A PROCLAMATION touching the EARLS of TYRONE and TYRCONNELL
Seeing
it is common and natural in all persons of what condition soever, to speak and
judge variably of all new and sudden accidents, and that the flight of the
Earles of Tyrone and Tyrconnell, with some other of their fellowes out of
the North parts of our Realme of Ireland, may haply prove a subject of like
discourse : Wee have thought it not amisse to deliver some such matter in
publique, as may better cleare mens judgements concerning the same; not in
respect of any worth or value in these mens persons, being base and rude in
their original; but to take away all such inconveniences
as may blemish the reputation of that friendship which ought to be mutually
observed between us and other Princes.
For although it is not unlikely, that the report of their Titles and
dignities, may draw from Princes and States some such courtesies at their first
coming abroad, as are incident to men of extraordinary ranke and qualitie : Yet
when wee have taken the best meanes wee can to lay them open in every condition,
Wee shall then expect from our friends
and neighbours
all such
just and
noble Proceedings, as
stand with the rules of Honour and friendship, and from our Subjects at home and
abroad, that duety and obedience (in their carriage toward them) which they owe
to us by unseparable bonds and obligations of Nature and Loyaltie, whereof we
intend to take streight accompt. For which purpose we do hereby declare that
these persons above mentioned, had not their creations or possessions in regard
of any lineall or lawfull descent from Ancestors of Blood or Vertue, but were
onely preferred by the late Queene our sister of famous memory, and by ourselves
for some reason of State before others, who for their quality and birth (in
those Provinces where they dwell) might better have challenged those Honours
which were conferred upon them. Secondly
we do professe, That it is both knowen to us and our Counsell here, and to our
Deputie and State there, and so shall it appeare to the World (as cleare as the
Sunne) by evident proofes, That the onely ground and motive of this high
contempt in these mens departure, bath bene the private knowledge and terrour of
their owne guiltinesse : Whereof because we heare that they doe seeke to take
away and infaime by divulging that they have with-drawn themselves for matter of
Religion (a cloake that serves too much in these dayes to cover many evill
intentions) adding also thereunto some other vaine pretexts of receiving
injusticie, when their rights and claimes have come in question betweene them
and us, or any of our subjects and them, wee thinke it not impertinent to say
somewhat thereof.
And
therefore, though we judge it needlesse to seeke for many arguments to confirme
whatsoever shall be said of these mens corruption and falshood, (whose hainous
offences remaine so fresh in memorie since they declared themselves so very
monsters in nature, as they did not only withdraw themselves from their
personall obedience to their Sovreigne, but were content to sell over their
Native Countrey to those that stood at that time in highest termes of hostilitie
with the two Grownes of England and Ireland) yet
to make
the absurditie
and ingratitude
of the allegations above
mentioned, so much the more cleare to all men of equall judgment, we do hereby
professe in the word of a King, that there was never so much as any shadowe of
molestation, nor purpose of proceeding in any degree against them for
matter concerning Religion : Such being their condition and profession, to
thinke murder no fault, mariage of no use, nor any man worthy to bee esteemed
valiant that did not glorie in Rapine and Oppression, as we should have thought
it an unreasonable thing to trouble them for any different point in Religion,
before any man could perceive by their conversation that they made truely
conscience of any Religion. So do
we also for the second part of their excuse affirme, that (notwithstanding all
they can claime, must be acknowledged to proceed from meere grace upon their
submission after their greater and unnatural Treasons) there hath never come any
question concerning their Rights or Possessions, wherein we have not bene more
inclinable to doe them favour, than to any of their Competitours, except in
those cases wherein wee have plainely discerned that their onely end was to have
made themselves by degrees more able than now they are to resist all lawfull
authoritie (when they should returne to their vomit againe) by usurping a power
over other good subjects of ours, that dwell among them better borne than they,
and utterly disclaiming from any dependencie upon them.
Having
now delivered this much concerning these mens estates and their proceedings, wee
will onely end with this conclusion, That they shall not be able to denie,
whenever they should dare to present themselves before the Seate of
Justice, that they have (before their running out of our Kingdom) not
onely entered into combination for stirring sedition and intestine Rebellion,
but have directed divers instruments, as well Priests as others, to make offer
to forreine States and Princes (if they had beene as ready to receive them) of
their readinesse and resolution to adhere to them whensoever they should seeke
to invade that Kingdom, wherein amongst other things, this is not to be
forgotten, that under the condition of being made free from English government,
they resolved also to comprehend the utter extirpation of all those subjects
that are nowe remayning alive within that Kingdome formerly descended from the
English race. In which practices
and propositions, followed and fomented by Priestes and Jesuites (of whose
function in these times the practise and perswasion of subjects to rebel)
against their Soueraignes, is one speciale and essentiall part and
portion)
as they have found no such incouragement as they expected and have boasted of:
so we doe assure our selves, that when this declaration shall bee seene and
duely weighed with all due circumstances, it will bee of force sufficient to
disperse and to discredit all such untrueths, as these contemptible creatures so
full of infidelity and ingratitude, shall disgorge against Us, and our just and
moderate proceeding, and shall procure unto them no better usage then they would
wish should be afforded to any such packe of Rebels borne their subjects, and
bound unto them in so many and so great, obligations.
Given
at our Palace of Westminster the fifteenth day of November, in the fifth yeere
of our reigne of Great Britain, France and Ireland.
God
Save the King.
Imprinted
at London by Robert Barker,
Printer
to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.
Anno
Dom. 1607
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