The long talked of Act, for Setting at Liberty poore Prisoners, who
are not able to pay their Debts, is now on the Anvile againe, and likewise
another for preserving of Creditors, they must both come forth together;
What Contradictions, Restrictions and Limitations are in them
will bee found so many, that few will bee better for them, but rather
worse. The Traytors have another mock-Act a hammering for the ease
of Sheriffs (and the benefit of the speeding their own businesse, which
must alwaies bee looked on whose so ever perish) to appoint Deputies
who must attend the stinking-States, for all Orders and Directions which
shall be issued out from the Functo or Stately Rebells, and to transmit
them to the Sheriffs, who are respectively to make Returnes thereof, as
they shall be required by State or Functo.
The Rebells have not yet made an end of the Excise businesse, though
they are all Resolved into one Committee about it; they would faine
take off the Charges upon it, and undertake to satisfie them forth of
some other Receipt which is not so certaine; that thereby they may get
the Excise cleere into their owne hands, for the Winde sitting in this
Corner, if it continue blowing no better news from their friends in Ireland,
will make them turne the Scrue and Rack the Kingdome for more
Money, or else they are lost in a Fogg, for now the Conceit of enjoying
Houses and Lands in Ireland, for knocking at the doore is quite dead,
and most People doe smell that L------to savor of a Parliament-forgery;
few striving to goe, as at the first Report some did, who thought Ireland
was Conquered: but hold! there are more Rubs in the way then
one or two, and the Rebells will finde a harder taske, as you may gather
by this following Intelligence (which is in extract of severall Letters
both to my selve and others) from that Kingdome.
The state of things in Ireland are well on the Royall party, my Lord
Inchiqueene (I am ascertained by a Letter to a Person of Honour residing
in London) is in Munster, endeavoring the Reducement of those
Rebells who keepe Corke against the King, and his successes are not inferior
to what was formerly in his undertakings: the last Letter from that
Province Relates him to have beleaguered both Corke and Youghall, and
that their necessities are great, which is likely to produce obedience, unlesse
Reliefe be sent from his Noseship, which is now out of possibilitie,
for he wants Reliefe himselfe, and is like so to doe, for those Designed
to his assistance, hearing that all goes backward againe, doe Mutiny in
Wales and will not to Ship-board.
But the most considerable of all other proceedings is the Routing the
whole body of Nose-Generall Oliver by the Marquesse of Ormond
and the confederate Irish who were in a body of 15000. Horse and