deputy, was held the first Irish parliament in this reign. If the Irish catholics, then expected the performance of their articles, and of their majesties solemn promise, to procure them such further security from parliament in the particular of religion, as might prevent them from any future disturbance on that account," they were indeed miserably disappointed; for instead of performing that promise, his majesty, on the contrary, suffered several such acts and resolutions* to be passed in that parliament, as gave them infinite disturbance, on account of their religion." But these were only preparatory steps to the several acts then in agitation, "to prevent the further growth of popery."

AMONG many other severe laws, then enacted, against Irish catholics, his majesty gave the royal assent to that illibe

4 Harris's Life of K. William, f. 350.

7 & 9 Wm. 3. sess. 1. c. 26. All popish archbishops, bishops, vicars general, deans, jesuits, monks, friars, and all other regular popish clergy, and all papists exercising any ecclesiastical jurisdiction, shall depart this kingdom before the 1st of May, 1698. And if any of them, shall be at any time after the said day within this kingdom, they shall be imprisoned, and remain there without bail till they be transported beyond the seas out of the king's dominions, wherever the king, his heirs or successors, or chief governors of this kingdom shall think fit: And if any so transported, shall return again into this kingdom, then to be guilty of high treason, and to suffer accordingly.

And from the 29th of December, 1697, no popish archbishop, &c. shall come into this kingdom from any parts beyond the seas, on pain of twelve months imprisonment, and then to be transported in manner aforesaid; and if after such transportation, any of them return again into this kingdom, they shall be guilty of high treason, and suffer accordingly.

And any person that shall from the 1st of May, knowingly conceal, or entertain any such popish archbishops, bishops, &c. hereby required to depart out of this kingdom, or that after the said day shall come into this kingdom, shall for the first offence forfeit £20, for the second double the sum, and if he offend the third time, shall forfeit all his lands and tenements of freehold or inheritance, during his life; and also all his goods and chattels; one moiety to the king, his heirs and successors, and the other

*

ral act to restrain foreign education, by which it is provided, "that, if any subjects of Ireland should after that session of parliament, go, or send, any child or person, to be educated in any popish university, college or school, or in any private family, or if such child should, by any popish person, be instructed in the popish religion, or if any subjects of Ireland should send money or things towards the maintenance of such child or other person, already sent or to be sent, every such offender, being thereof convicted, should be for ever disabled to sue, or prosecute any action, bill, plaint, or information in law, or equity; to be guardian, administrator, or executor to any person, or to be capable of any legacy or deed of gift, and be sides, should forfeit all their estates, both real and personal, during their lives." This law was rigorously executed during that and the succeeding reign.

In the same session, "it was resolved, nemine contradicente, that the excluding of papists from having votes for the electing of members to serve in parliament was necessary to be moiety to the informer (so as it exceed not £100) and the surplusage of what shall remain, to the king.

December 1st. 1697. "Resolved, that part of the act 2d Eliz. chap. 2d. which obliges every person, not having a lawful or reasonable excuse to be absent, to resort every sunday to church, and there abide during the time of common prayer, preaching, and other service of God be there ministered, under pain of forfeiting for every neglect, twelve-pence, ought to be put in execution. Com. Jour. vol. ii. f. 984.—Are not these a direct and immediate violation of the first article of Limerick, and of king William's solemn promise for the free exercise of the catholic religion?

"Whilst this restraint upon foreign and domestic education was part of an horrible and impious system of servitude, the members were well fitted to the body. To render men patient, under a deprivation of all the rights of human nature, every thing which could give them a knowledge or feeling of those rights was rationally forbidden. To render humanity fit to be insulted, it was fit that it should be degraded. Indeed I have ever thought the prohibition of the means of improving our rational nature, to to be the worst species of tyranny that the insolence and perverseness of mankind ever dared to exercise. This goes to all men, in all situations, to whom education can be denied.-Lett. Eng. Commoner to a Peer of Irel. 2. 13.

made into a law. Nothing certainly, but such a law was wanting to complete the slavery of these people, and they were, accordingly, afterwards excluded in the first act to prevent the further growth of popery in the following reign. Thus were these, and divers other proceedings of the like enslaving tendency against these people, permitted and countenanced by a prince, the boasted restorer of liberty to these kingdoms, whose public faith and honor were solemnly engaged to preserve their former privileges entire; and to endeavor to obtain from parliament further security for them, in the article of religion, which was what alone rendered them thus obnoxious to go

vernment.

166

It is really shameful to see what mean, malicious, and frivolous complaints against papists were received under the notion of grievances by that parliament. A petition of one Edward Sprag and others in behalf of themselves and other protestant porters, in and about the city of Dublin, complaining, that one Darby Ryan, a papist, employed porters of his own persuasion, having been received and read, it was ordered to be referred to the examination and consideration of the com mittee of grievances, and that they should report their opinion thereon to the house. It is observable, that the complaint of the petition was not, that these protestant porters were not employed by Ryan, but that the popish porters were.

And yet these same commons, that shewed such remarkable deference to this trifling petition of the protestant coal-porter's of Dublin, were not ashamed to refuse, in the same session, common justice, in a matter of the last consequence, to seve ral of the most respectable Roman catholics of Ireland. upon a bill's being brought before them, very improperly intitled an act, "for the confirmation of the articles of Lime

1 Com. Jour. vol. ii. f. 699.

2 Ib. f. 932.

For,

"The taking away of a vote (says the same English commoner) is the taking away the shield which the subject has, not only against the oppression of power, but the worst of all oppressions, the persecution of private society, and private manners. No candidate for parliamentary influence is obliged to the least attention towards them, either in cities or counties On the contrary, if they should become obnoxious to any bigotted or malignant people amongst whom they live, it will become the interest of those who court popular favor, to use the numberless means which always reside in magistracy and influence, to oppress them. The proceedings in a

rick." A petition of Robert Cusack, gentleman, capt. Francis Segrave, and capt. Maurice Eustace, in behalf of themselves and others comprised under the articles of Limerick, setting forth, that in the said bill there were several clauses that would frustrate the petitioners of the benefit of the same; and if passed into a law, would turn to the ruin of some, and the prejudice of all persons intitled to the benefit of the said articles, and praying to be heard by counsel to said matters; having been presented and read, it was unanimously resolved that said petition should be rejected."

CHAP. III.

The catholics of Limerick cruelly treated.

IT would be too tedious and irksome, to recite all the other instances of the breach of these articles, which we find recorded and avowed in the public journals of that parliament. I shall, therefore, only take notice of one remarkable passage, which immediately preceeded the passing of the first act to prevent the further growth of popery.

The catholic citizens of Limerick thought themselves parti cularly secured, by their articles, from any future molestation or disturbance on account of their religion; but besides what they had already suffered, in common with the rest of their countrymen of the same persuasion, they are now compelled to abandon their dwellings, and settlements there, on that sin single account; "for upon a petition of the mayor, sheriffs, and protestant aldermen of that city, complaining, (like the protestant coal-porters of Dublin before-mentioned) that they were greatly damaged in their trade, by the great numbers of papists residing there, and praying to be relieved therein; a clause was ordered to be inserted in the act "to prevent the further growth of popery," that every person of the popish religion, then inhabiting within the said city, or its suburbs, should give in sufficient bail or security, before the chief magistrate of the said city, that they would bear themselves faithfully towards her majesty; or in default of giycertain county in Munster, (in the year 1796), read a strong lecture on the cruelty of depriving men of that shield, on account of their speculative pinions.-Id. ib.

ing such security, should depart out of the said city and suburbs."

But besides the difficulty these people were under of getting such security, as, at that period of jealousy and distrust, would be allowed sufficient by the chief magistrate, who was himself the principal petitioner against them; even those few catholic inhabitants, whose security was unexceptionable, and who consequently could not be hindered to continue in their habitation, were yet, soon after, put under a necessity of abandoning them, of their own accord; unless it can be sup posed, that trading people can live contentedly, or with any sort of convenience, in a place where they are forced to remain separate from their wives, children, and servants. For that such was to be the situation of those few licensed catholics (not more than twenty' were suffered to be thus licensed), is manifest from hence, that “in March 1704, a petition from the Roman catholic inhabitants of Limerick, praying that bail might be taken for their wives, children and servants, as inhabitants thereof, having been presented to the house, and read, it was ordered to be rejected."+

1 Com. Jour. vol. iii. fol. 133.

Ib. f. 231.

By the 2d of the civil articles of Limerick, " the inhabitants or resi dents thereof, of what profession, trade, or calling soever they be, shall, and may use, exercise, and practice their respective trades and callings there, as freely as they did use, exercise and enjoy the same in the reign of king Charles the second." And yet says sir Theobald Butler, in his pleading against this clause, in the act of the 2d of queen Anne, "the Roman catholic citizens of Limerick are prohibited by it from living or staying there, even such as were under the articles, and by virtue thereof had even since (1691) lived there, without giving such security, as neither these articles, nor any law heretofore in force, do require, except seamen, fishermen, and day-labourers, who did not pay above forty shillings a year rent."

The act to prevent the further growth of popery sets forth, "that if any person or persons of the popish religion, other than such trading merchants (viz. seamen, fishermen, and day-labourers, who did not pay above forty shillings a year rent), not exceeding twenty, in each of the towns of Limerick and Galway, as shall be licensed by the chief governor and governors of this kingdom, for the time being, shall presume to live, dwell, or inhabit, or to take any house or tenement, in either of said towns, or their suburbs; he or they shall forfeit all his or their goods and chattels, and suffer imprisonment for the space of one whole year."—Com. Jour. Te iii. f. 133.