.
He added that whatever hurt was done any one, should be personally
repaired. This proclamation was from "Dungannon, the 23rd of October,
1641," and signed "PHELIM O'NEILL."

A few days after he produced a commission, which he pretended he had
received from the King, authorizing his proceedings; but he amply atoned
for this _ruse de guerre_ afterwards, by declaring openly and honorably
that the document was forged. The Irish were treated with barbarous
severity, especially by Sir Charles Coote; while they were most careful
to avoid any bloodshed, except what was justifiable and unavoidable in
war. Dr. Bedell, the good and gentle Protestant Bishop of Kilmore, and
all his people, were protected; and he drew up a remonstrance, from the
tenor of which he appears to have given some sanction to the proceedings
of the northern chieftains. The massacre of Island Magee took place
about this period; and though the exact date is disputed, and the exact
number of victims has been questioned, it cannot be disproved that the
English and Scotch settlers at Carrickfergus sallied forth at night, and
murdered a number of defenceless men, women, and children. That there
was no regular or indiscriminate massacre of Protestants by the
Catholics at this period, appears to be proved beyond question by the
fact, that no mention of such an outrage was made in any of the letters
of the Lords Justices to the Privy Council. It is probable, however,
that the Catholics did rise up in different places, to attack those by
whom they had been so severely and cruelly oppressed; and although there
was no concerted plan of massacre, many victims, who may have been
personally innocent, paid the penalty of the guilty. In such evidence as
is still on record, ghost stories predominate; and even the Puritans
seem to have believed the wildest tales of the apparition of
Protestants, who demanded the immolation of the Catholics who had
murdered them.

[Illustration: ANCIENT DRINKING VESSEL OR METHER, FROM THE COLLECTION OF
THE R.I.A.]

[Illustration: TABLE AND CHAIR USED AT THE CONFEDERATION OF KILKENNY.]

FOOTNOTES:

[462] _Fortunes._--Smith's _History of Kerry_, vol. ii. p. 97.

[463] _Papists._--Oliver's _Collections_, quoted by Dr. Moran, p. 250.

[464] _World._--Dr. Rothe, quoted by Monsignor Moran, p. 251.

[465] _Writing_.--The original is in the Cot. Col. British Museum.

[466] _Tully Castle_.--See heading of this chapter.

[467] _Adultery_.--