, that examinant was too old, and not worth killing •, on which another of the faid captains cried out aloud, addrefling himfelf to the faid mob, “ You vagabonds! remember your oath,” with a defign to urge the faid mob to put this examinant to death; as this examinant has feen the form of an oath, which he heard and verily believes the united Irifhmen, or fome of them had fworn to deftroy and murder all hereticks. Examinant faith, that while the faid mob were fcrambling for liis property which they had taken out of his houfe, he, this examinant made his efcape into a fand pit, and that loon after, one of the faid mob came up in great hafi;e, and exclaimed, “ Have you difpatched the vagabond? for his fon has killed one of our beft captains, and is killing

them

* He had thefe men under his commaod.

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 1.

125

thcra as fa ft as they get up meaning to the houfc of Walter Kivanagh, efquicc, of Borris aforefaid, to which the faid mob were at that time laying fiegc, and at which they were firing cannon; and this examinant faith, that James Semple the fon of this examinant, was at that time in the manfion of the faid Walter Kavanagh, aflifting in the defence of the fame. Examinant faith, that the faid mob burned thirteen houfes in Borris aforefaid, for no other reafon, as examinant verily believes, than becaufe the proprietors thereof belonged to the yeoman corps, commanded by the faid Walter Kavanagh. This examinant faith, he heard, and verily believes that the faid party of united Irifhmen was commanded by father Roche, a prieft who was afterwards killed at Sculiaghgap on the bounds of the counties of Wexford and Carlow. Examinant faith, that one of the faid mob told examinant that he had better turn to mafs, and that by doing fo he would get a leafe for ever of any demefne he chofe in the kingdom.

JOHN SEMPLE.

Sworn before me the i^th day of Augitfl, 1 798,

THOMAS FLEMING, lord mayor of the city of Dublin.

No. XX. I.

County of the city of Dublin, 1   THE examination of corporal Sheppard of the Royal to wit. > Irifh artillery, who being duly fworn on the Holy

 3 Evangelifts, maketh oath, and faith. That he this

examinant, when on his march with a detachment of militia of the Meath regiment from Duncannon Fort, to the town of Wexford, was taken prifoner on the thirtieth day of May laft, at a place called the mountain of Forth, within three miles of Wexford aforefaid, together with two howitzers, and nine privates belonging to the faid Royal Irilh artillery, by a numerous body of rebels, who were encamped on the faid mountain.  Examinant faith, that as foon as the faid rebels had made him and his comrades prifoners, they were going to put them to death; but that previous to their doing fo, one of the faid rebels alked them what religion they were of, and that a private of the faid Royal Irifh artillery, whofe name is Patrick Dungannon, replied, that they were all Roman catholicks, though examinant faith, that he and five more of his faid comrades were proteftants. Examinant faith, he is convinced in his mind, that the faid rebels would have put the whole of faid party indantly to death, but that they believed they were Roman catlioHcks.  Examinant faith, that he and his faid comrades were condudled as prifoners to Wexford, on the faid thirtieth day of May, and put into prifon; but tliat he this examinant and his comrades were committed to different apartments. Examinant faith, that while a prifoner at Wexford, he was taken out into a fmall fquare in the gaol to be fliot, and that on being placed againft a wall in faid fquare, they the faid rebels burned priming four times at examinant with a muflcet; on which father John Murphy, a prieft, who had entered the faid gaol, cried out aloud, that he this examinant had longer days to live; and at’the fame time, the faid pricPc faid, “ Let the heathen go back to prifon, and be damned.”  Examinant faith, that while he and his comrades were in prifon, the rebel guards who were placed over them, frequently attempted to break open the doors of the place where they were confined, with an intent as the faid rebel guards declared, to murder examinant and liis comrades, having often declared that they would not (land as guards over hereticks; and that the officers of the faid rebels with the greateft difiiculty prevented the faid rebels from putting them to death.  Examinant faith, that during

tea

A P P E N t) I X,  No. XX. I.

ten tlays that he and his comrades were confined in Wexford^ they received no other food but potatoes and water •, and of which they got but one meal in twentyfour hours.  Examinant faith, that during his confinement, the faid rebels took out many prifoners to execute them; and examinant verily believes they were put to^ death, as the faid prifoners never returned to the prifon; and he this examinant was informed that they had been fhot or put to death with pikes in the Bull-ring, or in fome other part of the town.  Examinant faith, that he and his comrades were afked to ferve in the rebel army by one captain Dixon, and by one Roche the brother-in-law of faid Dixon, who wore two epaulettes, and pafled for a rebel general; and that faid Dixon and Roche promifed examinant and his comrades commiflions in the rebel ar;ny, and eftates in fome time, if they would ferve in faid army.  Examinant faith, that he and his comrades, well knowing that they had no other way of making their efcape from Wexford, complied with the defire of faid Dixon, and the faid Roche.  Examinant faith, that he, and three of his comrades ■were conduced by the faid rebel general Roche to the rebel camp of Gorey, near the town of Gorey, in the county of Wexford, on or about the eleventh day of June laft, where examinant found three of his faid comrades before him in faid camp, and fome foldiers of the Meath and Antrim regiments who had been taken prifon//rs.  Examinant faith, that on the morning of the day that the faid rebels marched from faid camp to attack the town of Arklow, one Murphy a prieft who was killed at the battle of Arklow that day, mounted on a car, and preached a fermon of exhortation to the faid rebels, in which the faid Murphy alTured the faid rebels that they were fighting in the caufe of God; that the more of the heathens ■(meaning the king’s army) they would kill, the fooner they would go to heaven; and that if any of them died in battle, they would be fure of immediate falvation; that faid Murphy took fome bullets out of his pockets, fhewed them to the rebels, and afTured them, that they had hit him at the battle of Gorey, in different parts of his body and limbs, and that they could not do him any injury.  That faid Murphy faid further in faid fermon, that he would take the gravel off the road and throw it at the hereticks, and that he could kill them with it.  Examinant faith, that another prieft of the name of Dixon declared to the rebel general Roche, that they would take the town of Arklow in half an hour, that then they would be joined by twenty thoufand men; that then they would proceed to Wicklow, and from thence to Dublin.  Examinant faith, that faid rebels wherever they marched, put to death fuch proteftants as fell into their hands; faying often on fuch occafioiis, that the kingdom was their own, and that there fhould be but one religion. Examinant faith, that faid rebels on their arrival at Gorey aforefaid, after the battle of Arklow, put many proteftants to death, though they had ferved with the faid rebels in faid battle; and that when they were on the point of executing one Walker a blackfmith, fome of faid rebels pleaded in his favour, having faid, that he had made many pikes, and fought well with them •, but that father John Murphy faid, that if there was but one drop of proteftant blood in a family, they ought to put that family to death; and that faid Walker was accordingly put to death. Examinant faith, he repaired with the faid rebels from Gorey, to a place to the beft of examinant’s recolleftion, callgd Limbrick, from thence to Tinnehely, and from thence to Carnew, and from thence to Vinegar-hill; and that {-.ud rebels in their march from Gorey to Vinegar-hill aforefaid, killed all the proteftants they could get into their cuftody.  Informant faith, that he and his comrades made their efcape at the kattle of Vinegar-hill aforefaid.

ANDREW SHEPPARD.

Sworn before me this ‘]th day of September, 1798,

THOMAS FLEMING, lord mayor of the eity of Dublin, We,

APPENDIX, No. XX, 2.

Wc, the underfigned officers of the Royal Irifli artillery, do certify that Andrew Sheppard, a corporal in faid corps, is a man of an honeft fair charadler, and tliat he is to be credited on his oath.  September fourteenth, 1 798.

J. STRATON, colonel commandant, lieutenant general,

RICHARD BETTESWORTH, colonel commandant, major jrcneral,

H. SNEYD, major, Royal Irifh artillery,

JOHN PRATT, lieutenant colonel, colonel brevet,

W. WRIGHT, lieutenant colonel,

J. D. ARABIN, lieutenant colonel.

County of the city of Dublin, 1   THE information of George Taylor, of Ballywaltcr, to wit. > and barony of Ballaghkeen in the county of Wexford,

 3 gentleman, who being duly fworn on the Holy Evan

gelifts, maketh oath, and faith, That he this informant was very much alarmed on the morning of the twenty-feventh of May, 1798, having been informed that the rebels in great force werq approaching his place of refidence, and that they had burned the houfes of many proteftants, and had murdered their inhabitants; among whoni were, as he was informed, lieutenant Bookey of the Camolin cavalry, the reverend Mr. Burroughs, and Mr. Howlan Darcy; on which informant faith, that he repaired for prote£lion to the town of Gorey, about four miles diftant. Informant faith, that he, his mother, and filler repaired with the army to Arklow, 3S the town of Gorey was expofed to the rebels when the army marched from it on the twenty-eighth of May. Informant faith, that he returned towards Ballywalter aforefaid, on the fifth of June; but that he, this informant before he arrived there, was taken prifoner by the rebels on the fixth day of June, when he wa* within three miles of Ballywalter aforefaid. Informant faith, that he was led by the rebels the fame day to the town of Gorey, and was confined with many other prifoners in a room over the market-houfe of faid town during a week. Informant faith, that foon after he was committed a prifoner as aforefaid, the rebels robbed him of half a guinea, and deprived him of his hat, his neckcloth, his coat, waiftcoat, breeches and fhoes, and gave him in their ftead the old ragged apparel of a foldier. This informant faith, that while he and the other prifoners were in cuf-r tody of the rebels at Gorey aforefaid, they were led out to the rebel camp to be ftiot, for no other reafon, as informant verily believes, than becaufe they were proteflants. Informant faith, that one of the faid prifoners was marked out to be faved, becaufe he was a papift, and gave a proof of his being fuch, by croffing hin)felf, and by faying popifli prayers, which the rebels required him to do. Informant faith, that before he and his fellow prifoners could be executed, an order was received from general Bagenal Har\’«y, that the rebels fhould not in future under the pain of being fnot, put any of their prifoners to death, which order, as informant verily believes, faved the lives of him and his fellow prifoners. This informant faith, that during his confinement at Gorey aforefaid, fome of his Roman .catholick neighbours vifited him, and wilhed him a fpeedy liberation; and at the ♦’fame time, informed him that the only mode of procuring it was, to be baptized by the prieft, to embrace the holy Roman catholick faith, and to take up arms, and to fight for the caufe of liberty. And informant faith, that his faid neighbours informed him that they feared he would not efcape, unlefi he complied with their

advice;

T28

‘ A P P E N D I X, No. XX. 2.

advice; and that at the fame time they exprefled much concern at feeing . him in the a£l of reading proteftant prayer books.  Informant faith, he anfwered them by faying, he profefled the proteltant faith from convi£tion, and therefore would not renounce it. . Informant faith, that during his confinement at Gorey aforefaid, and previous to the arrival of general Bagenal Harvey’s humane order for faving the lives of the prifoners, the rebels took out two yeomen who were their prifoners, and fhot them, one of them of the name of Rogan, was of the Arklow corps, the other whofc name was James Wheatley, was of the Caftletown corps; and that a rebel horfeman fired a piftol at one of the prifoners, and that the ball lodged in the fhoulder of the faid prifoner; and that another prifoner, previous to the arrival of the faid humane order, received fome wounds of a pike in the fide, by which three of his ribs were broken.  Informant faith, that when they were leading the prifoners out of the camp, a rebel gave informant two or three llrokes of a pike in the back.  Informant faith, that the faid rebel camp near the town of Gorey, was attended by one Michael Murphy a prieft.  Informant faith, that on the morning of the ninth of June laft, the rebels at Gorey aforefaid, cut off tlie hair of all the prifoners (this informant excepted) and put pitched caps on their heads; and that the reverend Mr. Owens, a proteftant clergyman, one of the faid prifoners, was treated in that manner.  Informant faith, that the faid prifoners having as aforefaid pitched caps on their heads, were compelled to put out their heads and flioulders out of the windows of the market-houfe of Gorey aforefaid; and that while the faid prifoners were fo expofed, the rebel troops marched by, and infultingly exprefled their joy by repeatedly fliouting aloud.  Informant faith, that on Wednefday the thirteenth day of June, they inftituted a kind of trial of the prifoners confined in the market-houfe of Gorey aforefaid, on which they felefted fuch as they thought were fteady to the proteftant caufe, among whom this informant was one, and that they fent them to the gaol of Wexford, under a guard, after having pinioned them with cords, and tied them one to the other, two and two.  Informant faith, that they compelled the remainder of the prifoners to join the rebel troops as foldicrs. Informant faith, that on the arrival of the prifoners at Wexford, on the fourteenth day of June, they faw the hcufes hung with green emblems, and the mob in the ftreets exprefled their joy by fhouting aloud.  Informant faith, that he and his fellow prifoners were committed to gaol at Wexford, about eleven o’clock on the morning of the fourteenth of June; and that informant was told, and verily believes that tliere were about two hundred prifoners in faid gaol, all of whom as informant heard and-believes were of the proteftant religion.  Informant faith, that during his confinement in faid gaol, they frequently committed other prifoners, among whom was colonel Lehuntc; and that this informant heard a rebel commander of the name of Dixon tell the faid colonel Lehunte, who was confined to a condemned tell, that he fiiould have but ten minutes to live.  Informant faith, that during his confinement at Wexford, his food was very fcanty and very bad; and that he had no , other bed but damaged ftraw which was lull of vermin.  Informant faith, that on Wednefday the twentieth day of June, this informant with feventeen other prifoners was taken out of the gaol, and conducted to the bridge of Wexford, in order to be put to death with pikes, as many of this informant’s fellow prifoners met with the fame fate a few minutes before; and that informant as he pafled along the bridge vralked through the blood of the faid vi£tims.  Informant faith, that while the rebel guards were conducting the faid prifoners to the bridge, and while the faid prifoneifs were praying on their knees on faid bridge, the rebel guards defired them to blefs themfelves.  Informant faith, tlia,t fix of the £aid prifoners fo conducted

to

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 3. i2ij

to the faid bridge were put to death with pikes, and that lie verily believes the remainder would have fhared the fame fate, as there were but two pcrfons between tliis informant and the hii perfon put to death; and this informant was defired to rife and to take off his coat, in order to prepare for execution; but Mr. Corrin, parifli pricft of Wexford arrived, and made the rebels defdt irom any further flaugliter. Informant faith, that he was foon after conducted to priion, where he and his fellow prifoners remained until next day, when they were liberated by the king’s troops, who arrived at Wexford on the twenty-firtt day of June. This informant faith, that the country for fome miles round the refidence of this informant had been for a long time fo peaceable, and the machinations of the rebels were fo fecret, that neither he, nor any of the loyal fubjefts his neighboiu’s, had any fufpicion whatfoever, that a general infurre£lion was fo near, except that fome pikes and fome ammunition had been found in the pofleffion of the lower clafs of people fome time before. Informant further faith, that when the faid James Wheatiy was about to be fliot at Gorey aforefaid, the rebel general Perry informed the faid Wheatiy that he {hould have but five minutes to prepare himfelf for death; on which the reverend Mr. Owen, a proteflant clergyman, afked the faid Perry, whether there was no appeal? to which tlie faid Perry replied, that he would hear no plea in his favour. Informant faith, that the faid Wheatiy was fliot in about ten minutes after; and this informant heard, and verily believes it to be true, that the faid Wheatiy received three balls in the body, on which he afked for fome water, and told the perfons who fhot him that he had fome anmaunition in his pocket, and requefled they would put him out of pain; on which his thigh was broken by another fhot, and that he received the fifth ball in the head which killed hini. Informant faith, he faw the body next day disfigured and covered with blood.

GEORGE TAYLOR.

^ivorn before me this iZth day of July, 1798,

THOMAS FLEMING, lord mayor of the city of DuUui.

City of Dublin,^   BLEAKNEY ORMSBY, of Garrane, in the parlfli of Mylari, to ivit.    > and county of Wexford, farmer, came this day before me, and

; made oath on the Ploly Evangelifls, That about the hour of eig’ f

o’clock on the morning of Whitfunday, 1 798, a party of united Iriflimen, all ( f the popifh religion, as deponent verily believes, went to the houfe of this deponent, and called on him to attend them; that deponent faid in anfwer that he would remain at home and not take any part with either fide. That thereon one of th^ laid body of united Iriflimen gave deponent a fevere wound of a pike in the head that foon after two of the party defired deponent to go on his knees and beg his life, which he accordingly did. That while deponent was on his knees, one of he party gave him fo violent a blow of a firelock on the head, as to break it in piecee, by which deponent was left fenfeltfs on the ground. That deponent lay in a lan^ guifhing ftate till Tliurfday the thirty-firfl day of May, when a numerous body cf united Irifhmen armed with pikes and guns went to deponent’s houfe, and compelled deponent to go to the houfe of David Cullen at Blackwater, a parifh prieft, to be baptized; but the faid Cullen declared he would have nothing to do wiih deponent until he faw how he condutled himfelf in future. That next morning deponent, well knowing that he could not make his efcape, repaired to the rebel

[ R ] camp’

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 3.

camp at Oulart-hill where he was to be tried, though he had little or no hope that his life would be faved. That on deponent’s arrival there a popilh yeoman in military uniform who had become a rebel, cried out that deponent {hould be tried. That deponent appealed to the faid rebels, whether he did not always bear a good charafter, to which they all aflented, except one man of the name of Kierwan, who bore an enmity to deponent, becaufe faid Kierwan had Itolen turf from him, that however deponent was difcharged and returned direftly to his own houfe. That when deponent returned to his houfe at Oulart aforefaid, he found that his houfc had been burnt and plundered, and that a woman who was filler to John Brennan, a labourer who lived on deponent’s land, had turned out his wife and family, and informed them in a threatening manner, that they would be put to death if they remained there; that about a week after deponent was compelled (though in a languifhing ftate) to go to the rebel camp at Gorey, where he found feveral proteftant prifoners, among whom was the reverend Mr, Owen a proteftant clergyman. That on deponent’s arrival there, he was afked by a rebel of the name of Maurice Doyle, whether he this deponent was a Roman catholick, to which he anfwered that he was bred a proteftant. That faid Doyle alked him what he thought of the virgin Mary; to which deponent anfwered, that he thought fhe was next in glory to Chrift. That foon after deponent was committed to prifon in the market-houfe of Gorey, where, including deponent, there were thirty-nine prifoners all protcflants; that about the hour of four o’clock the fame day, the faid proteftant prifoners were led out by a party of rebels to Gorey-hill, to be put to death, and which would have taken place as deponent verily believes, but that an order was received from general Bagenal Harvey, defiring that no perfon Ihould kill his prifoner under pain of death. That notwithftanding faid order, a rebel fired a piftol at one of the proteftant prifoners, and wounded him in the ftioulder. That the rebels on hearing the faid humane order, feemed much difappointed, and exprefled an earneft defire of putting the prifoners to death. That deponent was difcharged the fame day by the orders of one Richard Monaghan a rebel captain, and was compelled to join the rebels as a foldier. That next day deponent was compelled to march with the rebel army to the battle of Arklow. That Michael Murphy a prieft, who had the -chief com.mand, ftopped very often in their way thither, and , laid prayers for the rebels, who always kneeled down and often kifled the ground. That faid Monaghan defired the rebels not to kill the foldiers, as they were their friends, and would join them. That deponent received a ball in the thigh at the battle of Arklow, and lay in a languiftiing ftate one night within two miles of Arklow; and that deponent recovered from his wound, and is now perfe£lly well, though he received no medical afliftance. Deponent faith, that great numbers of wounded rebel foldiers were carried the fame night on cars or on horfeback to Gorey aforefaid. Deponent feith, that while he lay fick of his wound, a man of the name of John Brennan his labourer, often prefied him to fend for a prieft and to change his religion, as no perfon could be favcd out of the Roman catholick church; and it was not known that a proteftant ever was faved. Deponent faitii, that his father, Charles Ormftjv, was murdered on Whitfun Saturday, his brother Eyre Ormfby, en Whitfunday, and his brother William Ormlby, on the twenty-fecond day of June, 1798, all in the county of Wexford; and that his brother John Ormlby, fled from the rebels to Dublin, and after his return to the county of Wexford, on the firft day of March, 1799, ‘^^^^ °^ g’’^’^^ Deponent further faith not.

BLEAKNEY ORMSBY.

SnVQi’n before me the loth day of Mn-jy 1799,

THOMAS ANDREWS, lord ma^or of the cit^ of Dublin,

County

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 4;

4

County of JVexford, 1   CATHERINE POER of Tintern,  widow,  being duly to ivit. > fworn on the Holy Evangehfts, declareth and faith, That on

 3    morning of Sunday, the third of June, 1798, John Flaherty,

of Tintern, taylor, Michael Ryan and Pat. Hogan, labourers, of Salt-mills in faid county, went to her houfe and called for her hufband Pat. Poer, a proteftant; faith, they carried him, as (he heard and believes, to Scullabogue, where he was burnt with the other proteftants. Saith, that forae time after the maffacre at Scullabogue, fhe, this examinant, went to John Houghran of Tintern, mafon, who zCied as a commiflary to the rebels for diftributing provifions, and af^ed him for a pound of meat, as fhe was ftarving -, and that faid Houghran afked her if (he was a chriftian? and that on faying flie did not come under the rules of his chvirch, he faid fhe was not a chriftian, and that it would be giving meat to his enemies, and breaking his oath. Saith, faid Houghran ordered her to go to the prieft to be made a chriftian, and was furprifed fhe did not do it before. Saith, that to fave her life and get vidluals, fhe went to the prieil to be chriftened.

Sworn before mey this 2Sth day of December, 1-798, CATHERINE POER.

JOHN KENNEDY, magijlmte.

County of Wexford, 1   FRANCES MILLER of Tintern, faid county, widow, beto wit. > ing duly fworn on the Holy Evangelifts, declareth and faith,

 ‘■ 3 That on the third day of June, 1 798, a gang of rebels came

to examinant’s houfe, headed by Patrick Fallon of Tintern aforefaid, and Martin Murphy of Curraghmore, in faid county; faith, they infifted on her hufband, Robert Miller, to go with them; faith, they hurried him away fo fuddenly, they did not give him time to break his faft, though examinant requeiled that indulgence for her hufband. Saith, that fhe heard and believes they took him to Scullabogue, where he was mafTacred, along with feveral other proteftants, on Tuefday following. Saith, that through fear of being murdered, fhe went to the prieft to be chriftenedSaith, that fhe always confidercd John Houghran of Tintern, as the leading man of the Tintern rebels.

Sworn before me this twenty-eighth day FRANCES MILLER.

of December, I 798,

JOHN KENNEDY, magflratc.

AT the trial of John Houghran, a mafon, at Wexford, on the twenty-fixth September, 1799, it appeared on the evidence of Mr. Bridges, that he appeared at: fintern to be the leader of a gang of rebels, who carried off the proteftants to Scullabogue, and that he took the witnefs to be chriftened by a prieft.

Sarah Smyth, whofe hufband v/as taken by him, fwore that twenty-four proteftants, young and old, were taken to the barn of Scullabogue and murdered there; and among them her hufband, her brother, fifter and niece.

That, when the widows and relations of thofe who had been murdered, afTcmbled together in the ftreets of Tintern, and were lamenting the lofs of their relations, the prifoner threatened tliem with the fate of their hufbands if he heard any more of it. [ R 2] That

132

APPENDIX,  No. XX. s

That there were two corps of rebels at Thitern; the one went from it to murder, the other ftaid at home to fend the proteftants to them, and to plunder.

Catherine Poer fwore, that flie applied to him for fomething to eat; but he faid he would not give her any, unlefs Ihe became a chriftian (meaning a papill) for if he did he would break his oath.

Sarah Kelly, whofe father was burned at Scullabdgue, fwore, that on general Lake’s proclamation coming out, llie heard the prifoner addrefs a party of rebels, and fay, “ Boys! we may as well lay down our fpeais for a few days to fave our lives, as the proteftants turned to mafs to fave theirs.”

Thomas Byrne fwore, that Michael Devereux feemed to have the command, and gave the prifoners orders to colleit the proteftants, and keep them ‘till he ftipuld call for them.  The prifoner was only transported!!!

5

County of JFexford,!   ELIZABETH DOBBYN of Old-court, In the parifti^of io nv’it. > Adamftown, and faid county, widow, came before me this

 3 fifth day of January, 1 799, and made oath on the Holy Evan

gclifts. That on Friday, the firft day of June laft, her three fons, William, Richard and Samuel, were taken prifoners from her houfe by Thomas Cavenagh, of Oldcourt aforefaid; that on Saturday, the fecond of June, her huftiand, Patrick Dobbyn, was taken prifoner by faid Thomas Cavenagh, aided by William Power of Brucharrow, in faid parifh, and another perfon unknown to deponent. That on Sur-Jay, the third of June laft, deponent went to Scullabogue, where fhe fixw her hufband and three fons confined in a dirty pig-yard; that at their defire flie went to look for Michael Downes, a rebel captain, to endeavour to procure their releafe, and to Mr. Shallow the parifli prieft, for the fame purpofe; that deponent could not meet Michael Downes, but found Mr. Shallow at his own houfe; that deponent requefted faid Shallow to procure the releafe of lier hufband and fons, to which faid Shallow replied, ‘^^ That he would not go near the rebel camp; that, if he did, he would be in as much danger as faid Patrick Dobbyn and fons.” Said Shallow then alked deponent how many of her people were in? ftie replied, her hufband and three fons were confined by the rebels; upon which faid Shallow fliuddered and feemed to be fliocked, by which deponent conjectured immediately that her hufband and children would be put to death, and that faid Shallow knew what would happen. That deponent went back, on faid third of June, from Mr. Shallow’s houfe to Scullabogue, where flie found her hufljand and fons removed into the barn, which was full of prifoners, crowded as clofe as they could ftand, and told them that faid Shallow had refufed to come to Scullabogue; whereupon faid Patrick Dobbyn, his fons and the other prifoners, lamented and faid they had no hopes of their lives. That deponent continued at Scullabogue faid day until fun-fet, during which time one of her fons, and a woman who was a prifoner, called for a draught of water, and one of the rebel guards alked them if they would drink fait water, and faid, “ Damnation to you, ye orange dogs, down with your praj^ers.” And a rebel woman faid, “ Do they want water .’’ give them poifon!” lhat on Saturday, the ninth of June laft, deponent went to Scullabogue to look for the bodies of her hufband and fons, who flie had been told were burnt in the barn on Tuefday the fifth of June. That flie found the barn burnt and full of dead bodies, all in a Handing pofture, fome with their limbs burnt  off, and othjcrs with their bowels

hangirg

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 6.

»33

hanging out, and others with their faces and features disfigured with the fire. That deponent could not diftinguifli the bodies of her hufband and fons from the other dead. That about two or three nights after faid ninth of June laft, as deponent was in bed with two young children, her houfe at Old-court was entered by a great number of men armed with pikes, who faid they came to fearch for orangemen, having heard that deponent harboured them, deponent replied there were no men there, that her hufband and fons were taken from her. They took i light and fearched the houfe and out-oOices, and then went away. That on the 19th day of •September lart, deponent’s houfe, at Old-court aforefaid, was entered by four men armed with piftols, who murdered there Shepherd Parflow of Bruchurrow in faid parifli, who had gone out of Rofs to fave his harveft at faid Bruchurrow, and beat deponent and broke her collar bone, and {truck and cut deponent’s mother, an old woman almoft eighty years old. That on deponent’s alking them if it was not a fin to ufe a poor chriftian fo cruelly? they replied {he was no chri{\:ian, and who had made her a chri{lian? they then robbed deponent of what they pleafed to take from her and went away.

Sworn hef.rc me at Rofs^ in the county of IV exher ford, this    (fay of January, 1799, ELIZABETH X DOBBYN,

EDWARD CARR, deputy fovereign. mark.

6.

FEATHARD.

ON Saturday, the twenty-fixth of May, a band of afra{fins roaming the country in quell of proteftants, and headed by Michael Devereux and Jo{hua Colfer, entered the town of Feathard, about eleven miles from Scullabogue, and feized William Jordan and James Tweedy, both prote{lants, and conveyed them to die barn where they were burned •, the former was fervant to the reverend Mr. Kennedy, re£tor of Feathard, who had fled and narrowly efcaped to Duncannon fort. Colfer often regretted that he had not that orange rogue, Mr. Kennedy, to put him to death; he exclaimed very much ag.ainft prote{lants, and faid they deferved to be puni{hed. Some of the prote{lant inhabitants of Feathard faved their lives by going to mafs, and by a{]uming the femblance of fincere converfion. The reverend father Doyle, who afted with humanity towards them, advifed them to do fo, as thr means of preferving their lives. William Hurdis, a witnefs on Golfer’s trial, fwore, that Patrick Murphy, one of the gang of a{ra{Iins, made him fwear to be true to the catholick war. Thefe fa£ts v/ere proved on the trial of Jo{l->ua Colfer, before a court-martial, held at Waterford, the third of December, 1 798, by order of general Johnfon. Colfer had been mal{ler to Mr. Clarke, a brewer of Feathard, rtilded there conitantly, and had lived on terms of intimacy with the proteftants whom he led to the barn.

James Murphy, a witnefs on the trial of Colfer, and fervant of the reverend Mr. Kennedy, fwore. That the prifoner alked him whether he would kill his mafter, and declared that he would kill him if he would not. He faid alfo, that ali orangemen {hould be killed.

Pliilip

«34

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 6.

Philip Clarke, a proteftant, and fon of Mr. Clarke the brewer, who employed the prifoner, declared, That he (Colfer) defired him and his brother to be chriftened by a prielt, and fent for a popifh manual to have him, his brother and filters, taught their catechifm; that he, his brother and fillers, and other proteltants of Teathard, were faved merely becaufe they were confidercd as converted.

Richard Stewart, a boy of nine years old, and brother-in-law of Tweedy, followed him crying, on which Colfer threatened him. This child was afterwards murdered.

On Saturday, the fecond of June, another band of aflaffins, headed by the fame Michael Devereux of Battletours, arrived there and fwept away all the proteftants they could find. It fortunately happened that they were but few in number, as moil of them were doing duty in a yeoman corps at Duncannon Fort. The rebels were fo zealous in this fervice, that they locked up fuch protellants as they feized, while they went in quell of others.

Samuel Orange, now living, is a memorable inftance of this. He was taken by his own neighbours, Patrick Hennefy and James Savage, alias Bryan, and was locked up in the houfe of the former; but while they were hunting for others, he providentially made his efcape through a back window, and concealed himfelf in ditches till Sunday, the fifth of June, when Colfer returned with another gang, and conveyed him to Wexford, ScuUabogue having been confumed. Michael Devereux having vifited Featliard again, on the third of June, with another gang, feized Mrs. Duffield, aged feventy-five, Mrs. Clarke, and Philip Clarke, a boy of about thirteen years. John Jones, a humane and refpe£lable Roman catholick, folicited the releafe of the prifoners; and, even on his knees, he implored him to difcharge the latter, as he was the child of his near neighbour -, but to no purpofe, as he faid he co’uld not releafe him, confiftent with his own fafety. This fliewed that he aded by the orders of his fuperiors, who, I have been well informed, were Inpplied with the lifts of the proteftant inhabitants of every parifli.

The three were conveyed on a car to ScuUabogue, but, fortunately for them, Bagenal Harvey, who happened to arrive there, difcharged them, gave them a pafs to return, imd defirCvl that no more women or children ftiould be taken prifoners. On Saturday, the ninth of June, one Thomas M’Daniel, a fanguinary ruffian, went to Feathard, at the head of another gang, in queft of Elizabeth Ennis, a proteftant, who had efcaped all their former fearches and, when difcovered, Ihe tlirew herfelf on the mercy of John Jones, already mentioned, who very humanely locked her up in a room in his own houfe. When M’Daniel was on the point of breaking open the door, Mrs. Jones placed herfelf between him and it, and find they muft firft murder her. She alfo alTured him, that (he was no longer a proteftant, having been chiiftened by the prieft, and was become a Roman catholick. The poor trembling wretch’s life was faved by Mrs. Jones’s firmnefs, and her afliirances of her converfion.

After that period, fuch of the proteftants as remained at Feathard, were faved by going to mafs.

Father Doyle, the prieft, aflembled them in a houfe, under a pretence of baptizing them, though in fa£l he did not perform that ceremony •, and he very humanely announced, in order to fave their lives, that they were fincere converts to his religion.

Thefe fa£ls were proved” on the trial of Devereujc, Colfer, Haughran, and fomc ether aflaffms concerned in this atrocious bufiiiel^ Cmnty

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 7. 135

7

•County of Wexford,-^ RICHARD GRAND Y, of Ballyfhan, in faid county, came to wit. > tliis day before us his majefty’s juftices of the peace, and made ■ ■ ■ —; oath on the Holy Evangelifts, that he this examinant was attacked and feized at the crofs-roads of Kilbride, on Sunday the third of June, between the hours of nine and ten o’clock in the morninj^ as he was returning from a farm he has on the lands of Kilbride, by feveral perfons armed with guns, pikej and fpears; that amongft the number were Michael Poor, Thomas Poor, Martin White, Richard Shee, Martin Colhoun, Nicholas Brown, Michael White, John Moran and Lawrence Moran, all of Kilbride aforefaid, with many others, whofe names examinant did not know, though their faces were very familiar to him •, he was conduced from thence to the rebel camp at Carrickburn, in faid county, and in the afternoon of the lame day was brought to Mr. King’s houfe at Scullabogue, that he was introduced into a room where he faw Bagenal Harvey, of Bargy Caftle, efquire, William Devereux of Taghmon, Francis Breen, Nicholas Sweetman of New Bawn, with a few more whom he did not know, but believes that John Colclough of Ballyteigue, and a fon of William Devereux aforefaid, were of the number; that he was clofely examined by Bagenal Harvey as to the ftate of Rofs and Duncannon Fort, and whether he was an orangeman or a united man; that fiiid Bagenal Harvey prefled him to take the vmited man’s oath and become one of their community; that at laft he obtained a pafs from faid Bagenal Harvey, with which he came as far as Bryanftown, where he was (lopped by the rebel guard ftationed there; that he was conducted back again to Collopfwell, where he inet with faid Bagenal Harvey and faid Nicholas Sweetman; that Nicholas Sweetman figned the pafs he got from Bagenal Harvey before •, that he had not gone far before the pafs had been taken from him and torn, upon which he was taken prifoner to Scullabogue houfe, where he was confined ‘till Tuefday morning, with feveral other proteftants .that about nine o’clock John Murphy of Loughnageer, (who had the command of the Rofegarland rebel corps, and was the officer of the guard over the prifoners) had ordered them out by fours to be fliot by his company, till thirty-five were maffacred; that the fpear-men ufed to take pleafure in piercing the vi£lims through, and with exultation licking their bloody fpears; that whilft this horrid fcene was a£iing, the barn, in which were above one hundred proteftants, as examinant heard and believes, was fet on fire, and all confumed to alhes •, that examinant’s lif’-; wai fpared becaufc Murphy knew that Bagenal Harvey had given him a pafs, and that through his interceffion with Murphy, Loftus Frizzle was likewife fpared; that they •were both tied and conveyed within a mile and a half of Rofs, where they met Bagenal Harvey, Cornelius Grogan of Johnftown, in faid county, William Devereux aforefaid, and many others retreating from the battle of Rofs.

That Bagenal Harvey ordered the faid Murphy to take the two prifoners to his lodging at Collopfwell, where he had given a pafs to Loftus Frizzle, but refufed to give one to examinant, for fear he would come and report what he had feen and heard at Duncannon Fort; that deponent heard and believes it to be a fa£l that faid Cornelius Grogan had the command of the Barony Forth rebel troops at the battle of Rofs; that deponent was taken to Foulkes’s mills that night, where he continued for two days under a guard, dreffing the wounded; that he was afterwards conveyed to Ballymitty, where he obtained a pafs from Edward Murphy of faid place, to pafs and repafs through his diftridl for the purpofe of curing the wounded. That

136

APPENDIX,  No. XX. «.

he was fent to Taghmon, where the fitting rebel magiftrates, John Breen, James Harpur, Jofeph Cullomore, and Mathew Commons, were of opniion, tliat he might with the prieft’sjpafs have gone back again and remain there; that he ftrolled along the fea-fide, till at laft he efFefted his cfcape acrofs the Ferry of Bannow to Feathard, on Friday the twenty-fecond inllant, and from thence to Duncannon Fort this morning; that he often heard it reported whilft in cuftody, that John Colclough and Thomas Macord, both of Tintern in faid county, were very a£tive in promoting the rebellion; that he faw John Devereux, junior, of Shilbeggan ia faid county, at Scullabogue, on Monday the fourth inflant, and that he feemed, and believes that he had a principal command in the rebel army. He likewife faw Charles Reilly, of Ramer’s-grange in faid county, at the camp at Carrickbura amongft the rebels, very bufy and aftive to promote their caufe. Deponent farther faith, that he attended mafs celebrated by Edward Murphy aforefaid, parifh pried of Bannow; and that after mafs he heard him preach a fermon, in which he faid, <♦ Brethren, you fee you are viftorious every where — that the balls of the hereticks “ fly about you without hurting you — that few of you have fallen whilft thoufands. “ of the hereticks are dead, and that the few of you that have fallen was from devi” ating from our caufe, and want of faith — that this vifibly is the work of God, who «‘ now is determined that the hereticks, who have reigned upwards of an hundred “ years, Ihould be extirpated, and the true catholick religion be eftablifhed.” — And deponent faith, this fcrnion was preached after the battle of Rofs, and that he heard feveral fermons preached by the priefts to the fame effe£l; that he likewife heard many rebels who had been at the battle of Ennifcorthy and elfewhere, declare, that father Roche, a rebel general, did conftantly catch the bullets that came from his majefty’sarms, and gave them to his men to load their pieces with. Deponent further faith, that every prcteftant that was admitted into the rebel corps, was firft baptized by a prieft; and that every proteftant that refufed to be baptized was put to death; and that many, to fave their lives, did fufFer themfelves to be baptized.

Sworn before i/s, this twenty-third of fune^ ^19^>

GEORGE OGLE. RICHARD GRANDY.

ISAAC CORNICK. JOHN H. LYSTER. JOHN KENNEDY.

The following horrid oath has been taken by all the rebels, printed copies of ivhich werr found upon numbers that were fain, particularly at the battle of New Ro/sy and Ballicanew, and is now called “ the bloody oath

«‘ I A. B. do folemnly fwear by our Lord Jefus Clirift, who fufFcred for us oi> “ the crofs, and by the blefTed virgin Mary, that I will burn, dellroy, and murder « all hereticks, up to my knees in blood.  So help me God.”

8.

County of the city of Dublin, 1   THE information of William Fleming, of Taghmon, to wit. > in the county of Wexford, yeoman, who being duly

 3 fworn on the Holy Evangelifts, maketh oath, and faith,

That he, this informant, was a yeoman in the Taghmon cavalry, was taken prifoner by the rebels, at Killburn, near Taghmon, aforefaid, on Thurfday, the thirty-firft day

of

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 8.

137

of May laft, by a man of the name of Brien, who was a captain of fald rebels •, and that faid Brien aflccd informant, whether he would be baptized? on which informant replied, that he was baptized before, and that he did not think a fecond baptifm neceffary. Informant faith, that faid Brien afked him, whether he knew that this was a religious war? to which informant replied, he did not; on which faid Brien told informant that no perfon would be fuffered to live but he that was a true Roman catholick. Informant faith, that faid Brien, thereon, cocked his gun, prefented it at informant’s breaft, and declared he would fhoot informant, as he did another orange rafcal the camp at Taghmon aforefaid; but that another of faid rebels told faid Brien, that he had no right or authority to fhoot him, unlefs It was done at the camp. Informant faith, he was then condufted to the faid camp, in the midft of a great crowd of rebels, ■who cried out aloud, which is the orange rafcal that is to be fhot? Informant faith, that his life was faved that evening, by the interference, as informant verily believes, of Mr. William Devereux, a Roman catholick gentleman, of Taghmon aforefaid, who was a captain of faid rebels. Informant faith, that the guards who were placed over him that night, having a knowledge of, and a regard for informant, gave him his liberty, on Which he repaired to a furze brake, where informant lay concealed for two days and two nights. Informant faith, he was advifed by a friend to return to the faid town of Taghmon, as the rebel camp had marched to Carrickbyrne, and which informant did on the fecond day of June, to the beft of his recolle£lion. Informant faith, that fome days after, on or about the third day of June, he was ordered to repair to the camp of Carrickbyrne, in faid county, which informant did from motives of fear. Informant faith, he was compelled to march with faid rebels, on the fourth of June, to a camp at Corbet-hill, within a mile of New Rofs, In faid county, where the rebel officers fixed their head-quarters, at the houfe of one Murphy. Informant faith, that when he was returning thence, after the battle of Rofs, he, this informant, was taken prifoner by a body of rebels, at the bridge of Ballynabola, in faid county. Informant faith, that one of the faid rebels told him, that he had jufl: put an end to an orange rafcal, of the name of Byron; and informant faitli, that he faw, lying in a ditch at Ballynabola aforefaid, John Byron, a proteftant inhabitant of the parifh of Taghmon aforefaid, with whom Informant was well acquainted, and that faid Byron was grlevoufly wounded, and covered with blood, and on the point of expiring. Informant faith, that faid rebels called informant an orange rafcal, and threatened to ferve him as they did Byron; and informant faith, he is convinced in his mind, that faid rebels v/ould have put him to death, but that he produced a pafs which he had obtained from Brien Murphy, a prieft of Taghmon, and that fa’d pafs faved the life of informant. Informant faith, that faid rebels had a cuftom of warning the inhabitants of each townland to attend their army, under pain of death, in cafe of difobedience; and that informant was compelled by fuch warning, to attend a rebel camp at Slievekielter,* fometlme In the beginning of June, where the faid rebels were on the point of trying him for being an orangeman, but that informant v/as relieved by the kind Interference of Mr. John Devereux, of Taghmon. ■ Informant faith, that father Roche, a prieft, who was commander in chief of faid camp, preached a fermon, cr exhortation, to tiie rebels therein, of the following tenor : That they were fighting for iheir religion, their liberty, and the rights of their anceftors, and that they muft perfevere. That they fhould examine their ranks, and If they found any orangemen, or difaffeftcd men among them, to extirpate them, as they could not profper or thrive “ivhiie they had fueh among them.  Informant faith, he was again taken prifoner by a

L S ] body

• ScePlatc_VIL. 7

138’ APPENDIX,  No. XX. 9.

body of the faid rebels, at Killburn mountain aforefaid, on the nineteenth of June, and compelled to repair to the Three-rock camp, near Wexford, where many thoufands of the rebels were aflembled and arrayed for the purpofe ofmarching next day to fight the king’s troops, at Foulkes’s mill in faid county, and that the faid camp was commanded by generals Bagenal Harvey, and father Roche, a prieft. That the faid rebels, in faid camp, marched on the twentieth of June, to Foulkes’s mill aforefaid, where they fought, and were defeated by his majefty’s forces. That the faid rebels returned on the night of the twentieth of June, to the faid camp, at Three-rock hill aforefaid, and that the next day, on the approach of the king’s troops, the faid rebels fled in different diredions, fome towards Wexford, and others towards the barony of Forth, in faid county. Informant faith, that a barn at Scullabogue, in faid county, having a great number of proteftants in it, was confumed on the fifth day of June; and that informant went to faid barn on the feventh day of faid month, to look for the body of one Robert Cooke, a friend, who perifhed therein, for the purpofe of interring it; but informant faith, he could not diflinguifh one body from another, from the injuries the faid bodies fuftained from the fire. That fome of faid bodies were entirely confumed, that the heads and limbs of others were confumed, but the bodies remained entire, but very much difcoloured. That the features of fuch perfons as were not confumed, were fo black and difcoloured, that he could not diftinguifh one from the other. That the bowels of fome of the faid bodies lay cxpofed on the floor. That fome of the faid bodies lay againft the wall, as if in the aft of praying. That a heap of the faid bodies lay near the door of faid barn, to which they flocked, as informant verily believes, for the fake of frefli air, to prevent fuffocation. Informant faith, that he found a guard of rebels at faid barn, and that one of the faid rebels told informant, and fome others who were with informant, and feemingly with much joy and pleafure, that he, the faid rebel, had been afTifting in burning faid barn, and in fliooting a number of proteftant prlfoners, who were buried in the gripe of a ditch, which faid rebel fliewed, witKmuch feeming fatisfaftion, to informant, and thofe who accompanied him. Informant faith, that faid rebel informed him, that one hundred and ninety-nine perfons were confumed in faid barn, or fhot at Scullabogue aforefaid, and that faid rebel turned to one of his comrades, and faid, the number wanted one of two hundred; and that faid rebel told informant, that a man with a pike had been at faid barn, turning up and examining the bodies therein, for money and watches, which informant verily believes to be ti”ue, as the faid bodies fliewed evident marks of having been ftirred, and as the bowels of fome of the faid bodies lay expofed on the ground.

WILLIAM FLEMING.

Sivorn before nie, this t%vcnficth clay of September^ 1 798, WILLOUGHBY LIGHTBURNE.

9.

County of Wexford, 1   MICHAEL ASKINS, having been duly fworn on the Holy to wit. > Evahgelifts, depofeth and faith. That on the fifth of June, he

; was forced to join a party of rebels, and proceed towards Rofs;

that when the party got within three miles of Rofs, they met a man riding very faft, who feemed by his drefs, to be a priefl. That this man cried out, we are defeated, Bagenal Harvey has ruined us; I will go to Scullabogue and deftroy every foul in it. That immediately this man threw down a firelock he had, and gallopped off towards Scullabogue. Deponent faith, he never faw the man before, but that the party he was

with

APPENDIX,  No. XX. lo.

139

with faid, he was the ftouteft prieft in Ireland, father Murphy of Taghmon. That foon after, deponent and the party retreated to ScuUabogue, where they faw thirtynine bodies dead before the door, and the barn burned, and the roof fallen in. Deponent heard that one hundred and fifty perfons were deflroyed in the barn, amongft which were twenty-eight women and fifteen children; and deponent fays, h,e heard the fame from numbers who were there, and he verily believes the numbers were rather more.

Sworn before me, this eighteenth day of January, 1 79^, his

JOHN H. LYSTER. MICHAEL X ASKINS,

mark

10.

COUNTY OF WEXFORD.

Affidavits ftuorn before the reverend John Kennedy, and the reverend Robert Hawkfhaiu^ by the deftre, and in the prefence of general Faiucett.

DAVID NEVILLE fwore an information, the fecond day of July, before the faid John Kennedy, and in prefence of general Fawcett, that John Cody, Michael Devereux, of Battleftown, John Devereux, of Dungulph, and David Walfh, of Ballygo, in the county of Wexford, were bufy in promoting the rebellion; and faid that the obje£l of the rebellion was to murder fuch proteftants as would not turn to mafs.

James Murphy, a papift, depofed, on the fecond day of June, that the objedl of the rebellion was to murder all the proteftants, and to have the kingdom to themfelves.

John Fitzgerald, of Black-hill, depofed the fame, the third of July, 1798.

Charles Reily depofed. That he faw fathers Byrne and Shallow, at the camp at Carrickbyrne, aftive and bufy in promoting the rebellion. Dated fifth of July, 1 798.

Jofeph Kelly, a proteftant, depofed, the fifth of July, 1798, that he vi^as baptized by Bernard Downes, a prieft, along with many more; as he heard and believes, that every proteftant was to be put to death. He alfo depofed, that knocks of furze were fet on fire by the rebels, in expe£tation of finding proteftants hid in them.

Andrew Shepherd, and Patrick Dungannon, of the Royal Irifh artillery, who were taken prifoners at the mountain of Forth, on the thirtieth of May, depofed, that the rebel generals, Roche, Fitzgerald, and Murphy, informed them, that John Colclough, efquire, of Tintern, in the county of Wexford, was at the head of fix hundred rebels, at Tintern aforefaid, ready to cut off” the retreat of the thirteenth regiment of foot, and that fathers Dixon, Cavanagh, Murphy, and feveral other priefts were very bufy and active at the rebel camp at Gorey, promoting and forwarding the rebellion. The faid Dixon endeavoured to perfuade the rebels to march to Dublin, for the purpofe of taking it, and that they would be joined by twenty thoufand rebels in the county of Wicklow.

SCULLABOGUE.

I40 A P P E N D I X,  No. XX.  ii, 12.

I I.

SCULLABOGUE. Redmond  MitchelPs trial.

ON the trial of Redmond Mitchell, alias Mifcelly, held at Wexford, tiic eighteenth of June, i799> it appeared, that he was a£l:ive among the rebels at Scullabogue, in murdering the loyalifts, being armed with a fire-lock, with the but-end of which, he was knocking and battering fuch of the prifoners as were expiring at the front of the dwelling-houfe. He had a pair of new boots on, which were much befpattered with blood, which, and a watch, he obtained from Mr. Loftus Frizzel, a prifoner in the dwelling-houfe, who, and Richard Grandy, were the only prifoners that efcaped. He was fo much admired by the rebels, for his fangulnary and ferocious difpofition, that they called him the true-born Roman.

He gave Mr. Frizzel his (hoes, on getting his boots. Mr. Frizzel gave Mitchell his watch and boots, in hopes that he would fave his life, which he did, and conveyed him to the rebel camp at Carrickbyrne.

That numbers were trying to fet the barn on fire, which was difficult, as the walls were high; that a number of rebels, in front, were piking and firing on the prifoners, who drew in the door to protect themfelves; that they put a bundle of lighted draw in at the door, which fet fire to the barn, which fire they kept up till the prifoners were deftroyed, but many were (hot dead before,

12.^

SCULLABOGUE.

ON the trial of Matthew Furlong, at Wexford, in September, 1799, Robert’ Mills fwore, that he was at Scullabogue, and was ordered to (land guard on the loyalifts who were in the barn. That all the orders to burn the barn were refifted, till three men arrived and faid, that a certain prieft had given orders that the prifoners fhould be put to death; on which the rebels all fet about the murders, and it was impoffible to fay who was moft aftive. Orders were given to put any man to death who fliould quit his poft at the barn. A man ordered the witnefs to guard the door, and not let any of the loyalifts out. The roof was on fire, and the loyalifts were trying to force open the door to efFe£l: their efcape, but were prevented by the rebels, of whom the prifoner was one; and he made feveral ftabs of his pike at thofe who endeavoured to get out, particularly a woman, and on ftriking her he bent his pike. He afterwards went to the forge of Scullabogue, and ftraightened his pike there. Patrick Kerrivan fwore, that the prifoner, in aftifting the rebels to burn die barn, lifted up the thatch with his pike, that others might put faggots under it, and that he called for more ftraw. That he faw him ftrike with a fpear a man who was endeavouring to make his efcape.

On the trial of Michael Murphy, at Wexford, on September fourteenth, 1 799, it appeared, that he was raifing the thatch of the barn for the admiflion of fire, and that he was followed by perfons with lighted bufties, who were puttmg them into the

apertures

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 13.

apertures which he had made. That he and Matthew Furlong, who were guards at the door, fpeared a man who was endeavouring to make his efcape. That the prifoner put his pike under the thatch to make it blaze. That he and Furlong went afterwards to the forge, which was near, to fliarpen his pike and on being alked, whether they were all dead? the prifoner replied, “ I’ll engage they are all fettled.”

September twenty-feventh, 1799, on the trial of Matthew Revel, it appeared, that one gang of aflafTnis, coming from Tintern, with a drove of proteftants, met another at fome diftance from Scullabogue, with Mr. Milward GifFard, and John Moran in their cuftody, and that the two parties joined, went to Scullabogue together, and committed the prifoners to the barn.

On the trial of Patrick Furlong, at Wexford, on the twelfth of September, 1 799, for being concerned in the maflacre at Scullabogue, it was proved, that the meflenger who conveyed orders to captain Murphy, to put the prifoners to death, faid they were fent by father Murphy, which correfponds with the affidavit of Michael Aikins, Appendix xx. 9..

GENERAL ORDERS.

At a meeting of the general and feveral officers of the united army of the county of Wexfordy the following rejolutions ivere agreed upon :

RESOLVED, That the commander in chief (hall fend guards to certain baronies for the purpofe of bringing in all men they fhall find loitering and delaying at home, or elfewhere; and if any refiftance be given to thofe guards fo to be fent by the commanding officer’s orders, it is our defire and orders, that fuch perfons fo giving refiftance, fhall be liable to be put to death by the guards, who are to bear a commiffion for that purpofe; and all fuch perfons fo to be found loitering and delaying at home, when brought in by the guards, fhall be tried by a court-martial, appointed and chofen from amongft the commanders of all the different corps, and be punifhed with death.

Refolved, that all officers fhall immediately repair to their refpe£l:ive quarters, and remain with their different corps, and not depart therefrom under pain of death, unlefs authorized to quit by written orders from the commander in chief for that purpofe.

It is alfo ordered, that a guard fhall be kept in rear of the different armies, with orders to fhoot all perfons who fhall fly or defert from any engagement, and tiiat tliefe orders fhall be taken notice of by all officers commanding fuch engagement*

All men refufing to obey their fuperior officers, to be tried by a court martial, and puniffied according to their fentence.

It is alfo ordered, that all men who ffiall attempt to leave their refpedlive quarters when they have been halted by the commander in chief, fh^li fufTer death, unlefs they fhall have leave from their officers for fo doing.

It is ordered by the commander in chief, that all perfons who have ftolen or taken away any horfe or horfes, ffiall immediately bring in all fuch horfes to the camp, at head quarters, otherwife any horfe that ffiall be feen or found in the poirefLon of any perfon to whom he does not belong, ffiall, on being convicted thereof, futfer death.

And any goods that ffiall have been plundered from any houfe, if not brought in to head quarters, or returned immediately to the houfes, or owners, that all perfons fo plundering as aforefaid, ffiall, on being convidled thereof, lufFer death.

It

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 14.

It is alfo refolved, That any perfon or perfons who (hall take upon him or them to kill or murder any perfon or prifoner, burn any houfs, or commit any plunder, without fpecial written orders from the commander in chief, fliall fuffer death.

Head-quarters, Carrickbyrne camp. By order of

June 6, 1798. B.B.HARVEY, rommander in chief .

FRANCIS BREEN, fecretary and adjutant,

TO THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND.

Countrymen and Felloiu Soldiers!

YOUR patriotick exertions in the caufe of your country have hitherto exceeded your mod fanguine expectations, and in a fhort time muft ultimately be crowned with fuccefs — Liberty has raifed her drooping head; thoufands daily flock to her ftandard; the voice of her children every where prevails — let us then, in the moment of triumph, return thanks to the Almighty Ruler of the univerfe, that a total ftop has been put to thofe fanguinary meafurcs, which of late were but too often reforted to by the creatures of government to keep the people in flavery.

Nothing now, my countrymen, appears neceffary to fecure the conquefts you have fo bravely won, but an implicit obedience to the commands of your chiefs; for, through a want of proper fubordination and difcipline, all may be endangered.

At this eventful period, all Europe muft admire, and pofterity will read with aftonifhment, the heroic aits achieved by people, ftrangers to military tadtics, and having few profelTional commanders; but what power can refift men fighting for liberty!

In the moment of triumph, my countrymen, let not your vi£tories be tarnifhed with any wanton a£t of cruelty; many of thofe unfortunate men now in prifon were not your enemies from principle, molt of them, compelled by necefhty, were obliged to oppofe you •, neither let a difference in religious fentiments caufe a difference amongft the people. Recur to the debates in the Irifh Houfe of Lords of the nineteenth of February laft, you will there fee a patriotic and enhghtened protcflant bijhop (Down, and many of the lay Lords) with manly eloquence, pleading for catholic emancipation and parliamentary reform, in oppofition to the haughty arguments of the lord chancellor, and the powerful oppofition of his fellow courtiers.

To promote a union of brotherhood and afFe£tion amongft our countrymen of all religious perfuafions, has been our principal objedt; we have fworn in the moil folemn manner, have affociated for this laudable purpofe, and no power on earth lhall fliake our refolution.

To niy proteflant foldiers I feel much indebted, for their gallant behaviour in the field, where they exhibited fignal proofs of bravery in the caufe.

EDWARD ROCHE.

,   >    Wexferdy June 7, 1 798.

Cop

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 15, 16.

>43

‘5

Copy of a letter from B. B. Harvey^ to Francis Glafattf efquire, then in the camp of

Slievekiltagh.

Dear Sir,

I RECEIVED your letter, but what to do for you, I know not; I from my heart wifli to protedl all property I can fcarce protedl myfelf; and Indeed my fituation is much to be pitied, and diftreffing to myfelf. I took my prefent fituation in hopes of doing good, and preventing mifchief; my truft is in Providence; I afted always an honeft difmterefted part, and had my advice been taken by thofe in power, the prefent mifchief would never have arifen. If I can retire to a private ftation again I will immediately. Mr. Tottenham’s refufing to fpeak to the gentleman I fent into Rofs, who was madly (hot by the foldiers, was very unfortunate; it has fet the people mad with rage, and there is no reftraining them; the perfon I fent in, had private inftrudtions to propofe a reconciliation, but God knows where this bufinefs will end } but end how it will, the good men of both parties will be inevitably ruined.

I am, with refpeft. Yours, B. B. HARVEY.

16.

By order of the council for direBing the affairs of the people of the county of IVexford. Oaths to be taken by all the united army, in the mofl puhlick and folemn manner.

TEST OATH.

IN the awful prefence of God, I, A. B. do voluntarily declare, that I will perfevere in endeavouring to form a brotherhood cf affeftion among Irifhmen of every religious perfuafion; and that I will alfo perfevere in my endeavours to obtain an equal, full, and adequate reprefentation of all the people of Ireland. I do further declare, that neither hopes, fears, rewards, or punilhments, not even death, fhall ever induce me, direftly or indireftly, to inform, or give evidence agalnft any member or members of this, or fimllar focleties, for any adt or expreflfion of theirs, done or made colledlively or individually In or out of this foclety, In purfuance of the fplrit of this obligation.

So help me God.

Oath of a private.

I, A. B. do folemnly and fmcerely fwear, and take Cod and his only fon our Lord Jefus Chrift to witnefs, that I will at all times be obedient to the commands of my officers; that I am ready to lay down my life, for the good of my country \ that I have an averfion to plunder, and to the fpilling of innocent blood; that I will fight courageoufly In the field, and have mercy where It can be given •, that I will avoid drunkennefs tending to diforder and ruin; that I will endeavour to make as many friends, and as few enemies as poffible; that above all, I deteft a coward,

and

M4

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 17.

and that I will look upon him as an enemy who will ftand back in the time of battle.

So help me God.

Oath of an officer.

IN the awful prefence of God, who knows the heart and thoughts of all men, and calling my country to witnefs, I, A. B. officer in, &c. do folemnly fwear, that I do not confider my life my own, when my country demands it; that I confider the prefent moment calls for a proof of the fincerity of that fentiment, and I am ready and defirous to ftand the teft; and do aver, that I am determined to die, or lead to vi£lory; and that all my aftions fhall be dire£ted to the profperity of the common caufe, uninfluenced by any Inferior motive : and I further declare my utter averfion to all alarmifts, union-breakers, and cowards, and my refpe£l and obedience to the commands of fuperior officers.

So help me God.

Done at the council chamber, Wexford y June \4thy 1798.

By order of the council,

B. B. HARVEY, prefdenty NICHOLAS GRAY, fecretary.

BY the virtuous voice of the people, we whofe names are here under written, do appoint our trufty and well-beloved brother, William Fielding Coftello, to command our artillery and commilTary of our ftores; and we truft this will be noticed by all whom it may concern. Given under our hands at camp at Limerick-hill, this thirteenth day of June, 1798.

EDWARD KYAN. [A copy.] JOHN HAY.

County of IVexfordy’^   ELIZABETH EDWARDS, of John-ftreet, in the town of to -wit.     > Wexford, having been duly fworn on the Holy Evangelifts,

. jdepofeth, and faith, That flie was told by her neighbours who

were Roman cathollcks, that all the proteftants would be put to death on Sunday the tenth of June laft; In confequence of which this deponent went to the chapel on Thurfday the feventh (as deponent believes,) and was baptized by father Broe. Deponent further faith, that fome time in the laft week the faid father Broe came to deponent and demanded payment for having chriftened her; and in four days after, this deponent paid him one fhilling on that account.

SiL’orn before me this 2d day of Januarvy 1799, her

JOHN H. LYSTER. ‘ ELIZABETH X EDWARDS,

mark.

£RIK

APPENDIX,  No. XX. i8, 19, 20.

145

18.

£RIN GO BRAGH! Proclamation of the people of the county of Wexford.

WHEREAS it ftands manifeftly notorious, that James Boyd, Hawtrey White, ‘Hunter Gowan, and Archibald Hamilton Jacob, late magiftrates of this county, have committed the moft horrid a£ts of cruelty, violence, and oppreffion, againil our peaceable and well-afFe£led countrymen :

Now we, the people, aflbciated and united for the purpofe of procuring our juft rights, and being determined to proteft the perfons and properties of thofe of all religious perfuafions who have not opprefled us, and are willing, with heart and hand, to join our glorious caufe, as well as to Ihew our marked difapprobation and horror of the crimes of the above delinquents, do call on our countrymen at large, to ufe every exertion in their power to apprehend the bodies of the aforefaid James Boyd, Hawtrey White, Hunter Gowan, and Archibald Hamilton Jacob, and to fecure and convey them to the gaol of Wexford, to be brought before the tribunal of the people.  Done at Wexford, this ninth day of June, 1798.

GOD SAVE THE PEOPLE,

19.

ERIN GO BRAGH!

3o all Iripmen and foldiers tvho ivi/h to Join their brothers in arms, ajfenibled for the defence of our country, our rights and liberties, thefe fe-w lines are addreJJ’ed.

WE, the honeft patriots of our country, do mod earneftly intreat and invite you to join your natural Irifh ftandard. This is the time for Irifhmen to fhew their aeal for their country’s good, the good of their pofterity, and the natural rights and liberties of Ireland. Repair then, to the camps of liberty, where you will be generoully received, and amply rewarded. We know your hearts are with us; and all you want is an opportunity to defert thofe tyrants who wifh to keep you as the fupport of their oppreffive and hellilh fchemes, to enilave our country. Done at Wexford, by the unanimous voice of the people, fourteenth June, 1798.

GOD SAVE THE PEOPLE.

20.

County of the city of Dublin, T   THE information of James Rowfom, of Managena, to ivit. Vof the parilh of Monomalin, &c. county of Wexford,

 3 fari’ner, who being duly fworn on the Holy Evangelifts,

maketh oath, and faith, That he made his efcape from his own houfe to Gorey in faid county, on Whitfun Sunday laft, in order to fave his life; and that after the battle of Tubberneering near Gorey aforefaid, in which colonel Walpole fell, he

[ T 3 retreated

I

146 A P P E N D I X,  No. XX. 20.

retreated from Gorey aforefald, to the town of Wicklow, where he, this informant, remained till a day or two after the battle of Vinegar-hill. Informant faith, that he, and about twenty proteftants, men who fled from the vengeance of the papifl rebels, returned to Gorey, about two days after faid battle, thinking that the fuccefs of the king’s troops therein had reftored peace and tranquillity in ,the faid county about Gorey aforefaid. Informant faith, that on the day of his arrival at Gorey, a number of rebels flying from Vinegar-hill arrived at Gorey, and put to flight a great number of proten;ants, and killed every one that fell into their hands of faid protcdants to the amount of, he believes and heard, thirty or forty. Informant faith, that in his flight from Gorey thither, informant was taken prifoner by the rebels on Kilmurry-hill, within two miles of Gorey aforefaid, when their commander, who was well drefled and well mounted, told informant tliat he knew him to be an orangeman. Informant faith, that the faid commander defired the faid rebel corps to advance, on which one of the faid corps faid, “ I will flioot him but the faid rebel commander faid, “ No, leave him to me.” On which the faid rebel having advanced and left informant in cuflody of faid commander, informant faith, that the faid commander defired informant to lie down that he might flioot him; and this informant thereon began to plead for his life, declaring that he was no orangeman, but an induftrious poor man, who gained his fubfiflence by his labour, on which the faid rebel commander rode up againft him violently, and threw him into a ditch; and having defired him to lie down a fecond time, lie this informant complied, on which the faid rebel commander fliot him in the head and broke his jaw; the faid rebel commander having thereon faid, “ I am fure he is dead,” to two or three of the rebel foldiers who happened to remain with him. Informant faith, he is convinced in his mind, that the faid rebel commander had no other reafon for fliooting him, than that he was a proteftant. Informant faith, he was fo much weakened by the lofs of blood, that he lay on the fpot where he was fo wounded for the fpace ot five hours. Informant faith, when he gathered a little ftrength and thought, and that the rebels had departed, he retired to an adjacent field, and concealed himfelf in fome ferns, hoping to make his efcape in the night. Informant faith, that a party of rebels having come to the place where he had been (hot, and feeing that he had mad? his efcape, they went in quell of him, this informant, and having found him, they the faid rebels exclaimed, “ Let us flioot him.” Informant faith, that one of the faid rebels then fired ax him with a muflcet, and drove a bullet through his left arm; but the faid rebel perceiving he had not killed him, called out another rebel to fhoot him; but the faid rebel faid in anfwer, that he had but one charge, and that he would not throw it away on informant, but they faid we will pike him, which however they could not do, as they had no pikes. Informant faith, that one of the faid rebels took a large (tone and ftruck informant fo violently in the head with it, that they left him fpeechlefs and fenfelefs, and apparently dead. Informant faith, that in the night he made his efcape over colonel Ram’s demefne, withf/ut coat, fhoes, or fl;ocking3,* to the houfe of Thomas Ennis, of Benogue, and remained there all night in a pig-ftye; that in the morning the faid Ennis gave him a blanket to cover him, and fome milk and water to drink; that he ixmained there all day, and next night. Informant faith, that during all that time he received no other nourlfhment than milk and water adminiftered to him with a fpoon. Informant faith, that the faid Ennis had him conveyed next day in a car to Gorey aforefaid; and that one of the military furgeons had him conveyed from thence in a car to Bray, in the counry of Wicklow, where informant remained in a military hofpital till the twenty-third day of Auguft.  Informant faith,

his

♦ The rebels ftripped him.

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 2r, 22.

his under jaw is completely fiiattercd, tliat all his teeth are loofe, and that he can receive no nouriihuient but with a ipoon. Informant faith, his dwclling-houfe, furniture, out-offices, and farming utenfils had been burned or deftroyed, and that hij cows and horfcs have been carried off by the rebels.

TAMES ROWSOM, 60 yars old.

Sivoni before me this l^tB day of Angnfly 1798,

THOMAS FLEMING, lord mayor of the city of Dublin.

2 Ir

The depofttion of Jamts Pippardy fovereigtt of the town of Gorey^ county of W sxford,

WHO being examined, depofeth and faith, that on AVednefday ami Thurfday, the twentieth and twenty-firfl: days of June laft, 1798, a great number of proteilants, botli men and women, returned from Arklow to Gorey (on their hearing tliat the rebels had left the town of Gorey, on finding that his majefty’s army was in purfuit of them) the rebels then made for Vinegar-hill; that on Friday, the twenty-fccond day of June, being tlie day after the engagement with his majefly’s army, and the rebels at Vinegar-hill, near Ennifcorthy, the rebels, to the amount of three hundred or upwards, armed with firelocks and pikes, retreated from the army, and came back to Gorey. On the proteflrants retreating to Arklow, the rebels purftled them, and killed the number of thirty-fix of the loyalifts, by flioot’ing and piking them in tho moft barbarous and cruel manner. Deponent was one of the number that retreated from Gorey, and narrowly efcaped with his life. Deponent further faith, that tht rebels kept a conftant fire at the loyalifts from Gorey, till they got almoft to the village of Coolgraney, near fix miles.

JAMES PJPPARD.

Sworn before mc, this th’trty-firfl day of December y 1 798, HUNTER GOWAN.

22.

Thomas Clearys confejfioti relative to the murder oj his mcfiev.

THOMAS CLEARY was executed the eighth of March, 1800, for the murder of his mafter, Edward Turner, efquire, on the bridge of Wexford. Jult before his execution, he made the following confeffion, in prefence of Jofhua Nurm, efquire, high fheriff, the underfigned gentlemen, and many others : Thiit he was guilty of the faid murder. On his being alked, did he not think it a fin to kill his malter? he replied, that he often heard the people fay, it was not a fin to kill him; and that fince the murder of liis mafter, he received abfolution from two priefts; father Murpliv of parilh of Kilrufli, in faid county, and father Ryan, who had done duty fcr father Ned Redmond, of the parifh of Ferns. He was alfo afked, did they order him to do any thing for committing fo horrid a crime? He anfwered, they ordered Iiirn to faft three* days in each week, for three months, as a penance.

JOSHUA NUNN, high fJunff. JAMES BOYD. CHRISTOPHER WILSON. WILLIAM TURNER. [ T 2 ] Reverend

This was to fall from meat only.

148

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 23.

Do^or Cattlfield’s letter to Bryan Murphy,

Reverend Bryan Murphy!

BEING well and truly informed that you have impioufly and facrilegioufly dared to attempt to adminifter facraments without having any faculties fo to do, nay, that you have had the diabolical audacity to attempt to hear facramental confeflions, and to give the unfortunate penitents abfolution, which was abfolutely not in your power to give, thereby heaping coals on your own head, leaving the unhappy Tinners in their fins, and, as was your pra£lice, leading them to utter perdition, &;c. &c. Wherefore in the necelTary difcharge of our paftoral and indifpenfable duty, and for the fafety of the faithful committed to our charge, we now again repeat, and hereby declare you abfolutely and to all intents and purpofes deprived of all prieftly faculties, and abfolutely fufpended from all prieftly funftions whatfoever, except the recital of the divine office on canonical hours, and faying one mafs daily, and that privately in your own houfe only; and we hereby exprefsly and ftriftly forbid and interdift you to celebrate mafs elfewhere; and we further order and peremptorily command you not to fufFer or allow any congregations or aflembly of people to come even to your own houfe, or to hear your mafs there. Given in Balliane, >Iarch nineteenth, 1800,

JAMES CAULFIELD.*

Tis reverend Bryan Murphy,

Tagimon, March 21th, 1800.

My Lord,

Pleas your lordfhip, after what you faid to me yefterday, nothing (hould or could prevail on me to be agaen troublefome to your lordlhip, but juft this, father Murphy underftanding that there was no immediate allowance to fay mafs outfidc his own houfe, exclaimed, that he was then pointed out a facrifice, and that he might thank me for it; I told your lordlhip yefterday that I was the caufe of his taking on the ftole, and of his doing the other offices he did, which your lordfhip faid you never knew or allowed, &c. to be given him; and that it was the pope only that could difpenfe with him now; and this to be all through my means, heated and interdifted by your lordfhip, condemned and fufpe£l:ed by him of purpoHy bringing him into a fnare, is exceedingly terrifying to the mind; and the confequences that may as yet be apprehended to follow, alarms me moft of all, the diftraclion of the people, his life, &c. all he wants is merely to get leave to fay mafs outfide his own houfe, and where called on, by way of preventing all other mifchieves, the comma nd of your lordfhip fliall be kept by me, who am,

My Lord, Your Lordihip’s moft humble fervant, DENIS KELLY.

My lord, with all the defires of life and foul, I moft earneftly beg the favour,— My lord, your lordffiip was pleafed to remark that your lordfhip was never moved by any intereft whatfoever temporal, to do any thing but your duty,’ which I believe no perfon doubted or ought to doubt — fo God knows, and your lordfliip muft in your foul know, that your lordfliip is anfwerable between father Murphy and me, for any fundlion to my knowledge he has done, for I thought your filence on the occation gave me your tacet confent.

Reverend

♦ It appears that the doflor had withdrawn the faculty or power of -attorney which he had given Bryan Murphy to forgive fins.

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 2j.

149

Reverend fir, and worthy friend!

AS there are various reports and reafons afligned amongft the people for my prefent lituation, and my being fo treated by my bifliop; fome faying, for fuch a caufe, and others for different caufes, &c. all of which are falfe, as you’l fee from his lordihip’s letter, which he fent me without ever acquainting me off, till I received it in my houfe; nor did he call or acquaint reverend Mr. Kelly, any move than me, but palTed fentence without hearing him or me. Reverend fir, I did not adminefter any iacrament, from the firft day I was reflriiSled, till about feventeen months back, and that after Mr. Kelly told his lordfhip that he would not anfwer all the calls, and that he fhould fend me to ferve neceflary calls, &c. at which his lordfliip feemed all pleafant, and faid nothing. Reverend Mr. Kelly after that, fent me to anfwer occational calls, and thus continued for the courfe of feventeen months, or thereabouts, without my hearing a word to the contrary. On my receiving the bifliop’s letter, Mr. Kelly went to him, but could do nothing; and the next day he wrote to him, the copy of which you have inclofed; but his lordfhip did not anfwer his letter. I wrote alio, and did not receive any anfwer. What moftly concerns me, that my friends and wellwifhers Ihould think my prefent treatment from the bifhop, Ihould proceed from any bad pra£lices, efpecially your reverence, John Heatly, efquire, and William GofF, elx^uire, &c,  I am.

Reverend fir,

Brikets-town, Your fincere well-wifher,

Jprir twenty-eighth, 1 800. ^nd very humble fervant,

^  To the reverend Mr.  BRYAN MURPHY.

County of Wexford, 1   ELIZABETH CRANE, of the county of Wexford, widow* to wit.     > being duly fworn on the Holy Evangelifts, depofeth and faith,

 3 That on the twentieth day of June laft, fhe was in her own

houfe, in great anxiety, apprehending, from circumftances which had happened that morning, the life of her ibn-in-law, Middleton Robfon, a loyalift, then a prifoner in the gaol of Wexford, to be in immediate and imminent danger that in the afternoon of faid twentieth day, between the hours of two and four of the clock, as faicl deponent believeth, {he faw the reverend doftor Caulfield, accompanied by the reverend Mr. Roche, a prieft of faid town, pafs by her houfe towards a lane which communicates from the back ilreet of faid town to Gibfon’s-lanc, which gave her great pleafure, as fhe fuppofed they were going to intercede for the prifoners. That near the entrance of faid lane they were met by a number of men, armed v/ith pikes and other weapons, coming, as fhe believeth, from the gaol, who, as they came up to doctor Caulfield, kneeled down, for the purpofe, as deponent believeth, of receiving do£tor Caulfield’s bleffing, which he gave, fpreading his hands over their heads, as fhe had feen him do to others whom he bleffed, and that the men afterwards palled on, as fhe fuppofeth, to the bridge; and that very fliortly afterwards, two men, arm.ed with pikes, entered her houfe, v/ho told her, “ they were flaughtering on the bridge; that theywould never draw bridle, till they would put them all on a level, and that by that time to-morrow, there would be neither buying or felling in Wexford :” and that immediately before, or during the time do6tor Caulfield was blefhng, which was of a

tedious

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 24.

Mark. No. killed.  I  Aikin, Thomas

Paiilh.

tedious length, nearly, as fhe thinks, an hour, faid deponent heard a (hot, by which Die believes Matthewfon was killed at the gaol.

ELIZABETH CRANE

Siuorn before me at W exfordy this Jixteenth day of Marchy i

WILLIAM TOOLE.

24.

Copy of the calendar * of the’ proteflant prlfoncrs in W i-xfrdy ufed in the bloody coiirmittee which fat in the gaol, the tiventielh of fune^ the original of ivhich is lodged in’ Trinity college ribrary, Dublin.

Mark.  No. Parifii.. Byrne, Edward Byrne, William Baiiiion, Martin C

Cox, captain Allen CoolclifF. Connor, John

Clarke, William Wexford. Chapman, Thomas Carty, John

Codd, Loftus do. Clifford, Robert doi Coftigan, George do. Crane, Thomas do. Clifford, John do. Clarke, Thomas do. Clarke, Thom.id do. Clarke, Wil]i:i.n do, Cronin, Jared Clarke, John Callaghan, John Callaghan, Owen Codke, Thomas

Conners, Peters ‘ Crump, Nathaniel   Wexford. , Cooper, Henry do. Copeland William Clifford, Niehoias Wexford. Campbell, John Coftigan, Wilham Wexford. Cooper, John Coombes, John Codd, John

Coftello, Edwaid Ballyhack. D

Daniel, William WexfordDoyle, Edward Dovvi’e, William Doran, John Dixon, John Dixon, William Dowztr, James E

Efmund, Richard

V “i

4

5

B 6

V A— 7

8

I H— 9

H 10

V H— II II 13 14 15 16 17 18

19

do. do. do. do.

BBVVGB

20 ai

-IX

-i3 -Z4 -i5 -26

-17 28 29 30 31 3* 33 34 35 36 37 38

39 40

41 42

Allen, John Alkins, Henry A(kiiis, George Atkin, Samuel Atkin, John Atkin, George Atkin, Samuel Atkin, Samuel Atkin, Hcrculea Atkin, Chriftopher Atkin, James Atkin, Wilham Atkin, Robert Atkin, William Atkin, William Atkin, William Atkin, Francis B

Bayly, Henry Birdthiftle, Thomas Burrell, Robert Burreil, Peter Boyd, James, jun. Brett, James Bolton, Henry Bytnc, John Baffet, Edvvard. Browne, William Beaubear, William Burby, Jofeph Bland, Captain Byrne, Motes Bower, dod^or Baker, Philip Batterton, Thomas Barby, Henry Burke, lieutenant Barry, enlign Barrifter, Jofeph Batterton, William Baflet, John

43

44

45

V B

-46

4 7

do.

B —

—48

do.

40 *ty

C. Ellis.

T —

— CO

do.

T —

do.

T —

J *

do’.

C —

-33

Edcrmine.

B—

-54

do.

~~55

Wexford.

56

Ardcolme.

57

Edermine.

58

C.Ellis.

59

Wexford.

60

61

Wexford.

6i

63

Duncor.

64

do.

65

Wexford.

66

Ennifcorthy.

67

68

69

70

71

Ardcolm

7i

73

Wexford.

74

B—

— 75

76

77

78

79

So

81 81

83 Ennis,

* In this calendar, the word difcharged, is oppofitc the names of Kellet, Crump, and Bland, though the two laft v/ere not liberated till the twcnty-firft of June, the day after the maiTacre; and as this entry mull have been made the day before, when Atkins got the book, it in fome degree proves the fecrct interference and influence of father Corrin, in confequence of the compait with the ladies at Clcnard. See pages 486 and 48 7 of the text,

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 24.

Wexford.

Wexford. Ennifcorthy. Wexford.

Mark.  No. Parilh,

83 Ennis, Abraliam B 84 Edwards, John

85 Edwards, Thomas

F

86 Freeman, Richard F 87 Frankland, Edward

88 Furlong, Michael

89 Francis, William

90 Finn, Simon

91 Fennel], Mathevv 91 Flood, Denis

93 Frizel, William

94 Foley, Patrick

95 Frayne, Parfons

B 96 Finn, Thomas Killimuck.

G

97 Gibfon, John Wexford.

98 Gainfort, Jofeph

99 Gainfort, Richard

B 100 Gainfort, Thomas Wexford

101 Gore, John Dcormuck.

102 Gill, Allen

103 Giirley, William Wexford,

104 Gibfon, Richard

105 Gurly, John Wexford. B 106 Gurly, Jonas do.

107 Goodall, James do.

108 Green, Benjamin Coolftuff.

109 Gray, Mofes

110 Gordon, Samuel Wexford.

111 Gafney, Michael    B. gale.

H

B III Hore, William Taghmon.

113 Hogan,John Wexford.

1 14 Hayley, John

115 Hyland, Wm. Henry WexfordE 116 Harrifon, William

117 Hughes, James Wexford.

118 Hughes, Michael

B 119 Hatchell, John Wexford.

no Hawkins, Samuel izi Hamilton, James Wexford. ‘ 111 Hogg, lieutenant IZ3 Howlin, Abr. James Kilcorham

B 114 Hennefy (Geo.or Abr.) Wexford.

I

IZ5 JefFarf s, Richard Wexford.

B ii6 Jelfares, Ivory Wexford.

F 127 Jones, Benjamin

B 128 Julian, Richard Wexford.

129 Jackfon, Charles Wexford.

1 30 Jones, Ben.

131 JefTarcs, Chriftopher Wexford. J34 Judd, Peter

133 Jones, Sheppard

134 Jones, James

K

135 Keer, David

B 136 Kennedy, William

V. hill. 137 Kavanagh, Thomas Ennifcorthy.

138 Knox, Oliver

139 Kelly, John

140 King, Rd. Newton Ennifcorthy,

Mark.  No. Parifh. 141 Kelly, MathiaJ IA% Keary, William

143 Kellet, William Wexford.

144 Kelly, William

145 Kingfborough, lord

146 Kendrick, Jofepk

147 Knight, John

L

B 148 Lett, Charles

T 149 Lammas, Thomas Wexford.

150 Lachey, Thomas do.

151 Lewis, Nicholas K limick. 151 Lammas, Henry Wexford.

153 Le Hunte, col. Geo. Ardcolme.

M

154 Meadows, Arthur Wexford.

155 Meadows, William do.

156 Moore, Jofeph do.

157 Myden, John

158 Morgan, William

159 Mathews, James do.

160 Mathews, George do.

161 Mathews, Alexander do. Gaol  162 Matthewfon, Kennct do. Balbrigi63 Murphy, Francis    Kfcoran. Strand 164 Murphy, Jofeph  K. muckridge.

165 M’lienry, Maurice

166 Moore, M atthcw

167 Moran, Bartholomew

168 Molony, Thomas

169 Maude, Samuel

170 Mafon, George

171 M’Manus, captain died  172 Morton, John

J 73 M’Cann, Edward

174 M’Kay, Robert

175 M’Kay, John

176 Milward, captain Henry

1 77 Martin, Thomas   B. Gale

178 M’Donald, John Wexford.

N

1 79 Nunn, James Wexford.

O

180 Orange, Samuel

18 ( Owen, reverend Roger Camolis. P

182 Pigott, Robert Wexfard.

183 Peace, Samuel

184 Parfley, Robert

185 Plummer, Francis

186 Power, Patrick

187 Parfley, Eben.

188 Quirke, Philip

R

189 Rudd, Anthony Ennifcorthy.

190 Rogers, Edward -191 Reily, William Wexford. -192 Radford, William -193 Radford, John -194 Radford, Nathaniel -195 Reeves, Richard

B— 196 Radford

1^2

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 25.

Mark.  No. Parifti.

B 196 Radford, John,jiin.

B 197 Rohfon, Middleton Wexford.

198 Rudd, Anthony

199 Richards, Richard Wexford.

200 Redmond, Patrick

aoi Richards, Thomas Wexford.

202 Riglcy, Thomas

203 Rhynhart, Henry

S

ao4 Smith fon, Jofeph

305 Salifbury, James Wexford.

ao6 Stephens, Ifaac Wexford.

107 Sullivan, Robert

B 108 Sparrow, John

A 209 Sudal, Loftus

F 110 Sabourin, Chriftopher Wexford.

ail Seally, I’homas

212 Svveetman, Nicholas B 213 Sunderland, Benjamin

214 Smith, Jofeph

215 Strowd, William Wexford.

216 Smith, Patrick

217 Smithfon, Jacob ai& Shaw, James

219 Sheppard, William

a»o Styles, Robert

121 Stedman, John

2t2 Swannick, Francis Wexford.

223 Savage, Major Mulran.

224 Swiney, Benj. Burton Ennifcor.

225 Swiney, Jofhiia do.

226 Steadman, William

227 Shaw, Thomas

T

B 228 Turner, Edward    C. Ellis.

229 Taylor, Chriftopher Vv^’xford.

230 Taylor, William do. B    231 Tally, George do<

23a Taylor, Thomas

233 l aylor, Andrew

234 Troy, Thomas Wexford.

235 Troy, William do.

236 Thackaberry, James 257 Taylor, George

238 Thackaberry, Robert 2J9 Tuncks, John

240 Templeton, Alexander

241 Templeton, 1 homas

Mark. No.

242

-243 244 24? 246 247

-248

-249 250 251

^5* 2J3 a54 455 256 257 158 259 260 261

Vicary, Benjamin W

Wormi’.jton, Wm V/heelock, James Wilfon, William Willis, Thomas White, John Wiftnot, William Whitney, Richard Willis, William Walters, Edward Winter, Richard White, Anthony Wilfon, reverend Ward, Abraham Ward, Benjamin Woodmafon, Noble WilfoH, William Wade, J. Stephens, Ifaac Burkett, Robert.

Pari III Wexford. Wexford. WexfordWexford.

Wexford. Ennifcorlhy.

Wexford.

Henry

Wexford.

Prifoners in the market-houfe Gaol

Guard fliip Barracks Court houfe Connick’s

48

148 22

36

3

3

Total 260

Prifoners piked on the bridge, twentieth of June

97

Marks in the calendar affixed to the names of prifoners.

B. V. T.

Killed on bridge. I cannot explain.

To-morrow, fuppofed to mean the deferring execution to the twcnty-firft of June.

Not explained, (fuppofed) AcciifedRogue, or revenue officer Charged.

Confejfton of faith found in the box of a pritfi at Gorey.

I WHEN we aflemble, we all crofs ourfelves, fayLng»; we acknowledge thefed.our articles, in the prefence of Chrift’s vicar, the Lord G^dd the pope, and in the prefence of the holy primates, bifhops, monks, friars, and priefts.

* Wc acknowledge they can make vice virtue, and virtue vite, according to their pleafure.  They all falling flat on their faces, beginning the articles in this manner,

and

f See cardinal Bcllarminc’s opinion on this, page 14 of the text.

APPENDIX,  No. XX. 25.

and fpeaklng to the Hoft, faying. Holy, glorious, and admirable hoft, we acknowledge it according to our great father the pope’s mind; ^we muft ail fall down before the great effigy of our Lord God Almighty.

3 We all acknowledge the fupremacy of the holy father, the Lord God the pope, and that he is Peter’s lawful fucceflbr in the chair.

4 We acknowledge that holy Peter has the keys of Heaven, and will receive thole that acknowledge his fupremacy.

5 We are bound to believe no falvation out of our holy church.

6 We are bound to believe that the holy maflacre was lawful, lawfully put into execution againft proteftants, and likewife to continue the fame, provided with the fafety of our lives.*

7 We are bound to curfe, ring the bells, and put out the candles four times a year on hereticks.

8 We are bound to believe a heretick can never be faved, unlefs he be a partaker of that holy facrament, extreme un<3:ion.

9 We are bound to believe that thofe who elope from our holy religion, go into the power of the devil, whom hereticks have followed.

10 We are not to keep our oaths with hereticks, if they can be broken; for, fays our holy father, they have followed damnation, and Luther and Calvin.

1 1 We are not to believe their oaths, for their principles are damnation.

12 We are bound to drive hereticks out of the land, with fire, fword, faggot, and confufion. As our holy father fays, if their herefy prevails, we will become their flaves! Oh! dear father, keep us from that; (here the holy water is ftiaken, and they fay. Hail Mary three times.

1 3 We are bound to abfolve with money, or price, thofe that imbrue their hands

in the blood of a heretick. , »4   We are bound to believe that Chrift’s vicar, the Lord God, the pope, can abfolve all men, hereticks excepted, and thofe given to all clergymen under infpection to do the like. »

1 5 We are bound to believe all the articles our holy church commands.

16 We are bound to believe the virgin Mary has more power in Heaven than any other angel.

1 7 We are bound to pray to the holy r.ngels, that they may pray for us.

18 We are bound to believe in the holy crofs, holy water, holy fpittle, holy earth, holy bones, holy people, aud beads, and that they are to be ufed on certain occafions.

19 We are bound to celebrate the holy mafs in’ latin, having ourfelves clothed in a holy veftment and ftiirt, and bearing the holy crofs on our fhoulders, fignifying we are Chrift.

20 We are bound to believe, every time mafs is celebrating, there Is an expiatory facrifice for the living and the dead.

21 We are bound to believe there are four places of purgation, viz. Limbus infantum, Limbus patrum, Meadows of eafe, and Purgatory.

22 We are bound to believe that Chrift was three days in Limbus patrum, . where the fouls of holy fathers go, till they get a pafs with them to holy Peter.

23 We are bound to believe, that the fouls of children unbaptized, go to Limbus infantum, until original fin is well paid away, by the help. of holy maffes faid for them.

24 V/e knov/ the fouls of chriftians go to purgatory, and remain there tiil we pray them out of it, that they may have power to walk the meadows of cafe with

[ U ] fafety

♦ This it is believed was compofcd foon after tiiat of 1641, and alludes to it.

154

APPENDIX,  No. XXI. i.

fafety, till it pleafes holy Peter to open the gates of glory for them, where no heretick (hall ever enter.

25 We are bound to keep lent according to our clergies pleafure, and to maintain the work of fupererogation.

26 We acknowledge the lake in the North to be holy, called lough Dergh.

27 We are bound to pray to no other faint on that day, only to him to whom it is

dedicated.

28 We muft baptize bells, confecrate chapels, and no man to enter into the holy office of a prieft, only he who is known to be a man.

29 We maintain feven facraments eflential to falvation, viz. baptifm, eucharift, penance, extreme unftion, holy order, confirmation, and matrimony.

30 We maintain that we can tranfubftantiate the bread and wine into the real body and .blood of Chrift.

3 1 We believe the hereticks eat their kind of facrament to their eternal damnation.

32 We believe that Chrift is every where, but particularly in our church.

33 We maintain that we cannot marry any heretick woman without being in danger of judgment.

34 We.malntain, that hereticks know neither the will of the prophet nor of Chrift’

35 We acknowledge, that the rofary of faint Bridget is to be faid once a week*, and laftly, that our holy church can never err,

■Sectila feculomm. S.

Roche and Murphy faid mafs four times on the march from Gorey to Arklow.

No. XXI. I.

Dublin Cajlky lid June, 1798.

Extra5l of a letter from lieutenant general Lake to lord vifcount Cajllereaghy dated

Enuifcorthy^ nfl Juney 1 798.

« My Lord,

*’ I HAVE the honour to acquaint your lordfliip, for his excellency the lord lieutenant’s information, that the rebel camp upon Vinegar-hill, was attacked this morning, at feven o’clock, and carried in about an hour and an half.

« The relative importance of this very ftrong pofition with our operations againft Wexford, made it necefl’ary to combine our attacks fo as to infure fuccefs. A column, under major-generals Johnfon and Euftace was drawn from Rofs, and began the attack upon the town of Ennifcorthy, fituate upon the right bank of the Slaney, clofe under Vinegar-hill upon the right, and rather in the rear of it.

“ Lieutenant general Dundas commanded the centre column, fupported by a column upon the right under major generals fir James DufF and Loftus; a fourth column upon the left was commanded by the honourable major general Needham. To the determined fpirit with which thefe columns were condu<Sl:ed, and the great gallantry of the troops, we are indebted for the Ihort refiftance of the rebels, who maintained their ground obftinately for the time above mentioned •, but ,on perceiving the danger of being furrounded, they fled with great precipitation. Their lofs is not yet afcertalned, but it muft be very confiderable. The lofs on our part is not great, the particulars of which I fliall report as foon as poffible. In the mean time, I am forry to fay, that lieutenant Sandys of the Longford regiment is killed;

and

APPENDIX,  No. XXI. i.

‘55

and that colonel King, of the Sligo, was wounded in gallantly leading his regiment. Lord Blayney, and colonel Vefey, of the county of Dublin regiment, are alfo wounded, but I am happy to add, that the wounds of thefe three officers are very flight.

“ I cannot too highly exprefs my obligations, particularly to lieutenant general Dundas, and the general officers, on this occafion, for the abilities and ardour fo ftrongly manifefted by them; and to the officers of every rank, and the private men, for a prompt, brave and efFeftual execution of their orders.

“ To colonel Campbell, with his light battalion, I am much indebted for their very fpirited attack; and great praife is due to the earl of Ancram and lord Roden, for tlieir gallant charge with their regiments, at the moment the cavalry was wanted to complete the fuccefs of the day.

“ It is with great gratitude I alfo beg leave to mention the able affiftance I received from major generals Hewitt and Cradock, and from colonel Handfield, on this, as I do on all occafions; and fliould be extremely wanting to myfelf, as well as to lord Glentworth, lieutenant colonel Blyth, and lieutenant colonel Readj (who did me the honour to volunteer their fervice, and accompany me from Dublin,) were I to omit expreffing the high fenfe I entertain of their active and ufeful aid to me this morning. I alfo beg leave to mention, in the fame warm terms, my aid-de-camp, captain Nicholfon.

“ To the rapid and well-dire£led fire of the royal artillery, and the gallantry of their officers and men, for which they have ever been diftinguiffied, I confider myfelf this day highly indebted; and I am happy in expreffing my obligations to captain Bloomfield, commanding the Britifh, and captain Crawford, commanding tlve Irifli Royal Artillery, with the officers and men under their command.”

I have, &c

(Signed) G. LAKE.

“ P. S. I have jufl learned that lieutenant colonel Cole is flightly wounded, Inclofed is a return of the ordnance taken on Vinegar-hill, in which are included three taken from us on the fourth of June.”

Return oj ot’dmnce as taken from the rebels on Vinegar-hilly 1\Jl June^ 1798=

3 Six-pounders, brafs. I Three-pounder. 7 One-pounders. I 5i Inch howitzer.

I 4i Inch howitzer.

13 Total.

Roundi of ammunition,

17 Six-pounders. 30 One-pounders.

II 5f Inch howitzers.

Note. — A cart, with a vaft variety of balls of different diameters, had been thrown • down the hill after the adion, and immenfe quantities of lead and leaden balls delivered over to the Dunbarton fencibles.

(Signed)

ROBERT CRAWFORD, captain R. 1. A.

Dublin

APPENDIX,  No. XXI. 2.

2.

Dublin Cajlky 2^d June, 1798. This day the following letter luas received from lieutenant general Lake by lord Cajllereagh;

Wexford, lid June, 1798.

My Lord,

«< YESTERDAY afternoon I had the honour to difpatch a letter to your lordship from Ennifcorthy, with the tranfaftions of the day, for his excellency the lord lieutenant’s information; and the enclofed copy of a letter from brigadier general Moore, to major general Johnfon, will account for my having entered this place without Oppofition. General Moore, with his ufual enterprizc and aftivity, pufhed on to this town, and entered it fo opportunely as to prevent it from being laid in aflies, and the maflacre of the remaining prifoners, which the rebels declared their intention of carrying into execution the very next day; and there can be little doubt it would have taken place, for the day before they murdered above feventy prifoners, and threw their bodies over the bridge.

“ Inclofed is a copy of my anfwer to the propofals of the inhabitants of this town, tranfmitted in my letter of yefterday to your lordfliip; the evacuation of the town by the rebels renders it unneceflary.I have the pleafure to acquaint your lordfhip, that the fubfcriber of the infolent propofals, Mr. Keugh, and one of their principal leaders, Mr. Roche, with a few others, are in my hands, without negotiation. The rebels are reported to be in fome force within five miles of this place, it is fuppofed, for the purpofe of fubmifllon, to which the event of yefterday may ftrengthen their inclinations. I have reafon to think there are a number fo <iifpofed, and that I fhall be able to fecure fome more of their leaders; but fhould I be difappointed in my expe(Sl:ations, and find they coUeiSl: in any force, I fhall iofe no time in attacking them.

I have, &c.

G. LAKE.

Lord vifcount Cafllereagh.

From enquiry the numbers killed yefterday were very great indeed.

‘ Camp above Wexford, lid June, 1798.

Dear General,

*’ AGREEABLE to your order, I took poft on the evening of the nineteenth, near Foulke’s-mill, in the park of Mr. Sutton. Next day I fent a ftrong detachment under lieutenant colonel Wilkinfon, to patrole towards Tintern and Clonmines, with a view to fcour the country, and communicate with the troops you dire£ted to join me from Duncannon. The lieutenant colonel found the country deferted, and got HO tidings of the troops. I waited for them until three o’efock in the afternoon, when, clefpairing of their arrival, I began my march to Taghmon. “We had not marched above half a mile, wiven a confiderable body of the rebels was perceived marching towards us. I fent my advanced guard, confifting of the tv/o rifle companies of the 60th, to Ikirmifli with them, whilft a howitzer, and a fix-pounder were advanced to a crofs road above GofF’s-bridge, and fome companies of light infantry formed en each fide of them under lieutenant colonel Wilkinfon. The

rebels

APPENDIX,  No. XXI. 2.

rebels attempted to attack thefe, but were inftantly repulfed, and driven beyond the bridge. A large body were perceived at the fame time moving towards my left. Major Aylmer, and afterwards major Daniel, with five companies of light infantry, and a fix-pounder, were detached againft them. The 60th regiment, finding no further oppofition in front, had, of themfelves, inclined to their left to engage the body which was attempting to turn us. The adtion here was for a fhort time pretty (harp. The rebels were in great numbers, and armed with both muflcets and pikes. They were, however, forced to give way, and driven, though they repeatedly attempted to form behind the ditches. They at lad difperfed, flying towards Ennifcorthy and Wexford. Their killed could not be afcertained, as they lay fcattered in the fields over a confiderable extent; but they feemed to be numerous. I inclofe a lift of ours. The troops behaved with great fpirit. The artillery, and Hompefck’s cavalry, were adtive, and feemed only to regret that the country did not admit of their rendering more efFedtual fervice. Major Daniel is the only officer whofe wound is bad; it is through the knee, but not dangerous.

“ The bufmefs, which began between three and four, was not over till near eight; it was then too late to proceed to Taghmon. I took poft for the night on the ground where the adlion had commenced. As the rebels gave way, I was informed of the approach of the fecond and twenty-ninth regiments under lord Dalhoufie. In the morning of the twenty-firft we were proceeding to Taghmon, when I was met by an officer of the North Cork from Wexford, with the inclofed letters. I gave, of courfe, no anfwer to the propofal made by the inhabitants of Wexford, but I thought it my duty immediately to proceed here, and to take pofl above the town, by which means I have, perhaps, faved the town itfelf from fii”e, as well as the lives of many loyal fubje£ts who were prifoners in the hands of the rebels. The rebels fled upon my approach, over the bridge of Wexford, and towards the barony of Forth. I ffiall wait hei-e your further orders. Lord Kingfborough has informed me of different engagements he had entered into with refpect to the inhabitants; I have declined entering into the fubjecl, but have referred his lordftiip to you or general Lake.

« I received your pencilled note during the aiElion of the twentieth; it was im•poffible for me then to detach the troops you aflced for, but I hear you have perfeftly fucceeded at Ennifcorthy with thofe you had. Mr. Roche, who commands the rebels, is encamped, I hear, about five miles off; he fent lord Kingfborough to furrender upon terras. Your prefence fpeedily is upon every account extremely jieceflary.

I have the honour to be, &c. &c.

JOHN MOORE.

DURING the aCtion of Foiilkc’s-m!!!, many of the rebel leaders, among whom father Roche, dodtor Caulfield’s chaplain, was very confpicuous, were extremely active in keeping the rebel foldiers to their quarters, and in preventing them from flying. They horfewhipped fume of them, and even fired p’.ftols at others; in the performance of thisfervice, Roche attempted to horfewLip a proteftant of the name of Barrlngton, who was compelled to join them; 1 have been alTured by a perfon who ferved in the rebel army in that aiEtion, that the obje£t of father Philip Roche the general, was to attack Rofs when general Johnfon left it; that he fent one party to Horetown to watch the motions, and engage the attention of general Moore, wiiile the main body proceeded by CuUiuftown-bridge, to the at

APPENDIX, No.

t;ick of that town. The former, fuddenly, and unexpe£ledly came on generaS ]Vjfoore, and had a fkirmifh with him; which the main body hearing, went to their ailiftance, which brought on a general a£\:ion. Roche intended to have kept one ilivifion of his army in the woods of Horetown; the other in thofe of Rofsgarland y and to have attacked general Moore next morning; but the arrival of the Queen’s, and the 29th regiment, to general Moore, deterred him from that attempt. It was much to be lamented, that a gallant officer, major Daniel of the 41 ft regiment then quartered at Lifmore, loft his life by this adtion. He volunteered, and folicited to be employed againft the Wexford rebels; and having received a bad wound in the knee, he died of it a few weeks after in Dublin. He difplayed very great valoyr both in the Eaft and Weft Indies.

Jl defcription of the rebel camp on the mountain of Forthy on the thirtieth of May.

PREVIOUS to the evacuation of Wexford, its proteftant inhabitants dreading that the fudden and furious aflault of the rebel army ftationed on the mountain of Forth, within three miles of it, would be attended with the complete deftrudlion of their lives and property, prevailed upon Mr. Loftus Richards and his brother to go to them for the purpofe of propofmg certain pacific terms; and I give the reader his defcription of their camp. “ On entering, they were furrounded by many thoufand vagabonds, of whom they enquired, to whom they ftiould addrefs themfelvej as their leaders; and they anfwered, ‘To Father John Murphy, of Boulavogue, or Lord Edward Fitzgerald,’ as they ufually ftyled him. They foon after met this reverend gentleman, on horfeback, and on communicating to him the objeft of their minion^ he faid, < He did not know what terms they could expc£l: from the treatment which he had received; for that, by burning his houle and property, and obliging him to take {helter in the ditches, he was under the neceffity of raifing the whole country.’ From his favage afpeil, they had very great reafon to be alarmed for their fafety : they therefore advanced from a crowd, who were debating on putting them to death; and fent for Mr. Edward Fitzgerald of Newpark, another rebel chieftain, who came to them, and treated them with more civility and humanity; and who difperfed the rabble, telling them at the fame time, that they fhould have nothing to do with them. They inftantly obeyed. He then led them to a miferable hut at the top of the rocks, which feemed to have been appropriated to the double purpofe of an hofpital and a place of fhelter for their leaders; but in the thatch of which there were many holes. Soon after their arrival they were obliged to deliver up their arms and accoutrements. Mr. Robert Carthy, who feemed from the authority which he exercifed, to be chief in command, approached, and aikcd them, < What terms they could expeft, when at the moment they were entering into a treaty lor furrendering the town, there was an army marching againft them from toward Taghmon? and fee, faid he, pointing to a mob of affaffins, ‘ where I have my men ready drawn out to attack them.’ And they made a moft extraordinary appearance, being armed with pikes, fcythes, hay-knives, fcrapers, currying-knives, and old rufty bayonets fixed on poles : but a good number of them had mulTcsts. They expofiulated with Carthy, and told him they had good authority for faying, that the thirteenth regiment, which had advanced as far as Tag i.;on, Lad retreated, «n hearing’ of the defeat of a detachment of the Meath reglnv; but, to fatisfy them, they propofed that Fitzgerald, his brother and himfelf, lliould take horfes.

APPENDIX,  No. XXI. 3.

»59

and proceed to meet the regiment, if coming, and to tell colonel Bradfliaw, who commanded it, of the circumftances as they then flood.  They advanced within a mile of Taghmon, where they met a large foraging party proceeding to the rebel camp, with from fix to eight car loads of provifions, and who declared that the thirteenth had retreated,  ‘fhey then returned fpeedily to the rebel camp, and made their report; but Carthy came forward again, and faid, ‘ Can thefe men be fincere? the whole country towards the barony of Forth is in flames!’ alluding to the village of Maglafs, which our retreating army had fet fire to, as they had been treacheroufly fired on by a  party  of rebels, who lay in ambufli there for them. Mr. L. Richards requefted, if they had any doubts of their fincerity, that he would remain as an hoftage with them, while his brother and Mr. Fitzgerald went to Wexford, to which they aflented.  He then remained in the hut, with a guard at the door, and while there he perceived, through a hole in the wall, about a foot fquare, a great number of men arrned with the defperate weapons which he before defcribed, inceflantly marching, except that now and then, they knelt down to pray; and at the end of each prayer, bent their bodies towards the earth, and thruft the fore finger of the right hand into their mouth, as far as the extremity of the knuckle. When he had remained about three hours in that unpleafant fituation, Mr. John Hay carne to him, and faid, “ That the people had agreed, that he had betrayed Fitzgerald, *< and therefore, that he mufl: be put to death.” Mr. Richards infifted on the contrary, Mr. Hay went off, returned in about half an hour, and declared, it was univerfally agreed, “ That Fitzgerald had either fold them, or that he had betrayed him.” And he fwore vehemently, that the forces would be marched immediately towards Wexford, which, Mr. Richards faid, “ would be the beft thing to prove his fincerity.” In about five minutes after, the whole body of the rebels proceeded towards Wexford; and as they marched, continued to fire mufkets, and give the moft dreadful yells. They left two fentinels to guard Mr. Richards  who, in the mean time, examined the wounds of fix unfortunate wretches, who lay upon ftraw in the hut, and who, though badly wounded, did not receive any nourilhment or medical affiftance.

The banditti who marched towards Wexford, could not be lefs than fifteen tlioufand men. Mr. Fitzgerald fent for Mr. Richards, and for a drummer of the Meath militia, that had been cut off that morning. They fet off with their condu£tor, and when they had arrived within a quarter of a mile of Wexford, they perceived the rebels flying into the country, in every direction, and the road ftrewed with their coats, wigs, hats, pikes, mufkets, and other weapons , and men, women, and children, in the greateft confternation. On enquiry, he found that their difmay, and their flight, were occafioned by the report of a gun, which had been fired at Mr. Sparrow, of Ennifcorthy, a yeoman of diftinguifhed loyalty, by a perfon in the van of their army; from which, the rear having been panick (truck, fled in the utmoft confufion; conceiving that our army had returned and were firing on them. I\Tr. Richards, on entering the town, faw the dead body of Mr. Sparrow lying in the ftreet, and the rebels engaged in deftroyilig the houfe of a watch-niaker, whom they branded with the appellation of “ orange man.” A gentleman who had procured tl’.e pardon of one of the unfortunate wretches who attended this camp, alTured him, thif at one time he was almoft famiflied; that at another, he was overcome with repletion. That at times, the hunger of the rebel foldiers was fo great, that they ufed to cut off large pieces of flefh from the body of a bullock, before it was killed, then. thra>.v it on a fire, with the hair and Ikin on, and confumed it before it was lialf roalled.

A /jj7

1^0

APPENDIX, No. XXI. 4.

A lift of peffons executed in the town of Wexford, for the crimes of rebellion, murder, life, from the retaking of the town by the royal army, June the twenty-frjl, 1 7^8, tt the eighteenth of December, 1 800.

No.

1 John Hay

2 Philip Roche, prieft

3 Matthew Keugh

4 John Herron

5 Nicholas Coufins

6 Mark Nugent

7 Bartholomew Shea

8 Martin Fenlon

9 Edward Frayne 10 Michael Magee

1 1 . B. Bagenal Harvey

12 Patt. Prendergaft

13 Cornelius Grogan

14 John Colclough

15 John Rouflbm

16 John Murphy

17 John Whitty

18 James Kelly

19 Patrick Harpur

20 Hugh M’Guire

21 Robert Murphy

22 Efmond Kyan

23 Matthew Ryaa

24 Peter Byrne

25 Miles Whelan

26 James D’Arey

27 Matthew Green, jun.

28 Matthew Mahony

29 Hugh Hughes

30 Patrick Doran

31 Hugh Rooney

32 Stephen Furlong

33 Denis Murphy

34 Redmond Mitchell

35 Michael Donnelly

No.

36 Bartholomew Murphy*

37 William Conners

38 Denis Kehoe

39 Daniel Mooney

40 Phelim Fardy

41 James Beaghan

42 Arthur Murphy

43 James Burkett

44 Francis Cuthbert

45 William Fenlon

46 Patrick Elliott

47 Matthew Furlong

48 Patrick Furlong

49 Michael Dudley

50 Daniel Sullivan

5 1 John Fitzhenry

52 Michael Patrick

53 Maurice Murphy

54 James Sculley

55 Michael Kellyf

56 Nicholas Walfli

57 Nicholas Parle

58 Thomas Parle

59 James Byrne

60 Andrew Farrell

61 John Dunn

62 Gerald Lacy

63 Mogue Foley

64 Hugh Boulger

65 Patrick Kehoe

66 Edward Stacey

No. 66 was executed for a tecent murder; he was not a rebel.

i:hk

* Alias Cormuck.

t So furc were the rebels, that the confifcation of all proteftant property would take place, that Michael Kelly, ccTimonly called general Kelly, made a will, by which he left captain Blacker’s eftate to;i relation, in cafe he lb uld De killed in the rebellion. The will, and father Roche’s vcftments were found togeiheron Xacken hill, when general Johnfon drove the rebeU from it.

APPENDIX,  No. XXI. 4. 161

The reader may form fame idea of the elemency of governtnent, and of the general oncers, from the folloniing proclamation fuhHfl:>ed a feiv days after the rebels had perpetrated fuch barbarities.

Proclamation by lieutenant general Lake^ commanding in chief his majeflys forces in Ireland

TO prevent the further effufion of blood, the fatal efFe£ts of depopulation, and the total deft;ru£l:ion of property in this once-happy county, the general wiflies to hold out to the laft moment in his power, the means of forgivenefs, and of returning happincfs, to the unfortunate multitude, who, from ignorarice, and the perfuafion of interefted, wicked, and defigning men, have been feduced from their allegiance, to rife in arms and rebellion againft their fovereign, and the laws of their country, and to commit adls of murder, cruelty, and depredation, that would difgrace the moft favage nation. From this horrid ftate, and from the impending ruin of the county and its inhabitants, the general is moft anxioufly defirous of refcuing them; and hereby prom.ifes to all deluded perfons who have yielded to the threats or perfuafion of the infamous promoters of rebellion, that if they will immediately abandon their wicked courfe, and return as peaceable and good fubjefts to their rcfpe£l:ive homes and occupations, their perfons and property {hall remain unmolefted, and in perfeft fecurity from injury. But, as a proof of their fincere repentance, and defire to return to their allegiance, they muft, in the firft inftance, and in the courfe of three days, from the date hereof, (making allowance for the moft diftant parts of the county) deliver up their arms and ammunition, as directed in the notice of the twenty-third inftant, and hereunto fubjoined,* and alfo the perfons who have been moft active in inftigating or compelling them to engage in the rebellion; or if this is not in their power, they muft give information where they are moft likely to be found.

Should the terms here offered not be attended to, it will become the general’s intiifpenfable duty totally to deftroy every town, cottage, and farm-houfe, that fhall be found unoccupied by the mafters of them, and to put to the fword every perfon who fhall be found in arms-, or having arms or ammunition in their poiTeffion.

A ferious confideration of this proclamation is recommended to all perfons who have been compelled to join the rebels, and who fmcerely repent their paft conduc^l; and they are particularly required to ufe their utmoft exertions in bringing the deluded people to a fenfe of the rumous fituation mto which they have brought the country, and of the only means by which they can refcue themfelves and their property from the juft vengeance that muft be the inevitable confequence of their not attending to the terms of reconciliation now offered, and the laft that will be made to them.

Wexford, June l^th, 1798.

[X-] A lift.

* On their delivering their leaders into the hands nf the commanding oiScers of his Ivlalefty’s forced; ■*2areft to their refpcftive fjtuations.

l62

APPENDIX,  No. XXI. 5, 6.

A lyi of leaders amo7ig the rebels found by general Lake in governor KeugVs houfe.

Colonel Edward Roche, of Garrylough, Efmond Kyan, major of brigade, Colonel Edward Fitzgerald, of Newpark, Colonel John Perry, of Inch, Captain Nicholas Dixon, of Caftle-bridge, Captain Martin Myrna, of Limerick, Captain Nicholas Murphy, of Moneyfeed, Captain William Carton, of Ballyclough, Captain Rofliter, of Saunders-court, Father Nicholas Stafford, of River-chapel, Captain Denis Doyle, 7 ^ ^ Captam James Doyle, 3 Lieutenant John Tiffin, of Coolatore,

► Co. Wexford.

Capta Capta Capta: Capta Capta: Capta Capta: Capta

n Martin Quin, of Clough. n Edward Synnot, of Kilrufli, n Philip Murphy, of Peppards Caftle-gatc. n Patrick Redmond, of Coolgreney, n William Byrne, of Ballymanus, n Holt,

n Garret Byrne, of Ballymanus, n Kelly,

1

Captain Reynolds.

Co. Wicklow. Co. Kildare.

6.

Affidavit of the burning of the bifho^s palace^ and of Mr, Abel RanCs houfe in 1 64 1 .

ABEL RAM, of Ramsfort, in the parilh of Kilmeckeloge, in the barony of Corey, in the county of Wexford, efquire, a Britilh proteftant, being duly fworn, depofeth. That on or about the twenty-firft of November laft, about the hour of twelve of the clock in the day time, he this deponent, was robbed, and loft.

Imprimis in corn and hay.

Item in cattle.

Item houfehold goods.

Item in bonds and mortgages.

. 2CO

130 250 500

The whole being 1080

Befides which he M’as difpoflTefled of freehold lands, being of the value of

1200I. per annum. By Anneias Kavenagh, of Mullanegraugh, gentleman, Theobald Mackvadagh, gentleman, of Ballegarrett, Morrifon Garrott, of Ballyneccolaugh, gentleman, Donoghoe Kavanagh, of Ballymenan, gentleman,

Owen

/

APPENDIX,  No. XXI. 7.

Owen Mc*Turlaugh, of Balleloghan, gentleman, Adam Wafer, of the Aflce, gentleman, Alexander Redmond, of the Ruhin, gentleman, Donagh Mac Shaneballogh, the prieft, John Fitz-James, of Newburrow, gentleman, Turlagh Darcy, of Glandoran, gentleman, Shane Sarragh, of Carrickbeg, gentleman. Griffin Kavanagh, of Ballowin, gentleman, Nicholas Kavanagh of Cole’s-hill, gentleman, Turlagh Mac Enogh, of MuUanegraugh, gentleman, All of the county of Wexford.

ABEL RAM,

“Jurat, coram nobis, \ 1th of January ^ 1641, HENRY BRURBON. WILLIAM HITCHCOCK.

The names of more men ivho ivere feen hy the deponent among other rebels at Limerick, iu

the county of Wexford aforefaid.

William Doyle, of Fort-chefter, gentleman, Morrifon Vadagh, of Ballantlea, gentleman, Donnell Roe Mc<Owen, of Ballelough, gentleman.

ABEL RAM,

Dated the l Ith of January , 1 64 1 »

Jurat, coram nobis \lth of January y 1 641, HENRY BRURBON. WILLIAM HITCHCOCK.

JOHN CLIFFE, late of Courtown, in the county of Wexford, gentleman, fworn the twenty-feventh of June, 1642, before John Watfon, and John Sterne, efquires y faith, he was told for certain truth at Arklow, while he was prifoner there, by divers perfons of undoubted credit, that on the fifth day of March lafl, divers priefts and friars met at Newburrow, alias Gorey, to burn the library of bifhop Ram, late bifhop of Ferns and Laughlin; and while the books were burning, a fwarm of bees came in at the windows of the room where they were, and flung and frighted the priefts and friars out of the room.

JOHN CLIFFE.

7

County of S/igOyl   WILLIAM STINSON, of Ballekillcafh, in the parifh of IGIlto ivit.    > meckfhalgan in faid county, gentleman, came before me this day,

 3    made oatli on the Holy Evangeliils, That he was taken prifoner

at his own houfe, on Saturday the eighth day of September laft, about the hour of four o’clock in the afternoon, by two men of the name of Rogan and Gillefpy, as deponent was informed, both armed with a gun and fword, and that they conveyed him to Ba’.lina, in faid county, and confined him in the houfe of the right honoui’nble Henry King; that during his confinement, a popifh prieft of the name of CowL’y, came into the room where this deponent w,.s confined, and faid, <* Orange, lie down,” and “ Croppies, rife up faying alfo, to tbc prifotii:fS, who wereconfined there, and who were of the proteftant religion, “ You are a parcel of

[ X 2 ] hereticks,

164

APPENDIX,  No. XXI. 7,

heretlcks, you have no more religion than pigs; you will be put to death with the greateft torture before ten o’clock tomorrow j” and that the faid priefl: at the fame time ftruck a Mr. Robert Atkinfon, of Ballybeg, as a heretick; and faid at the fame time, that if he had Robert Atkinfon, of Ealky, he would fkin him alive.

WILLIAM STINSON.

Sworn l:foye me this id day of ‘JunCy 1799, ROBERT HILLAS.

County of S/igo, 1   THE information of John Armftrong, of Ballymeoney, and to luit.    > parifh of Ea(ky, in faid county.  Deponent came before me this

 —; day, and made oath on the Holy Evangelifts, That he v/as taken

prifoner on Thurfday or Friday, the feventh or eighth of September laft, near Ealky aforefaid, by a number of armed rebels who conveyed him to the houfe of the right honourable colonel King, at Ballina in faid county; that during his confinement, father Cowley, a popifh priefl, came into the room where this deponent was, with many other proteilants who were confined there, about the hour of twelve o’clock at night; and that he afked if the parcel of orange hereticks were there, and faid, “ Lie down, orange,” and “ Rife up, croppy,” or words to that efteft; and that the faid prieft ftamping on the ground in a violent angry manner, faid, “ You parcel of hereticks, have no more religion than a parcel of pigs; I do not know whether you will be put to death before ten o’clock to-morrow, by being burned with barrels of tar, or by pikes,, or by balls; “ adding” that the latter would not get room on your bodies and that deponent faw the faid prieft ftrike Robert Atkinfon of Ballybeg in faid parifh, as a heretick; and that the faid prieft faid, if he had Robert Atkinfon of Ealky, in his pofleffion, he would Ikin him alive.

JOHN ARMSTRONG.

Siuorn before me this \Jl day of Jtinef 1 799, ROBERT HILLAS.

County of S/igo, 1   ROBERT ATKINSON, of Ballybeg, in the parifli of Ealky, to luii.    > in faid county, gentleman, came before me this day, and maketh

 3 oath on the Holy Evangelifts, That after his houfe was deftroyed

by the rebels, he lay in a neighbouring cabin, in order to bring off his family next day, but was taken prifoner about fun-rife on Saturday the eighth of September laft, as he beft recollects, by a body of armed rebels, to the number of ten or twelve, headed by two captains, namely, Thady Murray and Francis Finigan, who brought him direftly to Ballina on foot, and would not let him take a horfe, and confined him in the houfe of colonel King, in Ballina, where he remained that night that prieft Cowley came before fun-rife next morning into the room where he was confined; when he came into the room he called for the guard, the guard anfwered, and he defired the guard to take very good care of thefe prifoners; that Mr. Atkinfon, thinking he was a parifh prieft, he might have fome influence on him; but inftead of fhaking hands with him, ftruck him with a ftick acrofs the head, and defired them all to be prepared, and that he would have them all burned in four hours after.

ROBERT ATKINSON.

Sworn Ire fore me this 3; day of June, 1 799, ROBERT HILLAS.

Soon

APPENDIX, No. XXI. 8, 9.

8.

Soon after the French landedy the foJloiv’wg denunc’tntion was pojled up on the church of KillyJIjee, in the cdunty of Weflmeath, by the rebels :

TAKE Notice, heretick ufurpers, that the brave flaves of this ifland will no longer lie in bondage; the die is caft, our deliverers are come, and the royal brute who held the iron rod of defpotick tyranny is expiring; nor fliall one govern. Our holy old religion (hall be re-eftablifhed in this houfe, and the earth fhall no longer be burthened with bloody hereticks, who under the pretence of rebellion, (which they themfelves have raifed) mean to maffacre us.

The Fleur de lYs, and harp we will difplay, While tyrant hereticks fhall mould to clay.

REVENGE! REVENGE! REVENGE! ‘

9

Extras of a letter from a Romifb priejl, ivritten to an eminent attorney in Dublin^ nvho

has the original.

SIR,

YOU no doubt muft be furprifed to find yourfelf addrefled by one who has not the honour of your acquaintance; however, if you will arm yourfelf with patience, to hear a long (lory, I will endeavour to introduce myfelf to you. Sir, I am a Romifli prieft. Impofed upon by the example of my bifhop, I faid mafs at the rebel camp; my behaviour during the time was fuch, that I am neither forry for, nor aftiamed of it. I faved from twenty to thirty lives, who will make affidavit of it in any court; and this I look upon to be more meritorious, (at leaft in the fight of God,) than running away like many others, who now make fuch a boaft of their loyalty. As a proof of the publick good will towards me, my chapel has never been infulted, though fituated in the mofi; publick pi ace in the county. On the return of the king’s government, my firfl concern was to obtain his majefty’s pardon, for that degree of rebellion of which I was guilty, which (long may he live!) I obtained without any difficulty; but guefs, fir, my aftoniffiment at receiving a letter from my bifhop, filencing me from my clerical funftion in this diocefe, when his own condu£t was what chiefly led me aftray, (if I except the degree of terror the rebeh put me into after the government was upfet all round me,) for during the ferment, which preceded the explofion, he never infirudted me how to a£t. Inftead of excommunicating them for their horrid rebellion, he gave them his benedi£l:ion in the chapel-yard, the day they took

two days before they called on me to follow them. Inflead of excommunicating the barbarous murderers at he gave all his priefls poiuer to give abfolution for murder a_ poiuer luhich he ever till then referved to himfelf Even the laft battle in this county was fought by his direftion, and the priefl: who Terved as hi$ aid-de-camp on the occafion, he kept in his houfe till laft fpring, when he was -obliged to fmuggle him out of the county, otherwife he would have fallen a victim to outraged juftice; and indeed it is of but little avail to me, that the king {hould grant me both my life and liberty, if he fuffers tins gentleman to llarvc

i66

APPENDIX,  No. XXI. 9.

me. I have been at great expence to qualify myfelf, to live by the gofpel, and am now too old to embark in any other line, to procure myfelf bread. Hence I conceive, (and am advifed thereto,) that the laws of my country will procure me redrefs; nor do I think it a weak argument in proof of my loyalty, that I am the firft prieft who has appealed to the laws of my own country, in preference to a foreign jurifdiftion. My lofles on his account to the prcfent day, 1 ftate at one hundred and fix guineas. I therefore, fir, befeech you, to take my cafe in hands, and if you find me law, I will find you money.

Jugti/i ^Qtbt 1799. SIR,

Your very humble and obedient fervant.

INDEX,

I   N   D   E X.

A.

J.DRIAN, Pope, grants a bull to Henry II. to introduce popery into Ireland, 3 Allegiance, oath of, held by the pope not to be binding, on his fedaries to a proteftant ftate,

AfTaflination, the lawfulnefs of it, inculcated by an Irilh Jefuit of the name of Mc Mahon, in 1641, 30.— That dodlrine avowed and inculcated by dodor Burke, titular biftiop of Oflbry, in his Hibernia Dominicana, in 1762, 39. — And by Ghillini, the pope’s legate 40

Arms, 129,583, feized in Leinfter and Ulfter, ni 1797 . . i6j

Athy, and Narraghmore, infurredions and maffacres there, 273.— Athy chapel burnt there, and an attempt to impute it to the proteftants .

Addrefs of the Roman catholicks to the viceroy 30th May, 1798, and obfervations thereon, 290

Arklow, the deligns of the rebels in attacking it^ 434 —Michael Murphy, the prieft’s letter to Houfton, previous to it, 435.— The battle there “ 437

Afgill, fir Charles, marches from Kilkenny, in purfuit of father John Murphy 543

Antrim, battle of    547

Altamont, earl of, his houfe plundered  597

Atkins, a fanguinary wretch in the county of Sligo 608

Abfolution from oaths granted by the pope to the emperor,and princes of Germany, 41 .—Granted by two priefts to Thomas Cleary, for the murder of his mafter Mr. Turner, Appendix 147. Granted by Neil apriett near Youghal for murder, 41. —The power of granting it, not allowed by the popiih bilbop of Ferns to Biyan Murphy, a priett, for want of a faculty or delegation. Appendix, page 148.— for murder given by a popifh bilhop. Appendix, 165.

B.

BiHiops, Irlfh, obtain a papal bull to raife money by the fale of indulgences, in 1719, to dethrone the houfe of Hanover, and to eftabliih the pretender on the throne _ 3”

Burke, Mr. Edmund, fome anecdotes of him 35

Byrne, Edv^ard, an adive member of the catholick committee, covrcfponds with Sinclair Kelburne, a prefbyterian miiiifter of Belfalt 81

Butler, the honourable Simon, a demagogue, and the hired agent of the catholick committee, 94 Committed to Newgate v/ith Oliver Bond, 10

Blake, a rebel captain, taken at Ballynamuck. and hanged 6!3

Bantry-bay, French invafion, attempted there it 1796, planned by Arthur O’Connor, and lord Edward Fitzgerald, 163

Ballymore-euftace, attack on it,     443

Baltinglafsdifturbances,andinfurre<51:ionsthere,3i(

Bookey, lieutenant, murdered by John Murphy, a prieft 3io

Burro wes, reverend, Mr. of Kyle, murdered by John Murphy, a prieft, and a band of aflaflins, 331

Ballinrulh, battle of ...

Ballynahinch, battle of     556

Backlane parliament, elefted and returned under Edward Byrne’s writs, and held their feffion, 85, 86. — Send five delegates to St. James’s  87

Barrett, dodor, his character, 6z6. — His fon’s charader, 628.

Burke, Richard, fon of Edmund, the popifh agent comes to Ireland in 1792 91

Belfaft, the prefbyterian* afTembled there by Sinclair Kelburne, one of their miniflers, begin a negotiation with the papifts in Dublin, headed by Edward Byrne, 80. — The anniverfary of the French revolution, celebrated there the 14th of July, 1792, 108. — They petition parliament to repeal the whole of the popery laws, and unite with the papifts to overturn the conftitution in 1 792, 97, 98 — Belfaft, a general mourning obferved there on the recal of earl Fitzwilliam, 137. — The centre of motion to the Northern union, 156 — the prefbyterian leaders there, endeavour to promote infidelity to forward the union, ibid.

Beccaria, his obfervations on criminal law, applicable to Ireland 150

Bond, Oliver, the Leinfter delegates arretted at his houfe, 202. — His trial, 631.

Borris, feat of Mr. Kavenagh, attacked by the rebels » 377

Ballycllis, battle of, 5 ‘5, 516

Ballyraheene,’ battle of ... Byrne, William, burns Tinnahely, and commiti various adts of cruelty    515 to 524

Bellevv, general, at Ballina, his charadter 587

Ballynamuck, battle of     61I

C.

Celibacy of the clergy, when firft eftablilhed in Ireland ... a

Catholick committee, origin of, 76 — exift as a delegated body duly eledted and returned in the year 1785, ib. — the nobility and gentry of tiieuperfuafion being obliged to fcccde from them, tbcy formed revolutionary deligns> 78— who

theB

INDE X.

then took the lead in it, 79— They pretend to be very moderate in their views, ibid. — Frame and fend a declaration of their tenets to Sinclair Kelburne of Belfaft, 81 — Curious debate when affembled to frame their declaration, 82 — Doctor M’Kenna’s ftri>5tures on their impropei condudt, 79 — Edward Byrne, by order of the cathnlick committee, fends circular letters to convoke a popifli convention, 85 — Cenfured by the corporation of Dublin, who publifhed fpirited refolutions on the occalion, ibid. — Popilh convention aflemble under Edward Byrne’s writs, and fit in Back-lane, 86 — Send delegates with an addrefs to the king, 87 — Their reception by the demagogues of Belfaft,

ibid.

Carlow, county of, confpiracy there, Appendix, page 24. •

Catholick fociety, firft inftituted, 78 — Catholick committee raifemoneyontheirbody at large and protect the defenders, 90 — Extend their views, and rife intheirdemandsof political power, ibid. — Negotiate with Edmpnd Burke, and hire as their agent, his fon Richard, who comes to Ireland, 91 — Enlift fome proteftant barrifters, viz. Tone, Butler and Jones, in their fervice, who write in their favour, 94 — This was done to lull and inveigle proteltants to promote their deiigns, 95, 96 — Send mifTionaries to the north to unite the prefbyterians and papifts in the confpiiacy 104

Councils, Romilh, Lateran and Toledo. See Popery

Civil wars in Ireland, produced by the reformation, 12 — War of 1641 occafioncd and fomented by the pope’s bulls, z8.

Camden, earl of, made viceroy of Ireland, and lands in Dublin ad of April, 1795, and the delenders raife a dreadful riot the night he landed, and attempt to affaflQnate the earl of Care, 135

Committee, catholick, fend three delegates with an ad.irefs to the king on the recal of earl Fitzwilliam — Inceiifed at the anfwer which they received, they hold a meeting, and an angry de»bate thereon I3 7> 3^

Crimes, and punifiiments in Ireland, obfervatious on them 150

Carhampton, earl of, fent to quell the defenders in fome northern counties, 14,). — A confpiracy to murder him formed by Dunn and Carthy in May, 1797, 175.

Clubs, revohitionary ones in Dublin in 179a  1 1

Convention law, a very wife one againft the affembling of unlawful conventions; the earl of Clare the author of it 125

Coaches, mail, from Dublin deftroytd the 23d of May, 179;^ 217

Clinch, a traitorous yeoman of Rathcoole, hanged

230

Clane, attack on it by the rebels 240.

Carlow, attack on it by the rebels 264 Carbery, the charter-fchool deftroyed there 266 Clonard, garrifon there commanded by lieutenant Tyrrell of Kilreny, occurrences there 2.67 ConfcfTionj in the Romilh church, not to be dif

clofed, and obfervations thereon by RomifK divines, 291, 92.

Carlow, county of, ftate of the confpiracy there. Appendix xi.

Carthy, Cambia, her loveof juftice, and her fortitude . . 245

Clifford, Mr. of Caftle-annefley, butchered by the rebels 346

Cork city, confpiracy there, Appendix xi.

 county of, confpiracy there. Appendix xi.

Carrickbyrne-hill, near Rofs, a rebel camp formed there 393

Cox, William, captain, taken prifoner by the rebels at Coolcliff             42X

Confc/Tion of faith, popifli, found at Gorey, 443

Caulfield, popiih bilhop, faid he was defired by the rebels not to fave proteftants in Wexford

453

Corrin, father, gives the facrament .to Murphy murdered by the rebels, 456 — Adminifters oaths and grants protedlfons there, 451 — Goes to the bridge to fave the prifontrs, but not till fent for by Mr.-Ktllett, 490, 91, 92, 913 — Obtains a certificate from Geo.ge Taylor, 49s — Refufes to liberate Lett a proteftant prifoner, 493 — Chriftened a child for Mrs. Kellet at Clonard

Caulfield, dodor, refufed to ftop the maflacres on the bridge, 490 — BlclTed the pikemen as they proceeded to the bridge, 496 — His letter to father Bryan Murphy about abfolution, 497

Colclough, his execution 511

Charm, a written one, found on a rebel in the county of Wexford 516

C!aie, county of, confpiracy there. Appendix, page 29.     ■ ,

Clonard in the county of Meath, fpirited conduft of the garrifon there under Thomae Tyrrell, efquire, and his family 521

Caftlecomer, attack on and conflagration of it,.

535 to 543

Carey, William Pallet, printer to the united Iriftmen . roi

Carmelites.  See Scapular

Cornwallis, the marquis of, takes the field againft the French, and marches to Athlone ^91 Clergy, proteftant, perfecution of, in Mayo and’

Sligo ■ 57« popifli, their characters in Mayo and

Sligo 578, 5^3

Caftlebar, battle of • 593

Cowley, father, his charadter 585

Coloony, battle of 605

D

Defenders, origin of in the county of Armagh, 53 — Encouraged by father Quigley in i 789, 58 — Their perfecution of the Barclay family and the mailacre of theiTi, 59, 60 — Appear and become terrifick in many other counties in the years 1791 and 1793, 6,, — Similar to the white boys in every refpe(ft, 67 — Battle of the Diamond bet-.veen thtm woo were exclufively papifts, and the proteftants        67, 68

Dublin,

INDEX.

Dublin, corporation of, their fpirited refolutions on Edward Byrne’s circular letter, 84 — Various revolutionary Societies there in the year 1791, 113 — So much inferted with treafon in the winter of i79zthat an infurredion was expected, 1 16

I)ungannon,a revolutionary meeting of volunteers held there 15th February, 1793, 123

Deafe, father, a prieft taken by captain Orm(by,

608

Defenders, formidable in many counties in 1793 by the commiflion of nodturnal robbery and affaflination,iaj — Are equally fo in 17945 126, 130 — Grow more terrinck in 1795, on account of the earl Fitzwilliam’s recall from Ireland, commit robbery and aflaflination in many counties, and become formidable in the metropolis, 135 — Spread fuch terror in fome northern counties, in 1795, that the earl of Carhampton was fent to quell them, 143

Dublin, defenders become fo dangerous and formidable in it in 1795, that the loyal fubjeds unite for their prefervation, 146

Dunboyne, lord, relapfes into popery and leaves an cftate to the college at Maynooth, 147

Dobbs,counfellor, negotiates with government for an amnefty for the prifoners in Dublin, 631, 31

Doolin, Mr. murdered in the King’s county in 1798,; 96

Darragh, Mr. of Eagle-hill, maflTacredin 1798, 197 Dublin, ftate of, on the breaking-out of the rebellion, an, 14, 13 Dunboyne, riling and maflacre of proteftants there, 415

Dunftiaughlin, riling and maflacre there 446 E.

Emperors dethroned and excommunicated by the pope, 10

Excommunication of the pope fatal to Henry III and Henry IV. of France, 16

• iflTued againft Henry VIII. and

QuecH Elizabeth as hereticks, 17 — The opinion of various Romifh divines on the operation of it, 1 1, 14

Exclufive falvation invented by the artful policy of the Roman pontiffs, 19

Erfkine, counfellor, the confpiracy encouraged by part of his pamphlet, 154

Executive Diredories, one formed for each province in November, 1 797 175

Pnnifcorthy, number of the garrifon there, 348 — Defcription of, ibid. — Attacked by general father John Murphy, 350 — Retreat of the garrifon and the loyalifts, 355 — Barbarous excefles and murders committed there, 356, 357 — The rebels form a camp near Vinegar-hill, ibid.

Edgeworthftown, attacked and plundered, 616’

Elpbin, bilhop of, his fpirited condud, 615

F.

Fitzgerald.  Sec lord Edward. Forth,  mountain of, near Wexford, a rebel camp formed there by father John Murphy, 380

— A’company of the Meath regiment defeated

near it by the rebels, 382, 383 Foulkes’s mill, battle of, 483 Fitzgerald, Thomas, efquire, faves the county of

Tippcrary from being defolated, Appcnilix xi. Fitzwilliam, earl, appointed viceroy 131 Forth, mountain of, a defcription of the camp

there. Appendix xxi. 3. French fleet enter Bantrybayin December, 1796,

Giraldus, Cambrenfis, his defcription of Ireland ... ^

Grattan, Henry, efquire, a cabinet minifter to carl Fitzwilliam, encourages the Romanifts in their expedations of a total repeal of the popery laws, for promoting which his excellency was recalled, 134, 133 — Prefents a bill for repealing them, 134 — Received an addrefs of thanks from the Romanifts, to which he gives a moft inflammatory anfwer, ibid.

Gorey plundered by the rebels, who commit dreadful excefTes there on the defeat of colonel Walpole 40J

Grogan, Cornelius, his condud when the rebels entered the town, and his character, 447, 448 — His execution 510

Gaimon, a prieft at Caftlebar, joined the French, 60 1

H.

Hereticks, no faith to be kept with them, and not eiiti-fled to any rights vvhatfoever, by the pope and his feiftaries, 1 1, n. — Heretical princes may be depofed by their fuhjecls by the council of Lateran, ibid — The fame dodrine maintained by dodor Burke, titular birtiop of OfTory, and Ghillini, the pope’s legate at Bruffels, 39, 40 — Oath taken by the emperor of Germany to adhere to the peace of VVcftphalia, declared by the pope to be void, becaufc it was ra’ade with proteftant princes, whom he denounced as hereticks, 41

Houfe of Commons burned 47th Feb. 1794, 114

Hanlon, a confpiracy of the defenders to murder him ...

Harman, Mr. member of the county of Longford, murdered in his houfe in January, 1796, 164

Hamilton, reverend Mr. murdered in the county of Donegal in 1797 167

Hill, fir George, his active exertions againft the confpirators in the counties of Derry and Dortcgal 191

Hume, captain, member for the county of Wicklow, murdered by the rebels 318

Harvey, Beauchamp Bagenal, his charader, and arreft of him, John Colclough and Edward Fitzgerald, 388

Hore, William, of Harperftown, taken by the rebels 44*

Hill, dodor, and hrs brother, curious anecdote of their captivity, &c. &c. by father Kearns and others . 433

L Y ] Hughes,

INDEX.

Hughes, William, his fortitude at Wexford in refiifing to join the rebels, though threatened by Keugh 47a

Hay, John, his chara(5ter and eKCculion 507 Harvey, B. Bagenal, his arreft in the Saltees, — His trial and execution     508, 9, 10, 11 Hackttftown, battle of,    513

Hutehinfon, general, marches from Galway to CaRIcbar     -591

I.

Ireland, when and by whom chriftianity introduced into it, I — Wl en popery introduced into it ibid.

Irifh fvvore oaths of allegiance to Henry fecond, but violated them as foon as he returned to England, 5 — Endeavour to expel all the Englifh in 1 130 6

Irifli clergy, bigotry of and dangerous tenets, defcril ed by WalOi the Francifean friar   6, 7

Indulgences, invtnted by the pope to raife money, which flowed from the dodrine of purgatory 18

Irifli, their hatred to the Englilh heightened by the reformation, which oecafioned many civil wars in Ireland 22

Ireland, the privileges enjoyed by the papifts in it, previous to the civil war of 1641, 28

Inquifition, origin of, 16, 17

Ireland, the lall country in Europe that fubmitted to the pope 3

Jones, William Todd, an advocate for the Roman catholicks 96

Infurredlion law pafTed in January 1796, obfervations on it and its falutary efteds 148

Jones, reverend Mr. an attempt to murder him near Kilcock, Appendix xv.

K.

Kildare, county of, confpiracy and rebellion there, 232 — State of, after the rebellion, Appendix XV.

Kildaic, town of, infurredlion there and maifa

cre              245

Kilcullen attacked by the rebels 258

Kilcock, attack on it        270

Kitthoma.s, battle of,       347

Kane, the bleflcd prieft of Bannow, his cha

ra(5ter         48a

Kinglborough, vifcount, h!s capture and cap

tivity, 462 — Inverted with the command of , Wexford by the rebel leaders, and fends mcffcngers to general Lake, with pacitick terms on their part, 498, 99 — Threatened by father John Murphy, 501 Knipe, reverend Mr. murdered in the county of Meath 172

Kelburne, a prefbyterian minifter and a demagogue at Uelfaft, his correfpondence with Edward Byrne in Dublin, chairman of the catholick committee, 80, 81 Keogh, John, an active leader among the papifts 82 — A flattering addrefs fent to hTm by them,

84 — Foretels in 1792, in the cathoUck committee, that from the negociation in London they muft fucceed in their defigns 91

Kavenagh, father Francis, of Gorey, a rebel leader ^ij

Keugh, Matthew, chofcn governor of Wexford by the rebels, his charader, 444— His condudt towards meflicurs Bland, Cramp and Kellett, 448 — Infulted by Carthy at lord Kingfborough’s lodgings, 464 — His power declines, and his life is in danger from the rebels, as an orangeman, 466— ^Threatens William Hughes, unlefs he joins the rebels, 472 — Repairs to lord Kingfborough with other rebel chieftains, to concert meai’uics of conciliation, and in order to obtain an amnefly fends meflengers for that purr pofe to general Lake, 498 — His trial and defence, 506

Killan, county Wexford, the rape and burning of

fome proteftant women attempted there 520 Killala, French land there, 573 — Are joined by

the popifh priefts, 578 — Retaken, 6ji, 22 King’s and Queen’s county, confpiracy there,

Appendix xi. Kilcomney, near Gorefbridge, rebels defeated

there   54a

L.

Lateran, council of. See Popery.

Lowther, lord chief juftice, his fpeech on the exten.five privileges enjoyed by the Irifli papifts previous to the civil war of 1641    28

Lord Edward Fitzgerald fled from Dublin March, 1798, 2C2 — Proclamation, offering loool. for arrefting him, ilTued iith May, 20^ — Ar^efted the 19th of May, 206 — His death, and a fliort account of his progrefs through life    298

Loftus, general, his movements with colonel Walpole.  See WaJpole.

Lake, general, his plan for attacking Vinegarhill, 472 — Goes to command the army in Connaught againft the French, 591

Lehunte, Mr. an attack on him by Dixon, in confequence of a fire flireen found at his houfe

470

Louth, county of, meeting of the Roman catholicks there, and their refolutions againft the defenders, though fecretly connected with them     65

Langrifhe, fir Hercules, his animadverfions on the improper condudt of the Roman catholicks in 1792 83

Lucan, earl of, his houfe plundered 598

M

M^Gcoghegan laments the fubjedlion of Ireland to an Englilh and not to an Irifh king 3

M’Donnel, colonel, his charader 624

Maffacre of the Albigenfes and Waklenfes imder the council of Lateran, 15 — And of the French on St. Bartholomew’s day 16

Maynooth, a popifh feminary endowed there in 1795 146

Maflacri;,

INDEX.

Mafl*acre, a general one intended, the firft lift

conTifted of .30,100 perfons 154

Military organization of united Irilhmen, \6i Miinfter not begun to be organized till the beginning of 1 797 173 Military, attempts to feduce them    177 Moira, carl of, arrives in Ireland, and moves in the houfe of Lords, that the penal laws fhould be repealed, and that government ihould try to conciliate the confpirators 198 Monaftcreven, attack on by the rebels 248 Maynooth, attack upon, 28.3 — MafTacre of John Browne and others there         284 Manders, three fifters murdered near Athy 280 Martin, father, a prieft, taken near Rathdrum, his confcflion               • 317 Murphy, father John, a prieft, rifes at Bouiavogue, in the county of Wexford,  with 3 murderous banditti, and defolates many parifhes                   327 Murphy, father Michael, a prieft of Ballycanew, a rebel general, his origin      338 Meath regiment, a company of them cutoff near

Wexford, 385 Murphy, father Edward, prieft of Bannow, his

conduft    _ .

Maflacre of thirtyfix proteftants near Gorey, after the battle of Vinegar-hill, 480 — Of meffieurs Cliffe, Annefley and Elliott, at Roar, 414 Meadows, Mr. an anecdote related by him of a papift, confined in gaol with him 462 MafTacre on the bridge of Wexford, 485 — At ScuUabogue, 425 — On Vinegar-hill, from 361 to 377

Mutiny in the fourth light brigade at Ferns 524 Mirrphy, father John, of Boulavogue, his retreat by the Suullagh into the county of Kilkenny

530, 1.

Matthews, of the Downfhire regiment, his purfuit of fatiier John Murphy and his banditti, 543.

Munf^er, province of, not begun to be organized till fpring, 1797, and completed in autumn following 175

Mayo and Sligo, the rebellion there, 5.59 — The Carmelites or Scapularians from the north, the leaders of rebellion there, 561, 62 — Reports about Orangemen diffeminated there, 565, 67 — Oaths of allegiance taken there as in Wexford, to deceive the government and the magiftrates, 569, 70 — Perl’ecution of the proteftant clergy there    571, 57Z

Mountjoy, lord, his death 412

N.

National guards, an armed fet of traitors fpriirg from the volunteers, and headed by A. H. Rowan and J. N. I’andy, are formed to overturn the conftitution, 116 — A proclamation againft their afft mbling, 117 — Attempt to alfemble in fpite of the proclamation • 119

North, predifpofing caufes to rebellion there, 15a Northern  Star,  an  inflammatory newfpaper printed at Beifaft in 1791, to promote the confpiracy, and did infinite nr.ii’cliief   157

Naas, attack on it   233

Narraghmore, infurreflion there 273 Newtown-mount-keniiedy, battle of, 314 Newtown-Barry, attack on it by the rebels, and

the battle there   393> 4, 5

Neilfon, a kadcr of the united Irifhmi-n in Btl

faft, 105 — Meditated an attack on Newgate

23d of May 2x4

Neil, a popifh farmer, hanged at Cork, his con

felTion, Appendix xi.

O.

Oath taken by popifh bifliops at their inauguration inconfiftent with their allegiance 14

Oaths of allegiance. Sec allegiance.

Orangemen, origin of, 70— Their nfefulnefs, 72, 73 — Particularly in the north, 194 — Reports in the county txf Wicklow that they would maffacre the papifts 3*5, 306

Orange lodges not formed in Dublin till January, 179^8 196

Oviotftown, battle of 285

Oulart, battle of, when 115 of the North Cork regiment were killed 339, 340

O’Neil, lord, proceeds towards Antrim, 547 — His death, 55 r, — and character    554

Orr, Samuel, brother to William, who was hanged at Carrickfergus, commanded a rebel column at the battle of Antrim    549

Orr, William, hanged at Carrickfergus 178

Oiganization.  See united Irilhmen.

O’Keon, Henry, lands with the French at Killala, 581 — Exhorts the populace to join the French 583

O’Donnel, father, of Kilmackflialgun, a traitor

607

O’Doude, his character 622.

Oxmantown, lord, his adive and fpirited conduft in county Longford    6i8

P

Popery, firft introduced into Ireland in 1172.

Papal power, origin of, 7 — Ell:ablifh.;d by the council of Lateran, which becomes terrifick both to princes and their fubjefcs, 10 — The opinions of Romiih divines on that council, it — Council of Toledo fimilar in its ordinances, 13

Purgatory, origin of, 18 — And of abiblution for fin 19

Proteftants, number of, maffacred in 1641 30

Papifts, obfervations on their turbulent conduct made by fir Hercules Langriflie in 1798, 83 — A petition prefented on their part to parliament in February, 1792; but withdrawn as indecent and indecorous, 81 — Hold parochial meetings, wherein they debate and condemn lords Fingal and Kenmare, 78. — End’tavour to lull proteftants,particularly prefbyterians,andto attach them to their caufe with a pretence of feeking for general liberty, 95, 96 — Unite and form combinations not to deal with proteftants on the recall of earl Fitzwilliam     136

Popifh

INDEX.

iPopifh, coJlege, cflabliflied at Maynooth in 1795

146

Paine’s Age of Reafon, printed at Btlfaft and circulated in the north, promoted the confpiracy ... \^(,

Papills raife large fums of money on their body in 1794 and 1795, 1 5 4— Not fincerc in inviting the prt fbyterians to UTiite with them, and meant only to lull them, 158 — Levy large i’ums of money on their body in 1792 and 1793 90

Prcfbyterian leaders at BeUaft and Lilburn attend mafs with their volunteer corps to attach the papifts to the union, 105 — Minifters, fome profligate outs in the counties of Down and Antrim,encourage theirHocksto join the union, 106 — Great number of them in the north very loyal 194

Prefbyterians, loyal at firft except in Belfaft, 88 — Thofe in the county of Cavan publiih ftrong refolutions againft defenders, ibid. — The catholick committee and the leaders of the confpif acy endeavour to unite the prefbyterians with the Roman catholicks to overturn the conItitution loj, loj

Pecp-of-day boys, origin of 54

Parliament, the oppofition in it, by grofs mifreprefentation of the meafures of government encourage the confpirators 148

Parliamentary reform, an engine u fed to overturn the conftitution, a motion made for a bill to promote it in the honfe of commons the 14th of January, 1793 119

Paftorini, a fanguinary bigot, his book approving of alValVvnation in Dublin 634

Prefbyterians, have a ftrong prediledion for a republick no

Proclaimed, Down and Armagh, the firft fo in 1797 165

Proclamation, a wife and conciliatory one, addrelled to the people of the north, by general Lake in 1 797 — Another, highly conciliatory, addreiled to the diiaflcdted by government, 17th May, 1797  .    >77

Parfons, fir Laurence, moves in the houfe of commons, that the penal laws fhouid be repealed

,  to conciliate the people 199

Profperous, maflacre there 234

I’roteftant church, ftatc of, in the archdiocefe of Dublin in the year 1798, Appendix xv.

Priefts, Stafford, Roche, Kavenagh and Redmond, concerned in the rebellion 318

Pounden, Mrs. her lufftrings in a floopat Wexford             450

Priefts, their influence, and protedions granted by them 460

Proteftants, urged by friendly Roman catholicks to change thtir religion, as necelTary to fave their lives ... 47J

Prilbn-fhip, the fufFerings of proteftants in it 449

Papifts, property of, protefted in the county of Wexford 511

Population, of the kingdom, deduced from Ireland            524

Portaferry, attack on it, by the rebels J57

Prefs, an Inflamtratory flewfpaper, publifbed by Arthur O’Connor 189

Papifts, of Dublin, pnblifh a declaration of their tenets, and fent them to Sinclair Kelburne — Their debate thereort     8»

a,

C^uigley, father, the prieft, encourages the defenders in the counties of Louth and Armagh, 58 — Deeply concerned with the defenders in 1 797, 194

R

Rabaud, de St. Etlenne, a French democrat, comes toDublin to promote the coofpiracy, 108

Reformation, produced many civil wars in Ireland ... 2Z

Roman Catholick. See always Papift and Popifli.

Reynolds, Thomas, the plot difcovered by him, zoo ‘ — and the confpirators arrefted in confccjuencc of his evidence at Oliver Bond’s zoi

Rebellion, breaking-out of, 13d May, 1798, at Kathfarnham 211

Rathfarnham, rebels firft rife there and a battle enfued 223

Rathcoole, a confpiracy there among the popifh yeomen to murder the proteftants, 218 — The army poifoned  by the rebels there 281

Rathangan, riling and maflacre there 251

Rawfon, I homas James, efqnire, his laudable and fpirited condud near Athy and Narraghmore 275» 4> 5)6, 7, 8 — A conciliatory addrefs publiflied by him 274

Roman catholicks, addrefs the viceroy, 30th May againft the rebellion, obfervations thereon, 290

Rebels, armies and generals, of Wexford, their plans and defigns 392, 93

Rofs, Old, a dcfcription of it, 407 — Approached by the rebels on Lacken-hill, and afterwards on Corbet-hill, 408 — Bagenal Harvey fummoned general Johnfon to furrender the town to him, ibid. — Attacked bythe rebels, 409 — Dcfcription of the battle, 409, 10, 11, 12 — The bravery of ferjeant Hamilton there, 415, 16 — Anecdotes, curious, relative to the battle, 416 to 420 — — Gun-boats, their operations on the river there and atfeathard 420, 21

Roche, father, ele<fted general at Carrickhyrne in the place of Bagenal Harvey, depofed, 431, 32 — His letter to father Doyle, a prieft 434

Rebel, army, defeated at Arklow, takes poft on Limerick and Kilcavin hills, againft whom Dundas marches 47^

Ryan, captain, killed by lord Edward Fitzgerald

208

Roche, the prieft, his execution at Wexford  ^ o 7

Saintfield, battle of ^54

Saunders, Mrs. of Saunders’-grovc, county of Wicklow, her fortitude    31 f

Scapular, order of. See an account of it 563, ‘64 Scullabogue, the malFacres there     425

Servants,

INDEX.

Servants, popifli of Dublin, difaffefled 120, 21 Sheares, John, agrees with the Romanifts to lacrifice~ the proteftant Itate to gain their co-operation in the union 107 Sheares, John and Henry, arretted, J09 — Their

trial and execution, 630 Sirr, major, his narrow efcape at Grange 125 Smith, Thomas, his evidence on the trial of the aflafliiisof Hanlon of the artillery 142 St. George, colonel, and Jafper Uniacke, murdered at Arraglyn, on the 9th of February, 1 798

196

Supremacy, papal. See Papal power T.

Tandy, James Napper, fecretary to the united Iriflimen in Dublin 31ft December, 1791, 98 — Indided at Dundalk aflizes for fedition, and flies 121

Tara, battle of 294

Tinnahtly, burnt by William Byrne 524 Tipperary, county of, confpiracy there, Appendix xi.

Toledo, council of.  See Popery.

Tone, Theobald Wolfe, a noted (iemagogue, the founder of the fociety of united Jriilimen 94

Troy, doctor, titular archbiihop of Dublin, in a paftoral letter in the year 1793 endeavours to fhew that popery is favourable to a republican government, and dodor Hufley did the fame in 1797 .

Turner, the reverend Francis, murdered at Ballingale 344

U.

Union of civil and ecclcfiaftical power elTtntial to the peace and profperity of a ftate 8

United Irifhmen, their origin, and by whom inftituted, 94 — Firft, at Belfaft in Odtober, 1791, 97 — Second, in Dublm in the 9th of November, 98 — Their different addrefles, 99 — Difperfed by the magiltrates and their papers feized 23d May, 1794, 127 — The fate of their leading proteftant leaders, 128 — Their civil organization, 129 — Their military, 162 — Negociate with the French, and invite them to invade Ireland, 168 — Alfemble in large bodies in Dublin, and array themfelves under the pretext of attending funerals, 1 71 — Form a defign of rifmg in Dublin in 1797, 172, 73 — Seduce the king’s troops, ibid. — Did not begin to organize Mimfter till the beginning of 1797, and it was reported to be perfe»5ted in September following, 173 — Form four Executive Diredtories, one for each province, in November 1797, ibid. — How far their leaders fucceeded in uniting the prefbyterians and papifts in 1797, 180 — Employ regularly attornies and counfel to defend their fellow traitors, 187 — Publilh the Union Star to encourage the aflaffination of loyal perfons, ibid. — And a newfpaper, called the Prefs, for the fame purpofe, 188— And the Harp of Erin in Cork         189

Uftier, Primate, his account of the religion of the ancient irifli     «

V.

Valentine, reverend Mr. his tomb and his remains violated 57 1

Vinegar-hill, a rebel camp formed there, 357 — A defcription of it, 360, 61 — MalTacres committed there, 363,. 64, 65 to 77 — General Lake’s plan for attacking it, and his orders to the general officers for that pupofe, 472 — The movements of our ditFerent armies to furround and attack it under general Lake, 476 — The battle of, 477 — Father Clinch killed there by the earl of Roden, 478 — Why general Needham did not occupy the part dtftined for him, 478,

479 MalTacre of thirty-fix proteftants near

Gorey after the battle    480

Volunteers, origin of, 47 — Of Dublin, oorrefpond with the revolutionifls in France in 1 79r, 108, 109— Invited by the catholicks of Dublrri to promote the caul’e of the union   ii*

W.

White-boys, origin of in 1759, 32 — Bound by oaths to each other, and commit horrid crimes, their objed: to join the French, overturn the government, and eftablifli the pretender on the throne, ibid. — Encouraged by the popilh clergy, 33 — The marquis of Drogheda fent to Munfter to command a body offerees againft them, ibid. — One of their leaders, father Sheehy, taken by his lordlhipand hanged. See a full account of them in Appendix, No. I. — The laws made againft them prove the enormity of their crimes, and how deftruftivc they were in their proceedings, 41, 42 — They were fucceeded by the right boys 43, 44

Woodward, dodtor, bifhop of Cloyne, abufed and calumniated for writing in defence ofhit clergy, when perfecuted by the right boys 45

Weldon, a notorious defender, tried and hanged in Dublin    139, 141, 42

Weftfieldftown, rifing there, a3d May 227

Wicklovv, county of, confpiracy and rebellioH there, 300 — Conciliatory addrefs of the magiftrates there, 301 — DifafFeaion of the popifh yeomen there, and how difcovered, 302, 3, 4, — General Craig’s conciliatory proclamation publiftied there 313

Wexford, county of, rebellion and confpiracy there, 318 — Diffimulation of the popifli priefts and thtir flock there, in taking oaths of allegiance and in addrefling the viceroy, 320,

Wexford town, defcription of, 380 — Evacuation of by the garrifon as not tenable, 389, 90 — Their retreat to Duncannon fort perilous and painful, 389, 90, 91 — Entry of the rebels into it the 30th of May, 444 — Cruel and perfidious condudt of the rebel Tailors there, 445,46, 47 — I’hfc great fufferings of the loyalifts who hired vellcls logo Ironi W exford, 448 t0 4.sz — Father

Corrin,

INDEX.

Corrin adminiftering oaths and granting protedlions there, 451 — Thomas Dixon, a fanguinary ruffian, his condu<5l there, ibid. — Doctor Caulficld’s obfervations to a lady there about faving proteftants, 453 — Another man of the fame name fhot there, 457 — A fernion preached there on Trinity Sunday by the popifli bilhop’s chaplain, 45.1. — Colonel Lehunte and other proteftants obliged to become converts to popery and march through the ftreets, ibid. — The rebels fearch the houfes there for orangemen, 454 — Ninety-five prifoners brought out of the goal to be maflacred, of which father

Corrin  faved ten,  460,  461 Protcdions

granted them by the priefts, ibid — Maflacre on the bridge there defcribed, from 485 to 497 — The bloody committee in the goal defcribed, and the calendar of the proteftant prifoners, 494* 495 — Wexford, twelve yeomen enter it aift June, and ftrike terror into the rebels, who fly precipitately, 501 — The flight of the rebels defcribed in a lady’s journal, 503 — A fermnn preached there the 10th of June by father Roche, the bifhop’s chaplain, 466— Infcription on the bridge of Wexford, 512 — A proclamation read from the altar of the popi(h chapel for the arreft of four magiftrates, 467 — Wexford county population of, 523. Waterford county and city, confpiracy there, Appendix xi.

Walpole, colonel, the movements of him and general Loftus towards Gorey, 396, 7 — Their plan of attacking the rebels on Ballymore, 397. 5955

Walpole’s, colonel, defeat near Clough, and the confcquences of it    400, 401

Wexford, general Loftus’s retreat and narrow cfcape from the rebels there        403, 4

Weftmeath, county of, riling there near lord Sunderlin’s 6ij

White, Hawtrey, a magiftrate, difcovers the confpiracy in the county of Wexford, and communicates it to government, 311 — Purfues the rebels, on Whitfunday, with the yeomen cavalry . 336

Wilfon’s hofpital plundered 615

Y

Yeomanry, origin of, in 1^96, 159— Oppofed by the prin(|^al members of the catholick committee ... ibid.

Yeomen, fourteen thoufand in the counties of Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry and Armagh, moft of them Orangemen and prefbyterians, 194 — — Popifh, of Dublin, many of them traitors, ijo — Difaffeiflion of, in the county of Wicklow, 30Z, 3 --Of the county of Kildare, much difaffeded . 163

THE END.

/

ERRATA.

Page

Line

44

6

For may read might.

52

z

—  omit r. that.

1 1

— lord Weftmoreland r. Fitzwilliaoi.

193

3a

— error r. errors.

197

21

— and that.

2S

Add Mr. Creighton, excife officer, a proteftant murdered at Dunboyne.

z

— Angus Highlanders.

16

For Angus r. Rea Fenclbles.

13

— »•  in r. of.

499

8

—  Mayo r. North Cork milith.

7

—  faniftioned r. fan<5lified.

i9a

a?

— Fanogue r. a chain of mountaios.

Though the author has made Truth his polar ftar in the courfc of this workj yet it is poffible that fome errors might have occurred in it; he hopes therefore that if any perfon ftiould difcovcr any fuch, they will be kind enough to communicate them io the author, and he will amend them in the next edition.