As soon as it was known that a catholic mission was going to Oxford, a group of protestants secured permission from the lord lieutenant to send over a delegation. It presented its propositions in April 1644.
We most humbly desire the establishment of the true protestant religion in Ireland, according to the laws and statutes in the said kingdom now in force.
That the popish titular archbishops, bishops, Jesuits, friars, and priests, and all others of the Roman clergy be banished out of Ireland, because they have ever been the stirrers up of all rebellion, and while they continue there, there can be no hope of safety for your majesty's protestant subjects; and that all the laws and statutes established in that kingdom against popery and popish recusants may continue of force, and be put in due execution.
That restitution may be made of all our churches and church rights and revenues, and all our churches and chapels re-edified, and put in as good estate as they were at the breaking out of the rebellion, and as they ought to be, at the charge of the confederate Roman catholics (as they call themselves) who have been the occasion of the destruction of the said churches, and possessed themselves of the profits and revenues thereof.
That the parliament now sitting in Ireland, may be continued there for the better settlement of the kingdom, and that all persons duly indicted in the said kingdom, of treason, felony, or other heinous crimes, may be duly and legally proceeded against, outlawed, tried, and adjudged according to law, and that all persons lawfully convicted and attainted, or so to be convicted or attainted for the same, may receive due punishment accordingly.
That no man may take upon him, or execute the office of a mayor or magistrate in any corporation, or the office of a sheriff, or justice of peace, in any city or county in the said kingdom, until he hath first taken the oaths of supremacy and allegiance.
That all popish lawyers who refuse to take the oath of supremacy
That there may be a present absolute suppression and dissolution of all the assumed arbitrary and tyrannical power, which the said confederates exercise over your majesty's subjects, both in causes ecclesiastical and temporal.
That all the arms and ammunition of the said confederates, be speedily brought into your majesty's stores.
That your majesty's protestant subjects, ruined and destroyed by the said confederates, may be repaired for their great losses, out of the estates of the said confederates, not formerly by any acts of this present parliament in England otherwise disposed of, whereby they may the better be enabled to reinhabit and defend the said kingdom of Ireland.
That the said confederates may give satisfaction to the army of the great arrears due unto them since the rebellion, and that such commanders as have raised forces at their own charges, and laid forth great sums of ready money out of their own purses, and engaged themselves for money and provisions, to keep themselves, their holds, and soldiers under their commands, in the due and necessary defence of your majesty's rights and laws, may be in due sort satisfied, to the encouragement of others in like times and cases which may happen.
That touching such parts of the confederate estates as being forfeited for their treasons, are come, or shall duly come into your majesty's hands and possession by that title, your majesty, after due satisfaction first made to such as claim by former acts of parliament, would be pleased to take the same into your own hands and possession, and for the necessary increase of your majesty's revenue, and better security of the said kingdom of Ireland, and the protestant subjects living under your gracious government there, to plant the same with British and protestants upon reasonable and honourable terms.
That one good walled town may be built and kept repaired in every county of the said kingdom of Ireland and endowed and furnished with necessary and sufficient means of legal and just government and defence, for the better security of your majesty's laws and rights, more especially the true protestant religion, in times of danger, in any of which towns no papist may be permitted to dwell or inhabit.
That all your majesty's towns, forts, and places of strength destroyed by the said confederates since the said rebellion, may be by them, and at their charges, re-edified and delivered up into your majesty's hands, to be duly put into the government under your majesty and your laws of good protestants, and that all strengths and
That the establishment and maintenance of a complete protestant army, and sufficient protestant soldiers and forces, for the time to come, be speedily taken into your majesty's prudent, just and gracious consideration, and such course laid down and continued therein, according to the rules of good government, that your majesty's right and laws, and the protestant religion and peace of that kingdom be no more endangered by the like rebellions in time to come.
That whereas it appeareth in print that the said confederates amongst other things aim at the repeal of Poynings' law, thereby to open an easy and ready way for the passing of acts of parliament in Ireland, without having them first well considered of in England, which may produce many dangerous consequences both to that kingdom, and to your majesty's other dominions, your majesty would be pleased to resent and reject all propositions tending to introduce so great a diminution of your royal and necessary power for the confirmation of your royal estate and protection of your good protestant subjects both there and elsewhere.
That your majesty, out of your grace and favour to your protestant subjects of Ireland, will be pleased to consider effectually of answering them, that you will not give order for, or allow of the transmitting into Ireland any act of general oblivion, release or discharge of actions or suits whereby your majesty's said protestant subjects there may be barred or deprived of any of their legal remedies which by your majesty's laws and statutes of that kingdom, they may have against the said confederates or any of them, or any of their party, for, or in respect of any wrongs done unto them or any of their ancestors or predecessors, in or concerning their lives, liberties, persons, goods, or estates, since the contriving or breaking forth of the said rebellion.
That some fit course may be considered of to prevent the filling or overlaying of the commons house of parliament in Ireland, with popish recusants, being ill affected members, and that provision may be duly made that none shall vote or sit therein, but such as shall first take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy.
Cox, Hibernia Anglicana (1689), appendix, pp. 75–78.