fecond time to take it, but the townfmen having been reinforced, repulfed them with confiderable flaughter. Enraged by this defeat, the infurgents, gave themfelves up without restraint, to the inipulse of fanguinary paffions. To put numbers of defenceless Proteftants to death in cold blood, to rob others of their property, to drive them in a Winter season, from their habitations to the open fields, where they were exposed to perish, by the accumulated evils of cold, nakedness and famine, were fhocking acts of cruelty. Nature fhrinks from the dreadful scene; to dwell upon it would be no lefs painful than inconfiftent with the limits I have prescribed to myself in this undertaking. It is reproachful to Proteftants that, stimulated by revenge, they, in some instances, imitated the odious example set before them, on this occafion by the Irish. In particular, the garrifon of Carrickfergus attacked by furprise the natives of Island Magee, engaged in no hostile acts, thirty families of whom they flaughtered. TH LETTER XI. Farewell. HE English parliament received intelligence of the infurrection, on the twenty fifth of October. The forged commiffion fixed on his Majefty a fufpicion of being concerned in it, upon which, in vindication of his character, he was obliged to fay that "he committed to them the care of Ireland." In confequence of which, they voted twenty thousand pounds for the fervice of this country; refolved that men should be raised, and placed under the command of proper officers; that ships fhould be ftationed to guard the coafts; that provisions and magazines of arms and amunition fhould be tranf ported, ported, for the affistance and protection of Ireland. Besides these, and with the fame view, they paffed other votes upon the occafion. In reward of his fervice, they gave five hundred pounds and a penfion of two hundred pounds a year, to Owen Connoly, who had difcovered the infurrection. AN account of these proceedings and of other friendly intentions, with refpect to this kingdom, was transmitted to the lords juftices, in the name of the lords and commons of England. They required this encouragement, for the number of the infurgents encreased. In particular, a number of Irifh fepts in Leinster, rose upon the Proteftants, deprived them of their houses and property, and extended their depredations to the vicinity of the capital. THE Irish parliament had been prorogued to the feventeenth of November, from which it was again prorogued to the twenty fourth of February. The fecond prorogation was very difagreeable to the Catholics and fome of the principal loyalifts, who pleaded that if the parliament were permitted to meet, the graces would probably receive the fanction of it's authority, which would have confiderable influence, in conciliating to government the minds of the infurgents, befides that fupplies would be voted, which were greatly wanted in the prefent ftate of affairs. But the justices faid that to dispense with the prorogation, would be a measure unprecedented and unbecoming the dignity of government. reafons for the prorogation were, that the meeting of parliament would bring a concourse of people to Dublin, which might endanger the public safety, and that a number of Proteftant members would be prevented by the infurgents from attending, in confequence of which, the Roman Catholic members would conftitute a majority. With difficulty they confented C 2 Their confented that the parliament fhould affemble upon the day to which they had been firft prorogued. Such members as could be collected met. Different opinions were urged, but as the majority were Proteftants, they declared by a public inftrument, their abhorrence of the infurrection, their refolution to maintain his Majefty's government, and to profecute with war, all fuch as against a certain day, would not lay down their arms and fue for mercy. Commiffioners were appointed to treat with the infurgents, and government authorized to raise money and forces for the public fecurity. Two days were neceffary for transacting this business; after which, in place of the former appointment, the parliament was prorogued to the eleventh of January. THEIR Commiffioners proceeded to O'Moore, who lay near Dundalk with a confiderable army, to treat with him of peace. Inftead of liftening to an accommodation, he took every method to unite and to animate his followers to war. With this view, and to engage the more moderate in his caufe, he formed an oath of affociation, which he difperfed in order to be figned, the purport of which was, that the Catholics had taken up arms, folely in defence of their religion, of his Majefty's rights and the liberty of the fubject. His exertions were rendered much more fuccessful by the intemperance of the English parliament. Bigots in religion, though friends to civil liberty, they paffed at this time an order, for tendering the oath of fupremacy, to all ftudents from Ireland, in the inns of court and chancery of London, for expelling fuch as refufed and for not admitting in future, thofe who would not take it. There was no feminary in this country, for educating young men for the law, which made this a fevere stroke to the Irish. The commons of England alfo alfo paffed a vote, in which they were joined by the lords, that no toleration of the Roman Catholic religion should be permitted in Ireland. A more effectual method, to ftrengthen the cause of the infurgents, could not poffibly be taken, than this proceeding, which was not more hoftile to the benevolent spirit of the Gospel and to the principles of the reformation, than to the rights of the Irish conftitution. As the Lords Juftices were in the interest of the English parliament, their government was offenfive to the loyalifts. They determined to have them removed, if poffible. In order to this, they appointed Lord Dillon to communicate their defires to Charles. In company with Lord Taafe, who was commiffioned by the nobility of the pale for the fame purpose, and to fupport their intereft in all other respects with the King, he fet off for England. But they were feized by the way, carried to London, and committed to prifon by the parliament. They efcaped from confinement, and fled to the King, with whom they continued in the capacity of Irish commiffioners. Adieu. XII. Y LETTER OU have seen the refolutions of the English commons, with respect to the relief of Ireland. They had fent over fome money and provisions in November. This was all the affiftance yet received from them.. IN confequence of repeated intelligence, that the ftrength of the infurgents daily encreased, and the fituation of Proteftants became more critical, they refolved that magazines of provisions should be eftablished C 3 blished at Westchester, for the use of Ireland, and that twenty thousand pounds, fix thousand horfe and two thousand foot fhould be raised for the fame purpose. But, to enable his Majefty to raise the men expeditiously, an act was neceffary to authorise him to press them into the fervice. The preamble to the bill displeased him, and he refufed for fome time, to pafs it. He defired to appoint the officers who were to command the levies for Ireland, but to this, as it would give him a power over them, which the commons confidered as dangerous, they would not confent. These and other differences, which arose betwixt the King and parliament of England, occafioned by their mutual jealousies, retarded the relief of this country. At laft, ten thousand Scots were taken into pay, to be employed in the fervice of Ireland. They were to be fubject to their own commiffioners, to be independent of Irish government, and to be answerable for their conduct, only to the King and parliament. WHILST thefe matters were adjusting in England, the infurgents collected a confiderable force, under the command of Sir Phelim O'Nial, and prepared to befiege Drogheda. Upon receiving intelligence of this defign, fix hundred foot and fifty horfe, were detached from Dublin to reinforce the town. But they were attacked on their march and defeated at Julianstownbridge. By the end of November, the enemy fat down before Drogheda, which was neither ftrong in itself, nor well fupplied with provifions, nor provided with a fufficient garrifon. It was placed under the command of Sir Henry Tichbourne, an active and gallant officer, who was determined to use every poffible means for it's prefervation. The Irish, who, though very numerous, were, from their fituation, unable |