of grateful Sensibility. It is one of the first and moft anxious Wishes in the Heart of every Irishman, that you may long live to enjoy the exquisite Pleasure resulting from the Reflection that you have been a chief Instrument in emancipating your Country, to cherish by your Example and your Influence the noble Spirit which has regained her Freedom, to fee her rifing in Profperity and in Confequence, from the Advantages fhe has obtained, and her Prospects enlarged by those Improvements necessary to perfect her Con

ftitution.

THE Obligations which I owe your Lordship, and the personal Civilities, I had almost prefumed to say, Marks of Friendship with which you have honored me I feel and will ever feel with confcious Pride. With the most perfect Refpect, and with every Sentiment of Gratitude,

I have the Honor to be,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most humble

And moft obedient Servant,

W. CRAWFORD.

PREFACE.

TH

HERE was fcarcely an individual fo abforbed by selfish views as not to participate of the fpirit of national freedom with which the late fortunate concurrence of circumstances animated the people of this country. The hope that this admirable principle might in fome measure be invigorated by tracing out to them the origin, the nature and the progress of our conftitution, and the various encroachments which it has fuffered by the unjuft interference of the British legislature, was the motive which firft induced me to engage in this undertaking. Though to afcertain and to vindicate our rights has been my chief object, as neceffary to this defign, and to render the work more generally acceptable, I have given a comprehenfive view of the most important and interesting facts in the hiftory of Ireland, from the earliest period to the present time. The immediate wishes of Irishmen have been gratified in the revolution which has terminated, moft honourably for their country, the contest in which they have been engaged with their fellow fubjects of Britain. This glorious event will not however, it is prefumed, render the work here offered to the public unneceffary with respect to it's principal defign. To the unprejudiced, it will justify the late exertions of the people in behalf of their privileges, will point out, that in regaining thofe

A 3

those rights which have been violated, the fafety, the prosperity and the happiness of the nation were deeply interested, and fhew the indifpenfible neceffity of guarding them in future with a steady and an attentive eye.

IN the flight sketch which the reader will here find of the more remote period of our history, Sir James Ware, the collection relative to the affairs of Ireland published by Colonel Vallancey, Warner, the differtations of the ingenious Mr. O'Connor, and, more particularly, the laft work of Mr. O'Halloran, have been my authorities.

MATERIALS for what I have written of the period from the invasion of the English to the revolution are taken from Stanihurft, Ware, Cox, Sir John Davis's Hiftorical Relations, Harris, Morrifon, Sir George Carew's Pacata Hibernia, the Difiderata Curiosa Hibernica, Effex's Letters, Prynne, the Letters. of Lord Strafford, Borlace, Castlehaven's Clanricard's, Ludlow's Memoirs, and Carte's Life of the Duke of Ormond. Through the whole of this part. of the work I have been very much indebted to Doctor Leland, who, in his Hiftory of Ireland, has, with great industry, felected information from these. authors, and from other fources to which I have not had accefs. This gentleman has befides, in a variety of respects, affifted me in my enquiries with a cheerfulness and liberality of fentiment which has laid me under particular obligations. From the revolution, the authors confulted are Harris's Life of King William, Dalrymple's Memoirs, Burnet, Boyer's Life of Queen Anne, Boulter's Letters, the addreffes of Lucas to the free citizens of Dublin

and

and the records of the lords and commons both of the Irish and the British parliament. The information derived from them and from the ftatutes at large was not confined to this period. Mr. O'Halloran was fo kind as to give me a particular account of the causes and other circumstances attending the commotion of the white boys. I have had recourse to other lights besides these mentioned, especially those which relate to the privileges of the conftitution.

NOTHING in the course of the narration will give fo much pain to the benevolent reader as the feries of inhuman treatment to which the natives were expofed from the rapacity of the English adventurers. The manner in which the reformation was conducted and subsequent hardships they endured on account of their religion, gave them ftill greater reason to complain. The light in which the defigns, the actions and the diftreffes of the Roman Catholics, from the time of Queen Elizabeth, are here viewed, differs effentially from that in which they have been placed by the generality of Proteftant historians. In the mind of the author, it is the fruit of conviction and of fentiment arifing from facts which he does not hesitate to affirm are indubitably authentic. He trufts that in thefe days not more gloriously distinguished by efforts of patriotism than by the genuine spirit of toleration which has begun in this kingdom and is likely universally to prevail, he will, in this matter, be approved by his fellow Proteftants. It would give him exquifite pleasure, if in doing juftice to truth and to his own feelings he were to be inftrumental in promoting

the

the interest of a fet of men who, both in refpect to their religious and civil rights, have, until of late, laboured under intolerable oppreffion.

BEING quite uncertain with respect to the fuccess of these letters which could not be printed but at a confiderable expence, prudence obliged me to endeavour to fecure the fale of fuch a number of copies as would indemnify me. In fpeaking of the encouragement I have been honoured with fo far exceeding my moft fanguine expectations, I find myself quite at a loss to express my gratitude. Every individual of the annexed very numerous and refpectable lift, especially those who were fo kind as to distribute my proposals and take in subscriptions, is entitled to my thanks. The returns of fome of my friends were fo remarkable as to call for my particular acknowlegements. Of this number are Lord Charlemont, Colonel James Stewart, Thomas Hamilton Efq; Colonel Pedder, Mr. Luke Teeling, the Rev. Mr. Chriftie and the Rev. Mr. Hamilton of Waterford. The names contained in their lifts alone amount to nearly fix hundred. It is impoffible for me ever to forget the unremitting offices of kindness done me by Colonel Stewart. To acknowledge thus publicly my obligations to a gentleman fo distinguished by his private and by his public virtues, is not more highly pleafing to my fense of gratitude than to my ambition.

IN proportion to the countenance with which this work has been hitherto favoured by the public, I am anxious for it's fuccefs. If it is received with approbation, I may flatter myself with the hope that it will not be quite unprofitable. With filent, but respectful