WHereas since the 22. of October 1641. (at which time brake forth in Ireland that fearfull fire of a gene­rall Rebellion, long blowne by the Priests, Fryers and Jesuites, these great Incendiaries of Christen­dome) there hath been divers barbarous and inhumane cru­elties, by robbing, burning, pillaging, stripping, torturing, wounding, and massacring, exercised upon the poore English, and distressed Protestants of the greatest part of this King­dome, and in none more, then in the Counties of Mayo and Galloway (within the Province of Connaught) amongst many witnesses that one at Shrowle (which unmatchable Massacre was committed Feb. 13. 1641.) wherein without respect of dayes (it being upon the Lords day, which might have put them in minde of better things) the bloudy executioners ha­ving undertaken the safe conduct of a great number of poore distressed English to Galloway, contrary to the rights both of hospitalitie and honestie, fell upon them, no age, no sexe, no profession finding the least favour with them, but promiscu­ously they slaughtered, or dangerously wounded, most of the men and women, old and young, Church-men, and Lay-men, and that in such a barbarous manner, that the Sicilian Even­song, and the Parisian Massacre (though formerly much spo­ken of) will be silenced, when this shall come in place; this [Page 4] though coming short of them, in the number of those that suffered, yet far exceeding them in the cruell manner of their sufferings; from which Massacre, as also from divers other parts of those Counties, many with their wives and children (who had formerly been able in a plentifull manner to en­tertaine others) like Sheepe escaped out of the jawes of the Wolfe, came starved, stript, and naked for succour to the Towne of Galloway, where such as were able to serve his Majestie, were entertained by Captain Anthony Willoughby the Governour of the Fort, and by him ever since according­ly in a good manner maintained, the remainder repairing to the Towne of Galloway, where for the time they received a faire outside of courtesie, in a devillish policie to draw them to assigne to a Declaration of their humane and courteous en­tertainment amongst them, whereby the State might divert from these parts the supplyes of men and munition entended for their reliefe; which was no sooner assigned (but as Ma­sters of what they desired) they presently changed their countenances unto them, they denyed them the benefit of their Markets, they inhibited them (by an Instrument in wri­ting affixed upon their Church dore) going into the Church upon paine of life and death they durst not appeare abroad to buy necessaries, they were inforced for their safety to keep their houses, not daring to be seene abroad; the usuall salu­tations they had, were English-Dogges, and English-Rogues; they were kept in those perpetuall feares, that when they went to bed over-night, they knew not where to finde their heads in the morning; they were disarmed of those poore weapons they had for their defence, in the assimulation of the proceeding of the State (as the Major himselfe avouched un­der his owne hand) against the Irish in Dublin, Corke, and Yough Hall, where the English Protestants had for safetie disarmed the Recusant Irish: therefore the Recusant Irish [Page 5] for the same reason would disarme the English Protestants, and (to make full expressions of their bloody purposes to the English Nation and Religion) they did entertain into the Towne, and out of the ruder parts of the Countrey of Ercon­naught, great number of the sons of Beliall, barbarous inhu­mane Kernes men who were never acquainted with civilitie or humanitie, who were borne to do slaughter and execu­tion) onely to rob, pillage, and spoil, strip, and murther the poore English Protestants, which they did under the Towne walls, and in the open streets in the day time, and in the sight and presence of the best of the Townsmen, who oftentimes did not onely animate them thereunto, but accompanied them in the doing thereof; All which they did, and much more, and that in such a bloodie and inhumane manner, that no Historie, ancient or modern, can exceed; few equall the same for crueltie. And to adde further unto it, because Ha­mans implacable rage against the Nation of the Jews, could receive no satisfaction so long as poore Mordecai sate at the Kings gate, so long as his Majesties Fort stood as an offence to their eyes, therefore finding their wicked plots for the sur­prisall thereof to fail them, they shut up the Town gates lea­ding to the Fort, they took away the benefit of commerce with them, they made stay of what provision we in the Fort had in the Town, they kept within the walls divers of the Fort Souldiers imployed thither for necessaries; they denied us Wine for the Communion at Easter, though earnestly de­sired, they treacherously possessed themselves of a fall ship of London, lying then in the Harbour (whereof Robert Clark was Master) for no other reason but because it was a defence to the Fort, they cruelly murthered his men, they carried his Ordinance into the Towne to batter the Fort, they raised Mounts in the Town to annoy the Fort, they shot many shot at the Kings Pinace then being in the River, because as­sistant [Page 6] to the Fort, their whole resolution was to surprise us or to famish us; and knowing our scarsitie both of victuals and Ammunition, to drive us to the greater straights, as they blocked us up in the Harbour, whereby we might not be re­lieved by water, so upon their own charges they drew seve­rall Companies out of the Countrey to besiege us by Land, which they did for divers weeks, they advancing the King of Spaines Colours, in their Camps, as the Town did a Flag of defiance upon their Gates; Into which straights having drawn us of the Fort, they were so confident of us, as if we had been alreadie in their net, it being their daily glory and report, that the Fort was at their pleasures, and they could have it when they pleased. And the truth is, if our gracious God had not put extraordinarie wisdome and strength into our provident Captain for the defence thereof, it could not in probabilitie have held out so long.

But it pleased God in his good time (when humane means began to fail us) to speake much comfort to our distressed souls, by sending Captain Tho. Ashley with one of his Ma­jesties ships (called the Imployment) into this Harbour, with a good proportion of victuall and Ammunition, where­by on a sudden the streame turned: The Fort was relieved, the Rebels were daunted, the poore English were revived, the Towne made meanes for pacification; the Camp was dissol­eed, their hopes were frustrated, the Sea became ours, we were Masters of the Harbour, and we will ever with thank­fulnesse to God remember the happie deliverie which upon a May morning we received by him, whose first coming to us was so auspitious, and whose stay with us hath been so prevalent to the heartning of the Subject, and terrour of the Rebels, that our humble request is he (of whom we have had such plentifull experience, who hath brought such com­fort to us, such fear to the Rebels, who understandeth the [Page 7] Nation, and knoweth the Rocks and Creeks of the Harbour (which to a stranger may be dangerous) who hath alreadie since his coming possest himself of two of their ships (which brought great Ordnance, Corn, and Ammunition to the Town from forraigne parts) that he may be continued a­mongst us as a second to the Fort for the preservation of us from those miseries which this ill affected people (notwith­standing their pretended Pacification) upon the first advan­tage offered them (except seasonably prevented) are likely to bring upon us. Which our humble request, with this our knowledge and true remonstrance we do in all humilitie present under our hands.

We whose names are here under written, in acknowledge­ment of our thankfulnesse, do hereby certifie, That Captain Tho. Ashley hath twice come in unto this Port of Baltimoore, with his ship, and severall wayes relieved us, and in particu­lar hath formerly helped us with two small Gunnes and powder, and drove away the enemie from us; and now fur­nished our poore with bread, and very nobly sent his Com­panie on Land, and put the Rebels to the rout which was in Garrison within Musket shot of us; and divers times with the assistance of Captain Willoughby (of his Majesties Fort [Page 8] of Gallaway) hath taken from the Rebels sometimes 200. sometimes 300. and sometimes 500. head of cattell, for the relief of the poore Protestants in and about the Fort afore­said; having burnt seven or eight hundred houses of the Rebels, to the value of six thousand pound per annum, and never left shooting at the Town, till they hung out the white Flag for parley; and took five hundred Tunne of Wheat from them, and gave it to the poore Protestants, and left six Peices of Ordnance in the Fort for their protection, and burnt, and sunk, and spoyled nine sail of ships of the Rebels part that came from forraigne parts in the time of his being here; where people could have no water without prejudice of life, being none neare the Town. Then five Springs came out of a Rock where never was known any before. He took one ship from the Town wall:

The 29. July 1642. Captain Tho. Ashley Captain of the Imployment, now imployed for his Majesties service, in and about the Fort of the Town of Gallaway, the day and yeer aforesaid, the Castle of Arrowmoore neer Gallaway being then besieged by my Lord Cleremoris, and Captain Redmond Burse, and divers other great men: And their Souldiers being three Companies with their three severall Colours, The said Captain sent his Skiffe and long Boat, with a great piece, and very well mann'd with Muskettiers, which drove away the Rebels, and relieved the said Castle, wherein were up­wards of thirty English souls, which were all in great di­stresse.