1687. that would ftem the impetuous Torrent of the Popish Faction. And indeed his very first Action gave no fmall Proof of it, which was to revive the fainting Spirits of the Proteftants, with thofe great Affurances his Mafter had given him of protecting their Religion. But the reftlefs Endeavours of the Papists made the Earl of Clarendon find things very uneafie: To which this remarkable Paffage not a little contributed. Upon a Sunday Morning, going to Church, he perceiv'd an Irish Officer he never faw before, commanding his Guard of Battle-Axes, which very much furpriz'd him; whereupon he made a Stop, demanding who he was, and who put him there? The Irishman, as much frighted, as the Lord Lieutenant was difturb'd, in broken Expreffions told his Excellency, he was a Captain put in by the Lord Tyrconnel. His Excellency demanding of him, when? he replied, that Morning: His Excellency bid 'em call the former Captain, and difmifs this of Tyrconnel's. The next Day the Lord Lieutenant queftion'd Tyrconnel for this Action, who replied, he did nothing but by the King's Orders: To which the Earl of Clarendon return'd, That whilft His Majetty entrusted him with the Government, he would not be difpos'd by his Lieutenant-General. Complaints on both fides were made to the King, and fo ended.

Tyrconnel having compleated his Design in modelling the Army, went over for England, and there confulted with his Party to obtain the Government of Ireland: The Queen, Father Petre, and the Earl of S-------, had by this time engag'd the King, in his Favour, but the reft of the Popish Faction were against it, ftill urging how unacceptable he was to the English, others therefore were nam'd in Private by the Romish Lords; but all the while the Proteftant fide were wholly Ignorant of any Defign to remove the Earl of Clarendon, not queftioning but that he ftood upon a firm Foundation; namely, the King's late Affurance to the Earl of Rter, who was feemingly prime Minifter of State, but not thought fit to be confided

in, as to thofe dark Secrets of the Popish De- 1687. figns.

About this Time Father Petre held a Confulta- Confultatition in the Savoy with the Chief Romanists of on held in England, about the Methods that were fitteft to the Savoy be purfued for the Promotion of the Catholick by the PaCaufe. The Papifts were univerfally afraid of the pifts. King's Incapacity, or elfe Unwillingness of expofing himself to the hazard of fecuring it in his Reign. They were fenfible, that he was advanc'd in Years, nor were they Ignorant of what almoft infuperable Difficulties they had to contend with, before they could bring their Projects to any Ripenefs. Wherefore upon these Confiderations, fome were for moving the King to procure an Act of Parliament for the Security of their Estates, and only Liberty for Priefts in their own Private Houses. This Father Petre Anathematiz'd as Terreftrial, and founded upon too fond a Sollicitude for their fecular Interefts; but if they would purfue his Measures, he doubted not to fee the Holy Church Triumphant in England; others of the Papifts were for Addreffing the King to have Liberty to fell their Eftates, and that His Majefty would Intercede with the King of France to provide for them in his Dominions; after feveral Debates, it was at laft agreed upon to lay both Propofals before the King, and fome of the Affembly to attend His Majefty, which was accordingly done: to which the King's Anfwer was, That he had before their Defires came to him, often thought of them, and had provided a fure Sanctuary and Retreat for them in Ireland, if all thofe Endeavours should be blafted in England, which he had made for their Security, and of whofe Success he had not yet Reafon to Defpair. This Encouragement to the Papifts was attended with the moft zealous Affurances of his ardent Love to the Holy Church, which, he said, he had been a Martyr for, and was ftill ready to lay down his Life to advance its Intereft. Thus the Bigottry of this unhappy Prince transported him beyond all Bounds, and carried him to fuch Extravagancies in Government, as the moderate of

the

1686. the English Papifts themselves thought to be extreamly hazardous. They would all of them have been content with a Private Exercife of their Religion, as thinking it abundantly more fafe, rather than endanger the lofing their Eftates and Fortunes, which they almoft look'd upon as inevitable, if fuch virulent extream Courfes were pursued, but the King was too much a Creature of the Jefuits, to attend to any but their Counfels. He had enter'd himself into their Society, and was become a Lay-Brother of that Order, and fo in Confequence to his Profeffion, muft needs look upon it as a work of Supererrogation to extirpate Herefie, and reduce three Kingdoms to an entire Obedience to the Holy See. The Earl of Rochester having by accident been inform'd of what was then in Agitation, he immediately acquainted the King with it, who abfolutely denied that there was any Intention of removing his Brother from the Government of Ireland, but on the contrary, affur'd him of his great Satisfaction with his Conduct. Within fome few Days, the Lord Treasurer receiv'd from the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland the fame Intimations, which he had inform'd the King of; and upon which he again accofted His Majefty, who as pofitively difown'd the whole Matter as he had done defore; and to remove the Jealoufies of the Lord Lieutenant, wrote a Letter to him, as was faid, with his own Hand, affuring him, there was yet no Thoughts, and he believ'd never would be in him, whilft both liv'd, to remove him from the Government of Ireland. Notwithstanding which the Papifts in Ireland confidently affirm'd, that the Day before the King writ the Letter, he had given his Word to Father Petre, that Tyrconnel fhould be Lord Lieutenant: But 'tis certain, that no other Perfon but the Queen was privy to this, no, not Tyrconnel himself, for he could not keep a Secret.

'Twas at the fame time refolv'd to put the Lord Treasurer, and the Earl of S---- to the Teft, as to what they would do in Compliance to the Catholick Caufe. The King undertook the Management of this Affair, and made his firft onfet

on

on S., whom he obferv'd to be moft docile,as ap- 1856. pear'd already by his fubmiffive Bowing to the Popish Altar. What the Tenor of that Discourse was which the King had with him, was never known; but however, Father Petre extreamly magnify'd the Earl's Obedience at a meeting with the Jefuits; adding that 'twas neceffary for him as yet to appear a Proteftant, for weighty Reasons of State. The King's Negotiation with the Earl of Rochester having miscarried in the manner I fhall Relate in a properer Place, one of the Jefuits faid; He muft be Anathematiz'd; and that the King could never Profper whilft fuch an Heretick was near him.

It was now become the Publick Discourse, that the two Brothers must down; and then the King, tho' he was refolv'd before hand, ask'd his Council's Advice, who was fit to be plac'd in the Government of Ireland. Several Perfons were propos'd, but none approv'd of: After that the Inclination of the Board had been fufficiently fifted, the King again brought on Tyrconnel, which was withfood by all but the Lord Prefident, and in Oppofition to which the Popish Party contended Vigoroufly. Powis (though they knew him to be both a C----d and a F-----, as the King in a Paffion one Day told him he was, yet however) was confider'd as a Perfon whofe moderate Carriage had Entitled him to a moderate good Character among the Proteftants, and therefore the fitteft to be plac'd in this Station, the better to amuse them. Powis was Naturally Covetous, and the Government of Ireland, a Poft of great Profit: Wherefore his Friends advis'd him to agree with the Earl of S--------, and do as the L. B------ did with the Dutchefs of Cleveland, become Tenant for Life; in order to which, Powis comes to Terins, and agrees for 4000 Pounds per Annum ; but whatever the bottom of the Delign was, S- never Tyrconnel forfook Tyrconnel at the Council-board, and carried mude Lord it for him against all Oppofition. Some con- Lieutenant jectur'd that he acquainted the King with his Bar- of Ireland. gain with Powis; and that the King made Tyrconnel agree to the fame Terms; for 'tis certain Tyrconnel,

who

1687. who feldom confider'd what he Spoke, would Swear he got not fo much by the Government as ferv'd to maintain him, notwithstanding that it was worth to him 18000 Pounds per An

num.

The Confirmation of this difmal News reaching the Ears of the Proteftants in Ireland, ftruck like a Thunder-bolt. Perhaps no Age or Story can Parallel fo dreadful a Catastrophe among all Ages and Sexes, as if the Day of Doom was come; every one lamenting their Condition, and almost all that could abandoning the Kingdom. This Gloomy and Melancholy Profpect of Things, feem'd to be attended with fo many Difcouragements, that many that had Patentee Employments, obtain'd License from the Lord Lieutenant under the Broad Seal to come away. All that lay in his Excellency's Power for the Affiftance of the alarm'd Proteftants, he zealously perform'd; and it was Interpreted by many as a Signal Act of Providence, that the Winds continued for fome time contrary, after that Tyrconnel was come to the Seafide; which Difappointment did not a little Difcompofe him, whofe Furious Zeal for the Popish Caufe, Envy and Ambition equally infpir'd him with Eagerness to Supplant his Predeceffor, and former Corrival in the Government. But at laft Tyrconnel being Landed at Dublin, the Lord Clarendon at the Arch-Bishop's Palace refign'd the Sword of State to him with a Memorable Speech; wherein he told him, "That the MisunderstandThe Earl of "ings and Fewds of that Kingdom were things Claren- "much to be lamented, and he could with the Speech "Occafion of them were remov'd, which was this, to Tyrcon." viz. That the English of that Kingdom had nel. 12th "been reprefented as a Company of Difaffected Feb. 1685. and Fanatical People; that this was a hard 66 Charge if it were true, but from what he had "learn'd, both by his own Obfervation, and the 66 Information of others, he believ'd them to be as Loyal Subjects, and generally as true Sons of "the Church of England as any it has. That it "is a Church that can make it her Brags, that in

Feb. 6.

1689.

don's

66