The Copie of a Letter from the Lord chiefe Iustices, and Privie Counsellours in Ireland, to the Lords now Assembled in Parliament here in England, bearing Date the 27. of Octob. 1641.
ON Friday the 22. of October, Owen Ockanellee, servant to Sir Iohn Clotworthy, at nine of the clocke in the night, came and discovered a plot for the seizing the Castle of Dublin, and making themselves Masters thereby of the whole Kingdome; We sate all night in debate, and the next morning we searcht the whole Citie of Dublin, and found many of the Conspirators there, and amongst the rest one Hugh Mackmoen, and severall others of the Familie of Oneale.
The Lords of the Councell caused all the parts of the City to bee strongly guarded; [Page 2] And in the morning we went to search for the Lord of Mackquere at his lodging, from whence (when we came there) we found he was departed in the morning before day (as was reported) but searching narrowly into his lodgings and roomes, we found severall Skaynes, headlesse Hatchets, and Hammers in abundance, and in the end found him secretly hid in a Cockloft; And after he was taken, being examined hee denied all, but that he had heard of it before.
Great store of people were observed to be in the Citie that night more then usuall, and the Suburbs was so throng'd with people and strangers, that they put the City in a fright, wherefore we were forced to draw up a Proclamation for all men and strangers whatsoever to depart the City, or else to shew good cause for their stay there; And that all men whatsoever that had any hand in the Plot should have a generall Pardon, if now they would come in and confesse their faults, and make any further discovery then was yet knowne.
The Discoverie.
HVgh Occonnellee, who is servant to Sir John Clatworthy, came to Dublin to the Lodging of Hugh Ogmackmahawne his very loving friend, and Occonnellee with his friend going to the lodging of the Earle of Mackquere, understood there had beene great store of Noblemen and strangers, but they were all gone abroad, whereupon they returned backe againe to the Lodging of the said Ogmackmahawne where Occonnellee had not bin any long space, But Ogmackmahawne declares to him a plot which was intended, swearing that Occonnellee should not goe out of his house till it had beene executed (which was) that the Iesuits, popish Priests, and other Papists, together with two sects of Irish, and amongst the rest the said Hugh Ogmackmahawne and Bryan Oneale with others should have come and seized upon the Castle at Dublin, and the Earle of Macquere should be Governour therof, which when they had attained unto, they should have shot at the [Page 4] chimneys, and by that meanes have tryed if they could have brought the City in subjection; but if shooting at Chimneys could not prevaile, then they should have shot downe their houses about their eares, and at one houre, and one moment of time to have murthered all the English and Protestants in the Kingdome of Ireland; and to have murthered the two Lord chiefe Iustices, & all the privie Councell of Dublin, and at the same time to have seized on all his Majesties Castles, Forts, and Magazins throughout the whole Kingdom, and all persons that should be refractory to have destroyed with the sword, which Ockonnellee hearing, feigned an excuse to go into the yard to untrusse a point, to which his friend Ogmackmahawne consented unto, but withall commanded his servants to go along with him, and be careful of him, that he did not slip from them, but Occonnellee finding his opportunity leaped over the pales in the yard and made an escape and went to Sir Iohn Burlacy, and Sir William Par [...]s and discovered the whole matter.