IT is an antient saying, that every man knowes best, where his owne shoe wrings him, England knowes best its own Grievances, but is scarce sensible of its neighbours, wherefore it is my intent at this time, with as much brevity as may be, to make England sensible of the sufferings and Grievances which of late Ireland hath been pertakers of, groaning under the Ty­ranny and oppression of the two great Jncendiaries of this our Kingdome. Thomas late Earle of Strafford the principall Author, who lately suffered for hisS deserts, and Sir George Ratcliffe, now at this time Prisoner in the Gate-house at West­min. the principall Jnstrument, that acted his trayterous & wicked designs within these 3. Kingdomes, consider gentle Reader, Irelands miserable cryes and complaints against the wicked practises and insulting power of this man, in prose cuting the natives and inhabitants even to blood.

Consider what affinity and Relation he had to the late Earle of Strafford in his Combinations, who was the Exe­cutioner of all these wicked and Traterous practises, the other contrived, such was their confederacy in Tyranny and oppression, that the lives, estates, and liberties of his Majesties subjects in this Kingdome was violated and rui­nated, these were those wicked Hamans, that would make havocke of all poore Mordecays, to advance their owne greatnesse, if God of his goodnesse had not prevented them, by a happy Parliament. But I shall [...] be [...] sparke any [...] [Page]one, in regard he hath suffered the Law for it, but I returne to him who is little inferior in wickednesse, and who ex­pects his tryall for it every moment, Sir George Ratcliffe, the unhappy subject of my discourse, he intending the de­struction of the Realme of Ireland, trayterously conspired to subvert the fundamentall Lawes and Government of the Kingdome, and in pursuance thereof he hath trayterously continued and exercised an Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Go­vernment against Law, throughout the Kingdome, he also assumed to himselfe Regall power over the goods, persons, Lands & liberties of his Majesties Subjects of this Realme, and likewise maliciously, perfidiously, & trayterously pub­lished false opinions, unjust judgements and sentences, in extrajudiciall manner against Law, and practised unlawfull Acts, whereby as well divers mutinies, seditions, and rebel­lions, have been raised, as also many thousands of his Ma­jesties Liege people have been ruined in their goods, lands, liberties, and lives, and many of them being of good quali­ty and reputation, have been utterly defamed by Pillory, Mutilation of members, and other infamous punishments, by means whereof his Majesty and the Kingdome, have bin deprived of their service, injuries, & other publick em­ployments, the generall Trade and Traffique of this Island, for the most part destroyed, and his Majesty highly dam­nified in his Customes and other Revenues.

And his policy to escape from being found out in these his Trayterous enterprizes, did labour by all the meanes he could to stop Parliamentary proceedings, and to sub­vert the rights thereof.

This Sir George Ratcliffe also conspired with the late Earle of Strafford, to bring in an Army from Jreland, to subdue the Subjects of England, which Trayterous fact, should all sur­viving Chronologies of times be searcht, is not to be par­rallel'd in any age, had that wicked intent of theirs taken [Page]effect, which makes me view the Records amongst the in­fernall Spirits, to find it matcht, there I might extenuate their facts, where first he appeares like the false spirit, sent into the mouth of the Prophets of Achab, to speake delu­sions to subvert the Host of God.

Nor must I stay here to accuse him, but goe further ac­cording to the Articles which are exhibited against him.

He joyned likewise with the late Earle, to take 80000 pounds out of the Exchequer in Ireland, and bought To­bacco therewith, and converted the profit to their owne uses.

He alsoo cuntenanced Papists. and yeelded to the buil­ding of Monasteryes, to alienate the affections of the Irish, from the subjection of England.

And he Confederated to draw the subjects of Scotland from the King.

Let this man be judged according to his acts, cry the Commonalty of Jreland, also the Commons of England are of the same opinion. It is a common maxime in these times, for men to doe what they can, to enjoy greatnesse let goodnesse seeke entertainement where it will, Victa Ja­cet pietas, probitas laudatur &c. Piety alas: it is hard to be found, honesty is Cōmended, but few give it acceptance. Jn what a miserable condition are all those, who strive to be great, and not good, was it not the case of Sir George Ratcliffe, who now for his liberty (I am perswaded) would exchange his dignity, for to whom much is given, much will be required, J have heard many, who having under­stood the crymes afore-mentioned, committed by this Iu­das (for so may J tearme him) ready to curse him, which is Jmpiety, for wee ought rather to pray for our Enemies. Neither was he alone the sole actor, in the forenamed Grie­vances, for he was assisted by Sir Richard Bolton Knight, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, Iohn Lord Bishop of Derry, [Page]and Sir Gerrard Lowther Knight, Lord chiefe Justice of his Majesties Court of Common Pleas, who are likewise ac­cused of the said Facts.

Spencer and Gaveston, who have left their names monu­mentally odious, for the evill Councell they fed the Kings care with, yet did possibly advance their own friends, whilst these dart their envy; and Treason for a common Centery, equally touching the bounds of every superficies, for as concerning the valid estates; they have illegally over­throwne them.

J must confesse, that humanum est errare, and the Law al­lowes writs of errour, and arrests of judgement, but where there is crassa ignorantia, against their Oathes, and knowne Lawes of the Kingdome, nay where it is rather praemedita­ta malitia, an emulating policy, seeking onely to be glori­ous in a Nationall destruction, as if their safety were onely involved in our Ruine, there J must pity, but not excuse them, Innovations in Law, and so consequently in govern­ment, creepe in like Heresies in Religion, slowly and slily pleading, and in the end a sawcy and corrupt Legitimacy by uncontrouled prescription.

The Benjamites flung stones with their left hands, yet they would not miss [...] a haires breadth; these extrajudiciall proceedings are flung with the left, I meane they are sini­sterous, and imprint their black and blew markes more certaine and more fatall, so that they may say; Que Regio in terris nostri non plena laboris, though these things be familier unto us, yet [...] cannot but admire how this unpro­portionable body of Judicature, should swell up into such a vaste and ulcerous dimencion.

But yet that I may returne againe to this unworthy Knight Sir George not S [...] G [...]orge, I cannot but admire his constan­ [...] [Page]put in him, to persecute both with rigour and wicked me­naces, his unjust and illegall commands, which (if plously and justly given, & vertuously addicted) would have beene an eternall monument, of glory and happinesse, but the children of this world, are onely wise in their conceits, and where falsity and injustice is upholden, how can equity florish.

I am forced to cry out, O Ratcliffe, Ratcliffe, thou didst seeke rather to obey thy master but a Viceroy, or Debuty King, then the King himselfe, and by so doing, didst thou violate the lawes of that unhappy Kingdome, (by the and thy complices made so) for which now there is nothing left unto the, but shame and repentance.

what glasse hath this unhappy devided Kingdome, from his Majesties prefence and audience to contemplate the faire & ravishing forme of his royall intentions in, but in the cleare and diaphanous Administration of his Justice, and what doe these Trayterous and Jllegall practises aime at, but in Affront to his Majestie, and discontent to his subjects, to multiply as by a magicke glasse, the royall di­spensation of his favours into the ugly & deformed usage of their suppression of the liberties, devastation of estates, and deprivation of his Loyall Subjects, so that it may be said, Regali capiti cervicem consul equinam jungere sic vel­let varias{que} inducere plumas.

Jn conclusion, all that J can say, is this, that hee which but lately (Sir George Ratcliffe J meane) lived so Tryum­phantly, and in Pompe, is now but Civiliter mortuus, for his answer speedily must be put into the Articles, now in the High Court of Parliament exhibited against him, that further proceedings may be expedited, as may be sutable to Justice, and the prefidents of Parliaments, to his Maje­sty appeare in his magnificent goodnesse, and indulgency to his people, that his people may bee ravished in their [Page]their dutifull obedience and loyalty to his Majestie.

So shall this Parliament, live in records to Posterity, as the instrumentall reformers of these corrupted times, and that the Kingdome and Common-wealth, may pay an amiable Sacrifice in retribution and acknowledgement of his Majesties multiplied providence, for our preservation herein, to this J know, all but Trayters both to King and Countrey, will with an unanimous consent say Amen.

IMprimus, that he hath conspired with the Earle of Strafford, to bring into Ireland an Arbitrary Government, and to subvert the fundamentall Lawes, and did joyne with the Earle to bring in an Ar­my from Ireland, to subdue the subjects of England.

2. That he hath joyned with the Earle to use regall Power, and to deprive the subjects of their liberties and proprieties

3. That he hath joyned with the Earle to take 80000 Pounds out of the Exchequer in Ireland, and bought Tobacco therewith, & con­verted the same profits to their owne uses.

4. That he hath Traiterously confederated with the Earle to coun­tenance Papists, and build Monasteryes, to alienate the affections of the Irish subjects from the subjection of England.

5. That he Trayterously confederated with the Earle, to draw the subjects of Scotland from the King.

6. That to Preserve himselfe and the said Earle, hath laboured to subvert the liberties and priviledges of the Parliament in Ire­land.