T He Commotions in Ireland were so sudden, and so violent, that it was hard at first either to discern the rise, or apply a remedie to that precipitant Rebellion.
Indeed that Sea of blood, which hath there bin cruelly & barbarously shed, is enough to drown any man in eternall both infamy and misery, whom God shall find the malicious Author or Instigator of its effusion.
It fell out, as a most unhappy advantage to some mens malice against me; that when they had impudence enough to lay any thing to my charge, this bloody oppertunity should be offered them, with which I must be aspersed. Although there was nothing which could be more abhorred to me, being so ful of sin against God, disloyalty to myself, and destructive to my Subjects.
Some men took it very ill not to be beleeved, when they affirmed, that what the Irish Rebels did, was done with my privitie (at least) if not by my Commission: But these knew too well, that it is no news for som of my Subjects to fight not only without my Commission, but against my Command, and Person too, yet all the while to pretend, they fight by my Authoritie, and for my safety.
I would to God the Irish had nothing to alledge for their imitation against those whose blame must needs be the greater, by how much Protestant Principles are more against all Rebellion against Princes, then those of Papists. Nor wil the goodnes of mens intentions excuse the scandall, and contagion of their examples.
But who ever fail of their Dutie toward me, I must bear the blame; this honour my enemies have alwayes done me, to think moderate injuries not proportionate to me, nor competent trials, either of my patience under them, or my pardon of them.
Therefore with exquisite malice they have mixed the gall and vinegar of falsity and contempt, with the cup of my Affliction; charging Me not only with untruths, but such, as wherin I have the greatest share of loss & dishonor by what is comitted; wherby, (in all policy, reason and Religion, having least cause to give the least consent, and most grounds of utter detestation) I might be represented by them to the world, the more inhumane and barbarous: Like some Cyclopick monster, whom nothing will serve to eat and drink, but the flesh and bloud of my own Subjects; in whose common welfare my interest lies, as much as some mens doth in their perturbations: who think they cannot do wel but in evil times; nor so cunningly, as in laying the odium of those sad events on others, wherewith themselves are most pleased, and whereof they have been not the least occasion.
And certainly, 'tis thought by many wise men, that the preposterous rigour and unreasonable severity, which some men carried before them in England, was not the least incentive, that kindled, and blew up into those horrid flames, the sparks of discontent, which wanted not pre-disposed fewel for Rebellion in Ireland; where dispair being added to their former discontents, and the fear of utter extirpation to their wonted oppressions, it was easie to provoke to an open Rebellion a people prone enough to break out into all exorbitant violence, both by some principles of their Religion, and the naturall desires of liberty; both to exempt themselves from their present restraints, and to prevent those after rigours, wherewith they saw themselves apparantly threatned by the covetous zeal and uncharitable fury of some men, who think it a great Argument of the truth of their Religion, to endure no other but their own.
God knows, as I can with truth wash my hands in innocency, as to any guilt in that Rebellion; so I might wash them in my tears, as to the sad apprehensions I had to see it spread so far, and make such waste: and this in a time when distractions and jealousies here in England made most men rather intent to their own safety, or designes they were driving, then to the relief of those who were every day inhumanely butchered in Ireland: Whose tears and bloud might, if nothing else, have quenched, or at least for a time, repressed and smothered those sparks of Civill Dissentions and Jealousies which in England some men most industriously scattered.