[Notes on Cromwell the usurper and his assault of Ireland]
[posted 15 Aug 2003]

http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/harlandj/ireland/irish_docs/ir_docs2.html
Oliver Cromwell, Report from Ireland to Parliament (Dublin, 17 Sept 1649). 
[Account of the Siege of Drogheda.  Note:  Paragraphs inserted in 
interests of clarity.] [Tredagh was what they called Drogheda those days]
To endeavor the Regaining of Drogheda....
 Our men getting up to them, were ordered by me to put them all to the 
Sword; and indeed being in the heat of action, I forbade them to spare 
any that were in Arms in the Town, and I think that night they put to 
the Sword about two thousand men, divers of the Officers and Soldiers 
being fled over the Bridge into the other part of the Town, where about 
One hundred of them possessed St. Peters Church Steeple.... These being 
summoned to yield to mercy, refused; whereupon I ordered the Steeple of 
St. Peters Church to be fired, where one of them was heard to say in the 
midst of the flames, "God damn me, God confound me, I burn, I burn."  
The next day the other two Towers were summoned [surrendered], in one 
of which was about six or seven score, but they refused to yield themselves; 
and we knowing that hunger must compel them, set onely good Guards to 
secure them from running away, until their stomacks were come down:  
from one of the said Towers, notwithstanding their condition, they killed 
and wounded some of our men; when they submitted, their Officers were 
knockt on the head, and every tenth man of the Soldiers killed, and the 
rest Shipped for the Barbadoes [i.e. into servitude]; the Soldiers in 
the other Tower were all spared, as to their lives onely, and Shipped 
likewise for the Barbadoes. 

Irish Act repealing Act of Settlement (1689)
        Whereas the Roman Catholic subjects of this kingdom have for 
several years, to the apparent hazard of their lives and estates, 
under the royal authority defended this kingdom, until at last they 
were overpowered by the usurper, Oliver Cromwell, in which quarrel 
many of them lost their lives, and divers of them...did transport 
themselves into foreign parts, where they faithfully served under 
his late Majesty and his present Majesty, until his late Majesty was 
restored to the crown; and whereas the said usurper hath seized and 
sequestered all the lands, tenements and hereditaments of the said 
Roman Catholics within this kingdom, upon the account of their religion 
and loyalty, and disposed of the same among his officers and soldiers 
and others his adherents....  Be it therefore enacted...that the said 
two several Acts...commonly called the Acts of Settlement and Explanation, 
and...Resolution of Doubts...be and are hereby absolutely repealed, 
annulled and made void....
        And be it further enacted...that all attainders and outlawries 
for treason or any other offence, and also all treasons and other offences 
whatsoever upon account of pretence of the rebellion mentioned or 
expressed to have begun or arisen in this kingdom on the 23rd day of 
October 1641...be and are hereby made void....