Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/187

 uncles and dearest friends, who when they could not but justly condemne them, yet hee uttered their judgmer t in aboundance of teares, and yet hee even herein was called bloody and cruell.

Eudox. Indeed so have I heard it heere often spoken, but I perceive (as I alwayes verily thought) that it was most unjustly, for hee was alwayes known e to bee a most iust, sincere, godly, and right noble man, farre from such sternenesse, farre from such unrighteousnesse. But in that sharpe execution of the Spaniards, at the Fort of Smerwicke, I heard it specially noted, and if it were true as some reported, surely it was a great touch to him in honour, for some say that he promised them life; others at least hee did put them in hope thereof.

Iren. Both the one and the other is most untrue; for this I can assure you, my selfe being as neare them as any, that hee was so farre either from promising, or putting them in hope, that when first their Secretarie (called, as I remember) Signior Jeffrey an Italian, being sent to treate with the Lord Deputie for grace, was flatly refused; and afterwards their Coronell named Don Sebastian, came forth to intreate that they might part with their armes like souldiers, at least with their lives according to the custome of warre, and law of nations; it was strongly denyed