’The Parliament of the Commonwealth of England having by one act lately passed (entitled an Act for the Settling of Ireland) declared that it is not their intention to extirpate this whole nation, but that mercy and pardon for life and estate be extended to all husbandmen, plowmen, labourers, artificers, and others of the inferior sort, in such manner as in and by the said Act is set forth:  for the better execution of the said Act, and that timely notice may be given to all persons therein concerned, it is ordered that the Governor and Commissioners of Revenue, or any two or more of them, within every precinct in this nation, do cause the said Act of Parliament with this present declaration to be published and proclaimed in their respective precincts by beat of drumme and sound of trumpett, on some markett day, within tenn days after the same shall come unto them within their respective precincts.

’Dated at the Castle of Kilkenny, this 11th October, 1652.

  ’EDMUND LUDLOW, MILES CORBET,
  ‘JOHN JONES, R. WEAVER.’

A letter from Dublin, dated December 21, 1654, four days before Christmas, says the ’transplantation is now far advanced, the men being gone to prepare their new habitations in Connaught.  Their wives and children and dependants have been, and are, packing away after them apace, and all are to be gone by the 1st of March next.’  In another letter the writer naively remarks, ’It is the nature of this people to be rebellious, and they have been so much the more disposed to it, having been highly exasperated to it by the transplanting work.’  The temper of the settlers towards the natives may be inferred from a petition to the lord deputy and council of Ireland, praying for the enforcement of the original order requiring the removal of all the Irish nation into Connaught, except boys of fourteen and girls of twelve.  ‘For we humbly conceive,’ say the petitioners, ’that the proclamation for transplanting only the proprietors, and such as have been in arms, will neither answer the end of safety nor what else is aimed at thereby.  For the first purpose of the transplantation is to prevent those of natural principles’ (i.e. of natural affections) ’becoming one with these Irish, as well in affinity as idolatry, as many thousands did who came over in Elizabeth’s time, many of which have had a deep hand in all the late murders and massacres.  And shall we join in affinity,’ they ask, ’with a people of these abominations?  Would not the Lord be angry with us till He consumes us, having said—­“the land which ye go to possess is an unclean land, because of the filthiness of the people who dwell therein.  Ye shall not, therefore, give your sons to their daughters, nor take their daughters to your sons,” as it is in Ezra ix. 11, 12, 14.  “Nay, ye shall surely root them out, lest they cause you to forsake the Lord your God.”  Deut. c. vii. &c.’