'Tis eafie to guefs how this Proclamation work'd 1685. in the Minds of the Scots Presbyterians, which compose the Mafs of that Nation, by their unanimous joining with the English in the fucceeding Revolution.

But 'twas principally in Ireland where the AView of King's Defigns of ettablishing Popery, and Arbi- the Affairs trary Power appear'd without Difguife, from the in Ireland, very beginning of his Reign. On the 20th of from 1685, March, 1685. the Duke of Ormond, Lord-Lieute- to 1687. nant of that Kingdom, a Perfon of unfhaken uprightnefs, and inviolable Zeal for the Proteftant Re- Duke of ligion and English Intereft, and therefore unfit to recall'd, ferve the prefent Government, receiv'd an Order March 20.

Ormond

1685.

from Court to deliver the Sword of State to the Lord Primate of Ireland, and to the Earl of GraInard, appointed by the King to be Lords Juftices; but before his Departure, he laboured with an indefatigable Diligence to eftablish Matters on fuch a Foundation, fo as that it might not be eafie for the Papifts to make a prefent Change, without a manifeft Violation of the Laws and Conftitutions of the Kingdom. One remarkable Paffage I muft not pafs in Silence, which thews the great Spirit of that excellent Patriot. He appointed a Dinner at the new Hofpital, (a ftately Fabrick by him erected near Dublin for poor Soldiers) where were invited the Officers of the faid Hofpital, and thofe of the Army then in Dublin; which being over, he took a large Glafs of Wine in his Hand, bid 'em fill it to the Brim, then food up, and call'd to all the Company: Look here, Gentlemen, they fay at Court I am now become an old doting Fool; you fee my Hand does not fake, nor does my Heart fail, nor do I doubt but I will make fome of them fee their MiStake; and fo drank the King's Health. But upon his Arrival at Court, he found that King James's bigotted Opinion would carry him to the most violent Actions; a difmal Apprehenfion of which, as is believ'd, at length broke his Heart; for tho' he was of a great Age, yet was he of fuch Health of Body, and Chearfulnefs of Mind, that in the Courfe of Nature he might have liv'd Twenty Years

D3

1687. Years longer. Before the Duke of Ormond left the Government, an Order came for regulating the Council, which he left for the Juftices to do. Upon his Departure the Privy-Council was immediately diffolv'd, and moft of the English that were active in the Proteftant Caufe, were turn'd out; but tho' no Papists were then put in, yet it was long before they made up the major part; and thofe few Proteftants that were left, feldom appear'd at the Board, as being unable to do thofe of their Religion any Service. The Irish fell immediately to their ordinary Trade of making Plots, but with this Difference: That whereas they had formerly been the Actors themfelves, they now father'd them upon the English, whom they daily impeach'd against the King and the Government. The Grandees had theConfidence to countenance theEvidence, and prefs'd the Lords Juftices for Orders of Council to impower Irish Papists and mungrel Proteftants to commit, without Bail, any Perfon impeach'd. Thefe Arbitrary Proceedings made the Lords Juftices foon weary of their Government, and the Lord Granard writ to England to be difmift; but thePapifts reprefented him as a Man fit to be kept in, his Intereft being very prevalent in the North among the Scots and Presbyterians, of which Perfwafion his Lady was; fo that King James writ him a Letter with his own Hand, with great Affurances that nothing fhould be acted prejudicial to the Proteftant Intereft, which, at that time, this Lord was accounted to be zealous for. Monmouth's Rebellion gave a plaufible Opportunity to the Irish, more than ever, to contrive Plots, and to faften them upon the Protettants, which put the whole Kingdom into a Ferment; and altho' the Accufations were notoriously false, yet for not being profecuted with that open Partiality and Rigour, which these envious implacable Spirits were impatient for, Complaints were made to the King; and He to gratifie their Malice, fent private Inftructions, with a Reprimand to the Lords Juftices, about this Affair.

The

Talbot

the Army.

The next thing the Court thought fit to be done 1687: in order to advance their Designs in Ireland, was to new model the Army, which at that time confifted of about 7000 Men, all Proteftants, who had been moft zealous in the King's Service. For this Purpose they made ufe of Colonel Richard Tal-Colonel bot, a Man, of all others, mott odious to the English models Proteftants, and one who had been nam'd by Oates in his Narrative, fome Years before, as defign'd for this Service; fo that many, who before believ'd nothing of the Plot, gave Credit to it now, saying, That it Oates were an ill Evidence, he was certainly a good Prophet. Talbot was no fooner invefted with his Office, but he profecuted it in fuch a manner, as was moft agreeable to his infolent imperious Temper,exercifing at the fame time fo muchBarbarity and Falthood, that if the Army had not been the beft principled in the World with Loyalty, they would certainly have mutinied. But the introducto ry part first to be perform'd, was to get in all the Arms from the Proteftants. To varnish over this Defign,the King and Council writ over to theLords Jufiices, That there was reafon to believe that the Rebellion of Monmouth had been of that Spreading Contagion, as to infect many, and delude more; it was not therefore fafe for the Kingdom to have the Arms of the Militia difpers'd abroad, but they would be in a greater Readinfs for the Militia, and their own Defence, to have them depofited in the feveral Stores of each County. Upon which Inftructions a Proclamation was iffued out; and to make it take the better effect, the Lord Primate made an elegant Speech to the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Dublin, and prevail'd with them to bring in their Arms; which Precedent was afterwards purfued by the Country. The Proteftants being thus difarm'd, Talbot proceeded to new-model the Army, and firft began with the Officers in the fame Method which was defign'd immediately before the Death of King Charles II. and which was to difplace all Officers that had been in the Parliament, or Oliver's Army, as alfo the Sons of any fuch. This the Duke of Ormond had Directions to proceed in, but he made

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110

1685. no Progrefs in it, under Pretence of gaining time to find 'em out, but in reality, because he forefaw it was to make room for Papifts. Talbot having cafhier'd a great part of the Officers, return'd for England, and carried along with him one Neagle, a cunning Irish Lawyer, and inveterate Papist, educated among the Jefuits. Upon their Arrival at London, 'twas fome time before Neagle could gain Admittance to kifs the King's Hand, but was conftantly with Father Petre, and the reft of the Popish Cabal. The Queen was altogether for their furious Counfels, but the King was not fo violently inclin'd, being every Day advis'd by all his Popi Peers, not to proceed too faft in the Revolution of Ireland, left thereby he fhould ruin the general Intereft of the Catholicks: And the Lords Bellafis, Powis, and fome others of that Faction, understanding that Neagle was come over, they were so tranfported with Rage, that they would have him immediately fent out of London. However, to compleat in private, what they durft not attempt upon the publick Stage, 'twas agreed in Council that he should fet forth the great Oppreffion and Injustice of the late Act of Settlement, which he did by way of a Letter to a Friend, wherein he ran fo high in his Invectives against King Charles II. that he durft not own it to be his. Talbot being made Earl of Tyrconnel, a Confult was held amade Earl bout the principal Defign of his coming over, and of Tyrcon- the Debate varioufly canvafs'd as to a fit Person to

Talbot

nel.

fend to Ireland, in Quality of Lord-Lieutenant. Tyrconnel, tho' recommended by Bishop Tyrrel, was nevertheless mention'd with fome Referve, as being a Person very obnoxious to the English, and therefore not proper to be brought upon the Stage, till Matters were come to a greater Maturity. The Lord Bellafis was propos'd, but he was The Earl of infirm, at leaft to carry on their Defign with SucClarendon cefs, and not altogether to difguft the English, 'twas made Lord refolv'd that Tyrconnel fhould return Lieutenantof Ireland, General of the Army, and the Earl of Clarendon Decemb. Lord Lieutenant. In the mean time the Irish Papists 1685. in all Parts of the Kingdom proceeded in their

Lieutenant

former

former Stratagems of impeaching the Proteftants 1686. for traiterous Défigns, but these were generally fo ridiculously contriv'd, and made up of fuch palpable Contradictions and Incongruities, that they ferv❜d only to demonftrate the Proteftants Innocency, and the Perjuries and Inveteracy of the Informers. But feeing that thefe Impeachments were fo unskilfully manag'd, as to mifs of their wicked Intents, then they apply'd themselves to other Courses: Many went out Tories, and committed fo many Robberies and Outrages upon the English, that Thousands deferted the Kingdom. Tyrconnel now drives with greater Fury than before; not only displacing the Officers of the Army, but alfo turning out the private Soldiers, and to both prefers which of the Irish he thought fit; his Will was his Law, and his Actions purely Arbitrary, none daring to queftion him; for he brought over blank Commiffions fign'd by the King, for fuch as he was willing to put in. This Part he acted in a moft infulting, barbarous manner; turning off fome Soldiers, ftript to their Shirts; feizing the Horfes of fome Officers and Troopers, giving them Notes that amounted not to a fourth Proportion of their juft Values; and to others, giving nothing but ill Words, and vile Reproaches. The most noted Officers, who were turn'd out of their Commiffions, were the Lord Shannon, Capt. Robert Fitz-Gerald, Capt. Richard Coote, and Sir George St. George; in whofe Places were put one Kerney, an Affaflin, that would have murder'd King Charles II. Anderfon, an obfcure Fellow; Sheldon, a virulent Papift; Graham, and others of the fame Stamp. In fhort, 2 or 300 English Gentlemen, who had laid out all, or at least great part of their Portions, to purchase or follow their Military Employments, were arbitrarily disbanded, and 5 or 6000 private Soldiers fent a-begging. However these Difcouragements of the English were, in fome measure, alleviated, when perceiving the Lord Lieutenant, tho' a near Relation to the King, acting as a Perfon of inviolable Integrity to the Proteftants, they look'd upon him as a Man

that