OBSERVATIONS

ON

THE ARTICLES OF PEACE

Between James Earl of Ormond for King Charles the First on the one hand, and the Irish Rebels and Papists on the other hand:

And on a Letter fent by Ormond to Colonel Jones, Governor of Dublin. And a Representation of the Scots Presbytery at Belfast in Ireland.

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To which the faid Articles, Letter, with Colonel Jones's Answer to it, and Representation, &c., are prefixed.

ORMOND,

A PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS articles of peace are made, concluded, accorded, and agreed upon, by and between us, Jannes lord marquis of Ormond, lord lieutenant general, and'l general governor of his majesty's kingdom of Ireland, by virtue of the authority wherewith we are intrusted, for, and on the behalf of his most excellent majesty of the one part, and the general affembly of the Roman Catholics of the faid kingdom, for, and on the behalf of his majesty's Roman Catholic fubjects of the fame, on the other part; a true copy of which articles of peace are hereun to annexed: we thelord lieutenant do, by this proclamation, in his majesty's name publish the fame, and do in his majefty's name strictly charge and command all his majesty's subjects, and all others inhabiting or refiding within his majesty's faid kingdom of Ireland, to take notice thereof, and to render due obedience to the fame in all the parts thereof.

And as his majesty hath been induced to this peace,

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out of a deep fenfe of the miseries and calamities brought upon this his kingdom and people, and out of hope conceived by his majesty, that it may prevent the further effufion of his fubjects blood, redeem them out of all the miseries and calamities, under which they now fuffer, restore them to all quietness and happiness under his majesty's most gracious government, deliver the kingdom in general from those slaughters, depredations, rapines, and spoils, which always accompany a war, encourage the fubjects and others with comfort to betake themselves to trade, traffic, commerce, manufacture, and all other things, which uninterrupted may increase the wealth and strength of the kingdom, beget in all his majesty's fubjects of this kingdom a perfect unity amongst themselves, after the too long continued division amongst them: fo his majesty assures himself, that all his fubjects of this his kingdom (duly confidering the great and ineftimable benefits which they may find in this peace) will with all duty render due obedience thereunto. And we, in his majesty's name, do hereby declare, That all perfons, fo rendering due obedience to the faid peace, shall be protected, cherished, countenanced, and fupported by his majesty, and his royal authority, according to the true intent and meaning of the faid articles of peace.

Given at our Castle at Kilkenny, GOD SAVE THE KING. January 17, 1648.

Articles of peace, made, concluded, accorded, and agreed upon, by and between his excellency James lord marquis of Ormond, lord lieutenant-general, and general of his majesty's kingdom of Ireland, for, and on the behalf of his most excellent majesty, by virtue of the authority wherewith the faid lord lieutenant is intrufted, on the one part: and the general affembly of Roman Catholics of the faid kingdom, for and on the behalf of his majesty's Roman Catholic fubjects of the fame, on the other part.

HIS majesty's Roman Catholic subjects, as thereunto bound by allegiance, duty, and nature, do most humbly and freely acknowledge and recognize their fovereign lord

lord king Charles, to be lawful and undoubted king of this kingdom of Ireland, and other his highness' realms and dominions: and his majesty's faid Roman Catholic subjects, apprehending with a deep sense the fad condition whereunto his majesty is reduced, as a further testimony of their loyalty do declare, that they and their pofterity for ever, to the utmost of their power, even to the expenfe of their blood and fortunes, will maintain and uphold his majesty, his heirs and lawful fuccessors, their rights, prerogatives, government, and authority, and thereunto freely and heartily will render all due obedience.

Of which faithful and loyal recognition and declaration, so seasonably made by the faid Roman Catholics, his majesty is gracioufly pleased to accept, and accordingly to own them his loyal and dutiful fubjects: and is further gracioufly pleased, to extend unto them the following graces and fecurities.

I. IMPRIMIS, it is concluded, accorded, and agreed upon, by and between the faid lord lieutenant, for, and on the behalf of his most excellent majesty, and the faid general afssembly, for, and on the behalf of the faid Roman Catholic fubjects; and his majesty is gracioufly pleased, That it shall be enacted by act to be paffed in the next parliament to be held in this kingdom, that all and every the profeffors of the Roman Catholic religion, within the faid kingdom, shall be free and exempt from all mulets, penalties, restraints, and inhibitions, that are or may be impofed upon them by any law, statute, ufage, or custom whatsoever, for, or concerning the free exercife of the Roman Catholic religion: and that it shall be likewife enacted, That the said Roman Catholics, or any of them, shall not be questioned or molested in their perfons, goods, or estates, for any matter or caufe whatfoever, for, concerning, or by reafon of the free exercise of their religion, by virtue of any power, authority, statute, law, or usage whatsoever: and that it shall be further enacted, That no Roman Catholic in this kingdom shall be compelled to exercise any religion, form of devotion, or divine service, other than fuch as shall be agreeable to their confcience; and that they shall not be prejudiced

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prejudiced or molested in their perfons, goods, or estates, for not observing, ufing, or hearing the book of common prayer, or any other form of devotion or divine service by virtue of any colour or statute made in the fecond year of queen Elizabeth, or by virtue or colour of any other law, declaration of law, statute, custom, or usage whatfoever, made or declared, or to be made or declared : and that it shall be further enacted, that the profeffors of the Roman Catholic religion, or any of them, be not bound or obliged to take the oath, commonly called the oath of Supremacy, expressed in the statute of 2 Elizabeth, c. 1, or in any other statute or statutes: and that the faid oath shall not be tendered unto them, and that the refufal of the faid oath shall not redound to the prejudice of them, or any of them, they taking the oath of allegiance in hæc verba, viz. "I A. B. do hereby acknowledge, profefs, teftify, and declare in my confcience, before God and the world, that our fovereign lord king Charles is lawful and rightful king of this realm, and of other his majesty's dominions and countries; and I will bear faith and true allegiance to his majesty, and his heirs and fucceffors, and him and them will defend to the uttermost of my power against all confpiracies and attempts whatsoever, which shall be made against his or their crown and dignity; and do my best endeavour, to difclose and make known to his majesty, his heirs and fucceffors, or to the lord deputy, or other his majesty's chief governor or governors for the time being, all treason or traiterous confpiracies, which I shall know or hear to be intended against his majesty, or any of them: and I do make this recognition and acknowledgment, heartily, willingly, and truly, upon the true faith of a chistian; fo help me God, &c." Nevertheless, the faid lord lieutenant doth not hereby intend, that any thing in these conceffions contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to the granting of churches, church-livings, or the exercife of jurifdiction, the authority of the faid lord lieutenant not extending fo far; yet the faid lord lieutenant is authorized to give the faid Roman Catholics full afsurance, as hereby the faid lord lieutenant doth give unto the faid Roman Catholics full assurance, that they

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or any of them shall not be molested in the poffeffion which they have at present of the churches or churchlivings, or of the exercise of their refpective jurifdictions, as they now exercise the fame, until such time as his majetty, upon a full confideration of the defires of the faid Roman Catholics in a free parliament to be held in this kingdom, shall declare his further pleasure.

II. Item, It is concluded, accorded, and agreed upon, by and between the faid parties, and his majesty is further gracioufly pleased, that a free parliament shall be held in this kingdom within fix months after the date of these articles of peace, or as foon afteras Thomas lord viscount Dillon of Coftologh, lord prefident of Connaght, Donnogh lord vifcount Muskerry, Francis lord baron of Athunry, Alexander Mac-Donnel esquire, fir Lucas Dillon knight, fir Nicholas Plunket knight, fir Richard Barnwall baronet, Jeffery Brown, Donnogh O Callaghan, Tyrlah ONeile, Miles Reily, and Gerrald Fennell, efquires, or the major part of them, will defire the fame, so that by poffibility it may be held; and that in the mean time, and until the articles of these presents, agreed to be paffed in parliament, be accordingly passed, the same shall be inviolably observed as to the matters therein contained, as if they were enacted in parliament: and that in cafe a parliament be not called and held in this kingdom within two years next after the date of these articles of peace, then his majesty's lord lieutenant, or other his majesty's chief governor or governors of this kingdom for the time being, will, at the request of the faid Thomas lord viscount Dillon of Coftologh, lord prefident of Con naght, Donnogh lord viscount Muskerry, Francis lord baron of Athunry, Alexander Mac-Donnel esquire, fir Lucas Dillon, knight, fir Nicholas Plunket knight, fir Richard Barnwall baronet, Jeffery Brown, Donnogh O Callaghan, Tyrlah O Neile, Miles Reily, and Gerrald Fennell, esquires, or the major part of them, call a general assembly of the lords and commons of this kingdom, to attend upon the faid lord lieutenant or other his ma jesty's chief governor or governors of this kingdom for the time being, in fuch convenient place, for the better fettling of the affairs of the kingdom. And it is further concluded,