him for the encouragement of Trade and the uniting of the Affections of his Subjects and in order to put this in execution the City of Dublin was to lead the way and to be the Precedent to the whole Kingdom And therefore in pursuance to the tenour of the aforesaid Letter the Lord Mayor calls a General Assembly wherein the Kings Letter was read upon which the City made their humble Address to the Lord Lieutenant and Council setting forth that they found the City by Act of Parliament bound up and the if they should act according to the Letter they incurred a Forfeiture of their Charters and therefore humbly prayed the Lord Lieutenant and Council to lay their Condition at his Majesty's Feet who they did humbly conceive was mis-informed in this matter This retarded the freedom of the Papists for some time but another Mayor one Castleton who is still in Dublin succeeding he passed the Irish Freemen and in consequence to this the same was done in the whole Kingdom This was laid with ingenuity enough for promoting the Irish design yet received not its hoped for effect which was by this means to procure freedom for so many of the Irish in every Corporation as by the Majority of their Suffrages might out-vote the English in the Election of Popish Magistrates which upon Tyrconnel's Accession to the Government might facilitate the surrendring the Charters and so render the Kingdom as they stiled it entirely Catholick But this device how speciously soever contrived did not reach the end of its Projectors For notwithstanding the great Endeavours and active Industry of the Irish yet most of the Corporations out-ballanced them in the number of Protestants Tyrconnel perceiving himself frustrated of his expectation by the numerous Party of the English has an immediate recourse to the way before-mentioned of the Lords Justices and to put this in practice sends for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and there acquaints them that he had in charge from his Master the King to tell them as being the chief City of the Kingdom and unto which as such he intended the greatest Marks of his Favour that it was his pleasure to call in all the Charters of the Kingdom not with design to take away any thing from them but to enlarge their Priviledges by which act of bounty and favour he might the more endear them unto him He farther told them that his Majesty expected their ready compliance so as that their chearful surrendry of their Charter might become examplary to the rest of the Kingdom The Lord Mayor returned the answer usual in such cases which was that he would call an Assembly and move it to them and the next day he accordingly did so acquainting them with what the Lord Deputy had given him in charge The Assembly was not long upon their Resolves but the manner of delivering them afforded the greatest matter of debate the result whereof was this That the Lord Mayor Recorder and Aldermen should wait upon his Excellency and acquaint his Lordship that as the City had ever been exemplary in their Loyalty and faithful Obedience to the Kings and Queens of England so they should ever continue in the same and therefore humbly conceived it to be their Duty to lay at his Majesty's feet the great Services they had done the Crown under the Grants and Immunities of One Hundred and Chirty Charters they had then in their Treasury from his Majesties Royal Ancestors and they humbly prayed his Excellency to favour them in a kind representation of their condition to his Majesty which they hoped would prevail with his Majesty for the continuance of their Ancient Government under so many Gracious Grants and Charters Upon the making of this return there was present the King's Attorney and Sollicitor The first being a most Virulent and Inveterate Papist nothing of friendship was expected from him but the latter was not doubted yet contrary to expectation argued stifly against the City The Lord Deputy as extravagantly mad to meet with this return which so absolutely thwarted his design fell into a great fit of violent Passion and in a raging Tempest told them That this was the continuance of their former Rebellion that they had turned out all the Loyal Snbjects in the last War of Ireland and that they would do so now were it in their power And it was because they so lately disputed the King's Commands for admitting Catholick Free-men that caused his Majesty to call in their Charters and in the close of this furious Speech advised the Lord Mayor to call the Assembly again and obey the King or it would be worse for them Wherefore the Lord Mayor humbly besought his Excellency to signifie his pleasure to the Assembly by a Letter under his hand alledging that they would not regard a Verbal Repetition of it which they had been already acquainted with as also urging that it had been the constant practice of the Chief Governour to send their Letter upon occasions of publick business to the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Commons And if his Excellency would please to follow this usual method he would act as in duty bound in obedience to it To which the Sollicitor General replyed that there was no necessity of any such Formality but 't was sufficient if his Excellency signify'd his Commands by word of Mouth in which they ought to acquiesce Upon this the Lord Mayor called another Assembly and great Debates arose how to demean themselves in this nice Criticism of Affairs But as to the surrendry of their Charter 't was what they unanimously resolved against After some Dispute as to the manner of Addressing the Lord Deputy in this case 't was at last resolved and concluded That the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Commons should make their Application to his Excellency with Reasons why they could not surrender their Charter and to pray his Excellency to allow them time to Petition the King not doubting but His Majesty would be graciously pleased to take into his Princely Consideration as well their Exemplary Loyalty as Eminent Sufferings for His Royal Father of Blessed Memory Upon which they produced a Letter from King Charles the First dated at Oxford which contained great Acknowledgments of their great Loyalty and Faithfulness to him which he gave them high assurances of being eminently rewarded if it pleased the Divine Providence to restore him to his Crown and its just Rights and Prerogatives The aforesaid Representatives of the City also prayed Tyrconnel to represent their condition favourably to His Majesty but he answered them roughly and according to his former Austerity told them That on the contrary he would Write against them and in the interim according to the Directions he brought over with him from England a Quo Warranto issued forth against the City Who called another Common Council and there agreed upon a Petition to the King and sent over with it their Recorder Sir Richard Rieves who behaved year 1687
himself briskly and with good Applause in this matter For notwithstanding that he was not only frequently sent to but threatned by Tyrconnel if he proceeded in it yet however he goes for London and there sollicits the Duke of Ormond to introduce him to the King where on his Knee he delivers the Petition with a submissive tender of all the City Charters at His Majesties Feet The King was already so prepossessed with the Partial Account that Tyrconnel had given of this Action with which he was so extreamly prejudiced that upon the first sight of Sir Richard Rieves he asked him if he had the Lord Deputy's leave to come with this Petition And that he had those in Ireland that understood the Law better than himself and so turn'd from him Sir Richard Rieves advised with the Duke of Ormond who told him That there was no hopes of succeeding in the Enterprize so was forced to go back for Dublin with a short but unpleasant return of the ineffectualness of this Negotiation But however the City was resolved to stand the Brunt and to stop the violent Tide if possible which now ran with so rapid a Current and in order thereunto they Fee'd four Counsels Their first Evasion whereby to procrastinate matters was by urging that the Sheriffs were interessed as Parties in the Writ the Charters being granted to Mayor Sheriffs and Commons and so could not properly make Returns to that Writ that came against themselves this was deem'd to be Law but nothing was to be accounted as such by Judges that broke through all Inclosures and stuck not to trample upon the known Laws and Constitutions of the Kingdom if opposite to their Popish and Arbitrary designs So this return of the Sheriffs was over-ruled and a Fine imposed upon them if in four days they did not amend their Return which some though they would not have agreed to but 't was among themselves thought fit to do it and accordingly the Attorney General proceeded against them and took some advantage of their Pleadings which the Court gave judgment upon This afforded matter of Triumph and an universal excessive joy to the Irish which dispersed it self with a marvelous Celerity throughout the whole Kingdom but became on the contrary hand as much a Subject of Lamentation to the English Citizens who called themselves the Virgin City as having never been tainted with any action of Disloyalty or Rebellion in all the several Revolutions and Vicissitudes of that unfortunate Kingdom which though never since it was in the possession of the King 's of England continued forty years uninterruptedly without an Insurrection of the Natives yet was this City remarkably Loyal in all Changes and performed many signal acts of Bravery and Courage as their Records do amply testifie and of which not to name many others I cannot omit one very remarkable Instance which was That when the Lord Duke of Ormond received Orders by that Royal Martyr King Charles the First of ever Blessed and Immortal Memory to give up the Sword and Government to the Parliament they being at that time best able to suppress the Irish Rebels The Lord of Ormond in pursuance to this instruction delivered up the Sword and sent to the Mayor one William Smith ordering him to do the like but he to shew his Loyalty went to the Lord of Ormond accompanied with his Brethren the Aldermen and told his Lordship that he kept that Sword for the King that the City was the King's Chamber and he would deliver neither but into the hands of the King's Servants Upon which the Lord of Ormond took occasion to commend his Loyalty and told him He had the King's Commands to do it and for the Mayors greater satisfaction shewed him the King's Letter which when the Mayor read he observed there was order for the Lord of Ormond to give up the Government to the Parliaments Commissioners but not a word that the Mayor should do it which the Mayor taking notice of to the Lord of Ormond told him he would leave the Sword and Keys of the City with his Lordship to use as he pleased he being the King s Lieutenant and so he did and after took his leave This the City justly boasts of as never being engaged in any Rebellion nor ever actually under the Usurper's Government in any other manner than by the King 's Appointment and Command But to return to the Charters consonant to the Sentence against Dublin so was Judgment given against all the Charters of the Kingdom except against such as quietly surrendred as most did it being to no purpose to contend in the lesser and inferiour parts of the Kingdom after their GOLIAH of Dublin was slain I shall not impose upon the Reader 's Patience with giving him an account of what subtle arts of Address and Obsequious Contrivances were made use of to distinct Corporations to prevail with them to surrender This he will suppose that they were not remiss or unactive in if he considers that they dreaded nothing so much as that the Clamours and Outcries of so many Bodies of people which were to be sued and disobliged should reach the Ears of the Court and be made use of by the adverse Party to their disadvantage and therefore we may be sure that they endeavoured to silence them as much as they could For both Tyrconnel and his Voucher â—eagle had assured their Party that most of the Charters would quietly be surrendred by the people and that there was but one Corporation in the North of Ireland which they were afraid of this was Carrickfergus which they managed with a great deal of Policy in the following manner Ellis Secretary to Tyrconnel writes a wheedling Letter to the Mayor of that City insinuating how great an opinion the Lord Deputy had of his Loyalty with abundance of such impertinent stuff and that his Excellency would enlarge their Priviledges They were foolishly taken with this gilded Bait and so surrendred their Charter Upon this success Ellis was applauded as an excellent Instrument to delude the Protestants with and so he was which he improved by the frequent opportunities which were offered to him of drawing in honest men he having been many years in the Secretaries Office and a pretended Protestant though his Brother was a noted Champion for Rome but that was one of the Machinations of the Romish Conclave mightily practised in Ireland to disguise one part of their Family under the Protestant Education though they were as much Papists as the other that appeared to be openly such by a publick Profession A practice which the old English Families are rarely free from in that Kingdom But to come again to Ellis his Letters and Messages flew round the Kingdom and prevailed in many places but more out of a Sentiment That 't was to no purpose to contend than any Belief or Opinion they had either of his or his Masters assurances But however that was 't is certain that Ellis
any sort of men how notoriously infamous soever to fill up their Charters so were they as much perplexed to find out men that would pay for them For not ten in the whole Kingdom would or could discharge the Fees for them Wherefore to encourage them the Lord Deputy ordered That the Lord Chancellor and Attorney General Neagle should abate half of their Fees But all would not do so that most of the new Charters are yet in the Attorney General 's hands for want of paying the Fees and the several Corporations act without them The infinite numbers of people deserting the Kingdom from all parts of it upon Tyrconnel's coming to the Government made the Towns and Cities almost waste discouraged all manner of Trade and sunk the Revenue to an incredible Ebb and deduction from its former value These weighty Arguments were strongly pressed at Court to Tyrconnel's disadvantage upon which he obtains leave to meet the King at Chester and carries with him his great Minister year 1687 and Counsellor Rice who being chief Baron of the Exchequer was to be believed above any it being King James's Maxim That he would hear no man in any thing that did not properly lie under his Province Rice was fitly enough qualified to sooth up the King with fine Stories and a specious representation of Affairs which he could the more easily do in regard there was none present to contradict him and so this Cloud blew over though many did believe and were in hopes that it would have broke with that violence upon Tyrconnel that he would never have returned again as Lord Deputy There as yet remained some Protestant Officers in the Army which upon this interview were ordered to be disbanded excepting some few who 't is believed had made fair Promises which they had not occasion as yet to put in execution Nor did King James require more than a private assurance of their Faith and Inclinations to his interest it being too early to make a publick Declaration as yet The Judges were abroad upon their Circuit year 1687 whilst Tyrconnel was in England pursuing such instructions as he had prescribed to them before his departure which were severe and prejudicial enough to the English and to their Protestant Clergy notwithstanding his late Proclamation superadded to others before from the King that they should enjoy all their Ecclesiastical Rites and Just Dues as they had formerly done The Clergy having since the beginning of King James's Reign lain under great Grievances as to the non-payment of their dues especially Surplice Fees which in that Kingdom they call Book-money and is very considerable to them by reason of the numerousness of Irish Families in most places took the opportunity at the Assizes in the several Circuits to represent their condition to the Judges as Persons from whom they expected Redress but on the contrary met with very dissatisfactory and unequal returns For though the Judges could not disown the legality of those small Dues called the Book money because founded upon the same Law with the greater Tythes as the Irish of the Country unanimously did notwithstanding that they had paid them in the former Reign yet did they so manifestly discourage the Clergy in their Addresses to them taking all advantages against them that could be offered and as studiously declining every Argument made in their favour as they were ready to embrace and hearken to what could be objected against them though meer Forgeries of the Irish and thereby so animated the Natives against them that they seemed to do them as much injustice though under specious and fair pretences as if they had publickly told the Papists that they ought not to pay them any thing Though at the same time and with the same breath that they were guilty of this execrable partiality they had the confidence to avow the justice of their proceedings towards the Clergy for whom they would have had them believe that they entertained the most equitable and upright intentions This would require a large Discourse if accurately handled but my unskilfulness in a matter out of my Province and peculiar to Ecclesiasticks will I hope be excused though thus slenderly touched upon but thought it better to speak something imperfectly of it than wholly omit an Affair which was so universal in the Reign of the late King James and so publickly transacted in the whole Kingdom The Judges found the Gaols full stocked with Toryes and Irish Robbers but Irish Sheriffs and Irish Juries were so Gracious as to vouchsafe them so general a deliverance that not one in forty was found guilty And in such Cases where Matter of Fact was notoriously plain or any of the Grandees were any way interessed in belief of the Criminals as 't was rare almost to a miracle if none were and the Evidence not to be taken off then 't was usual for the Prisoner at the Bar to be called by wrong Names and so discharged for want of Prosecution To these Arts of evading condign punishment for their Execrable Crimes several Menaces were added to terrifie the Plaintiff from prosecuting as that otherwise their Houses should be burnt their Cattle stole their substance destroyed and perhaps their own Throats cut which as often threatened so not seldom put in execution a sad discouragement to the poor English who lay under the daily hazard of being Robbed and Pillaged by the Irish and if they happened to seize the Malefactors must either discontinue any farther prosecution against them or else be exposed to greater mischief For the Proof and Demonstration whereof not to insist upon too many others take the following Instance which for the eminency of the Person and Barbarity of the several Facts may supply the rest acted by the Earl of C This Earls Eldest Son a great Favourite of the Duke of York's was with him at Sea and there killed and leaving no Heir his younger Brother was brought out of a Convent in France and instated in the Earldom The Duke of Ormond who always endeavoured to Naturalize the Irish Families into English embraced this opportunity there being none living but his Sister and this Earl who was next to a Natural to Marry him to a Daughter of the Earl of Kildare's in Ireland a firm Protestant and capable of an Intrigue beyond her Sex by this Lady he had several Children and one Son who is now Earl He was by the Duke of Ormond sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury and by him carefully bred up a Protestant and Educated at Oxford His Uncle Justin Mac Carthy as it since appears for the promotion of the Catholick Cause without the knowledge of his Mother or the Duke of Ormond Marries him when not Sixteen Years of Age to the Earl of Sunderland's Daughter and immediately sends him for Ireland where he continued a Protestant until the coming of King James to the Crown and then like the rest of his Country-men at that juncture returned to his old Vomit
persons by their united Interests one for the Church the other for the Dissenters kept things in a quiet posture in Ireland and were so Cajol'd by King James as made them not only of opinion but perswaded others to be so too that the King would never expose himself to the hazard of preferring Papists in that Kingdom where the English and Scots were so unanimous against 'em And besides that they were so well furnished with Arms as having the Arms of the Militia so lately setled in their hands But the Popish Party grew bold and insolent and every day afforded but too convincing occasions of new fears to the Protestants Monmouth's Discomfiture gave liberty to the Irish more than ever to contrive Plots and to fasten them upon the Protestants which put the whole Kingdom into a Ferment for the Irish pretended that the Protestants assembled together in great numbers in the night and to gain the more credit to these Hellish Inventions the Vulgar Irish were instructed to leave their Houses and to hide every Night in their Bogs upon a pretence of fear that the English would come in the Night and cut their Throats a Practice as notorious in the Church of Rome as unheard of among Protestants and which there could not be the least Ground or Foundation for at this juncture For besides that in most parts of the Kingdom the Irish were infinitely more numerous than the English nay in some an hundred Families for one I suppose I speak much short of the true account which shewed the impossibility of putting any such thing in execution had it been ever intended and must needs be accounted an absurd and ridiculous contrivance to any man of common sense So were the Irish though conscious to themselves of their own Bloody Actions in the former Rebellion well enough assured that the English never imagined much less would attempt any such thing They were convinced as well by their Practices which had been but too favourable and indulgent to the Natives in the former Reign as by the Principles of their Religion that they were not men of Blood nay and would frequently confess that they were never known to be addicted to Cruelty and Murther to Barbarous Massacres and Inhumane Assassinations which they could not excuse some of themselves from And indeed whoever considers the difference betwixt the Reformed and Romish Church in this respect must needs acknowledge a most strange opposition betwixt them To see the Ancient Practices of the Heathen Emperors so drawn to the life nay out-done by the present Romish Faction is to some a Demonstration that the Persecuting Spirit which reigned with so much predominancy in the Infant days of Christianity is now strongly revived in this degenerate Church which is apparently in this and other Principles upon her Retrograde motion to Ancient Gentilism And upon the other hand whoever considers that Spirit of Peace and Meekness of Mercifulness and an Universal Charity which governs with so absolute an Empire in the minds of those who have duly embraced our Profession must needs own That our English carries that true Badge and Characteristick Evidence of Christianity for which the Primitive Church was justly accounted so illustrious But not to dwell any longer upon this Reflection with what malice and injustice soever the English were represented as Night-Walkers and designing to murther the Irish yet were Examinations of these Impeachments taken by Justices of the Peace calculated for the purpose and these were sent to the Lords Justices and Council and although the Accusations were notoriously false and irrational as has been already shewn yet for not being prosecuted with that open partiality and rigour which these envious implacable Spirits were impatient for Complaints were made to the King by the Irish and he to gratifie their malice sent private instructions with a Reprimand to the Lords Justices about this affair Upon which a Proclamation was issued forth forbidding all Night-Meetings c. though the Lords Justices and Council well knew there was no such thing This Artifice of the Irish was but in order to make way for greater mischief by preparing Evidences to bring the most considerable of the English into Plots Their first onset was with one Moor of Clonmel who was Indicted for High-Treason before Sir John Mead in the Palatinate of Tipperary This Moor was a person of a vast Estate which made them bend their whole force against him Now to countenance the design Tyrconnel and Justin Mac Carthy came to Clonmel to the Trial and in the Publick Court assum'd to reproach the Judge and the Jury Mac Carthy calling him Fanatick and he and Talbot aspersing him and the Duke of Ormond for employing such a Rogue with other Calumnies in such Language as was only fit for such Blood-hounds to express Notwithstanding Moore and some others that were impeached were quitted But such an extravagantly partial account was sent over to the Court of that action that the King questioned the Duke of Ormond how he came to employ such a Fanatick to which the Duke replied he did it in duty to his Majesty as believing he could not entrust a better man than one of his Majesties Servants for so he was when Duke of York being then his Attorney General in Ireland Tyrconnel then began to model the Army but year 1685 the introductory part first to be performed was to get in all the Arms from the Protestants and this design was varnished over in as fair Colours as the Ground would bear But however its direct tendency was plainly obvious and visible to every Eye The King and Council writ over to the Lords Justices and Council that there was reason to believe that the Rebellion of Monmouth had been of that spreading Contagion as to infect many and delude more It was not therefore safe for the Kingdom to have the Arms of the Militia dispersed abroad but they would be in a greater readiness for the Militia and their own defence to have them deposited in the several Stores of each County Upon which instructions a Proclamation issued forth and to make it take the better effect the Lord Primate first began with the City of Dublin and sending for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen makes an Elegant Speech to them magnifying their unshaken Loyalty in the worst of times and withal adding that their ready Obedience and prevalent example would be of great service to the King and Kingdom And in the close of his Speech tells them that they expected their compliance in bringing in their Arms which should be always ready for their Service The City were sensible of their condition but knew likewise that 't was to no purpose to dispute as to their obedience so brought in their Arms. The Countrey pursu'd this Precedent and to render the design more effectual the Irish gave out That if any Arms were reserved in the Protestants hands such would be interpreted as persons disaffected to the King and
these Infamous Wretches whose Mercies are Cruelty to Tyrconnel's first steps in the Government as Lord Deputy in relation to which I shall now usher in at once the removing of the Judges though some of them were turned out before Tyrconnel came to the Sword As Sir Standish Harston Baronet one of the Barons of the Exchequer Sir Richard Reynolds Baronet one of the Judges of the King's-Bench and Johnson one of the Judges of the Common-Pleas The Consult was in London before Tyrconnel came to the Government whether the Judges should not be turned out before the Earl of Clarendon was removed to represent him odious to the People if he complyed or disobedient to the King if he seemed unwilling in the matter as they believed he would For they observed that he and the Lord Chancellor Porter began to startle at the Commands from England before they received any account of their removal and Porter publickly declared That he came not over to serve a turn nor would act any thing against his Conscience and as a Testimony of this he found at his return to London that he could not without some difficulty obtain the favour of kissing the King's hand but at length gaining admittance he humbly asked the King What he had done that he was so used For it had been a considerable expence to him to remove his Family To which the King replyed That 't was his own fault which was an expression not very unintelligible Porter went several times after to Court and stood in the King's Eye but he never vouchsafed to speak to him or to take the least notice of him But to come to the Judges it was not thought safe to turn them all out nor any more of them till the Government was in a hand that was Catholick For some of the Council I mean the Cabal were afraid of proceeding in their design too fast especially Powis who urged a slow Progress as accounting it most safe and this made him not be confided in as to their secret and blacker Designs though in his Lady they reposed an intire Confidence as being thought the greatest Politician among them and were not a little ambitious that the Earl of Shaftsbury in the Popish Plot had given her that Character This Debate concerning the Judges was long and often some were for making a clear riddance and to have the Reformation begin in the Courts of Judicature They having already the Military part of the Government in their hands might with greater Facility secure the Civil But the moderate Party prevailed and one in a Court to colour the actions of the rest must be left But that which stuck with them was that Sir William Davis Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench must not be moved for two Reasons The First was That he had been of the Duke's Party in the time of the Popish Plot behaving himself so loyal that he had been sent over if Dissolving the Parliament had not preserved him but this was the least part of his Strength The Second therefore and most prevalent Inducement was his Marriage with the Countess of Clancarthy whose Son had Married the Earl of Sunderland's Daughter and Sunderland was to be denied nothing Besides Sir William Davis was a Diseased infirm man given over for some years and to expedite his Journey for another World for he was a thoughtful man his Brother Judge Nugent the first Popish Judge that was put in pass'd Patent for Sir William Davis's place of Lord Chief Justice in reversion a sad Presage in those times where men must die when and how their Adversaries pleased This being resolved the choice was soon made Lord Chief Baron Hen makes way also for Rice and in Rice's room Sir Linch succeeds in the Common-Pleas In the High Court of Chancery was placed Sir Alexander Fitton a man notorious on Record so exempts me from the pains of giving the Reader a Character of him in this place but little regard was to be had to the man so long as he was fitted to that interest which was then promoting it being very remarkable That of what Perswasion soever they were which they employed at this time they chose men of the most branded Reputations and whose Principles were such as could brave Conscience The three Protestant Judges had their several Capacities and Inclinations for their Service the Lord Chief Justice Davis I speak not of for he was decreed to die and did soon after but the three Standards for the Cause were the Lord Chief Justice Keating for the Common-Pleas Lyndon for the King's-Bench and Baron Worth for the Exchequer The Lord Chief Justice Keating had always been a Servant of the Duke of Yorks was a Native of the place as the Irish call them his Family for many Ages there and Naturalized into Irish he was somewhat accounted to be Popishly inclined and therefore that Party thought themselves sure of him but he was a person of more sense than to pursue the Chace with greater expedition than safety He was rich and single and small hopes would not spur him on to an indiscreet forwardness however as to the main they questioned not his Affection to the Cause Lyndon though in his affection no friend to the Irish Government yet lay under the powerful temptation of a numerous Family and his not abounding in Riches made him the more Passive though he behaved himself the best of the three and when it laid in his power shewed himself an English-man Baron W was the Man they most depended upon and he was so well known that year W 't was in vain to pretend indifferency nor did he but was the first man in the Exchequer where there was more business than in all the Courts besides that struck the fatal blow in all Causes where the English were concerned as in the Sequel will appear in the Charters and private Causes of the English that came before him The Courts being thus setled the next thing year 1687 to be performed was calling in the Charters and here Tyrconnel endeavoured to proceed in the same method that the Lords Justices had done before in perswading the City to deliver up their Arms. But one art in State-Policy could not easily be imposed twice in a year and the English had a fresh Impression upon their Memories by what plausible perswasive Rhetorick they had been cajoled out of their Arms and now to have a like Delusion pass upon them in depriving them of their Laws was a colour not natural enough to deceive them a second time However this was the method of the proceeding Tyrconnel during the Lord Clarendon's Government had procured the King's Letter that all Roman Catholicks should be admitted into the freedom of all the Corporations of the Kingdom which Letter was artfully contrived with a great deal of sweetness and of endearing expressions as that it proceeded from his Majesty's great care of the general good of the Kingdom and was graciously designed by
half of the Kingdom in value lost notwithstanding at the same time the most innocent of the Irish were depriv'd of their Estates and the greatest Rebels got more than their own This was the first step advanc'd for the introduction of Popery into that Kingdom and notwithstanding the small Progress it had then seemingly made it so far encouraged even in this time of its Infancy the most considerable of the Irish as often to intimate to the English That in a short time the Protestants and they must be of one Religion 'T was very remarkable That in the Year year 1668 One Thousand Six Hundred Sixty Eight Talbot Brother to Tyrconnel and Titular Archbishop of Dublin Landing at a place called the Skerish within Twelve Miles of that City and being very Hospitably entertained by one Captain Coddington Lodging all Night at his House the next Morning took him aside and after the most Affectionate Expressions of Kindness asked him what Title he had to that Estate for that he observed he had expended considerably upon its improvement Coddington answered That 't was an old Estate belonging to the Earl of Twomond Talbot replyed That was nothing it did belong to the Church and it would all be taken away therefore advised him to lay out no more upon it but get what he could and then desert it All this was offered upon strong injunctions of the most Inviolable Secrecy The Duke of Ormond was then Lord Lieutenant and nothing advantagious to their Interests could be managed whilst he continued in that Post which was the rise to divers Consultations at Court for his removal It had been too palpable for the Popish Party to have appeared interessed in it wherefore an Intriegue was then formed of renewing the ancient Animosities betwixt him and the Duke of Buckingham This was reduced to Act and the effect was proportionable to the design The next thing to be considered was who should succeed him which was a matter that required a very nice and critical management They pitched upon the Lord Roberts as a person that had been formerly disappointed year 1669 of that Station which begetting a prejudice in him and meeting with a Vindicative Spirit whose temper they knew to be such would prompt him invidiously to inspect into or else to create faults in the Government of the Duke of Ormond which was the end of the Court-Intriegue and of his advancement as knowing that his uneasiness to those of that Kingdom would serve to prepare a fair reception for the L B a Man of whose inclinations to their interest the Popish Party had the most convincing assurances and agreeably to this whole Scheme of policy the Lord Roberts remained Lord Lieutenant about Six Months and then the L. B. was sent over Talbot now Tyrconnel leaves the Court and year 1670 follows his Brother the Titular Archbishop and lives privately but notwithstanding his Retirement is still engaged in all the Secret Counsels with Sir Ellis Leaton the Lord Lieutenant's Secretary And now to accomplish their purpose the first thing to be done was to set up a pretence that the King when in Exile had obliged himself to the French King to restore the Irish to their Religion and their Estates and lest a neglect of this should occasion a Breach with France something must be acted in pursuance to it So it was ordered That notwithstanding the Law to prefer Irish Papists to the Commission of the year 1671 Peace in which they behaved themselves with that partiality and insolence Properties inherent to most if not all of them that they became odious even to the judicious of their own party The next thing was to regulate the Corporations year 1672 which by an Act of the last Parliament there was power for the Lord Lieutenant and Council to do This was managed with such great secrecy that none were made acquainted with it till it was actually drawn and brought ready to the Council-Board The next day there was sent to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of Dublin an Order for them to call a Common-Council and to turn them out and to make a new Government in the City This they well understood would create a disturbance which they were desirous so to improve among the Citizens as to render the Protestants disaffected for which purpose they industriously laboured to irritate and provoke them as the L B had done the Year before when a number of Boys got up in a Tumult to pull down a Bridge which was erecting contrary to the desire of the City where when the Lord Mayor and Constables had suppress'd them the Lord Lieutenant ordered Soldiers as they were carrying them to Prison who discharg'd several Shots amongst them and killed some of them But to return to the Order of Council for modelling the Corporation the Aldermen gave ready obedience though they feared the bottom of the Design This compliance of the Aldermen necessitated them to take new measures for the most considerable of the Aldermen were Men of New Interest and had been noted for keeping out Papists from the City Freedom and whilest these Aldermen were in Power no Popish Design could succeed and therefore to facilitate by another what they could not effect by former Stratagems the next work was to prepossess the Populace with prejudice against the Aldermen representing them as the Authors and Contrivers of this New Model though as it was afterwards proved upon an hearing before the Earl of Essex and Council when Lord Lieutenant of Ireland they never heard word of 'em till they were brought to 'em to the Tole-sale with orders to put 'em in Execution At that time there came over to Dublin a Person year 1672 who assumed several names a practice as agreeable to the Interest and Policy of the Church of Rome and as common as that of variety of Shapes and Professions sometime he went by the name of Payne at others by that of Nevell and was found to be the same person that was afterwards committed to Newgate for some high Misdemeanour relating to Coleman and the Popish Plot. This Nevell as has since been apparent in the instance before named had his part with Coleman and was sent over for Ireland as his proper Province wherein to act the designed Tragedy He remained for some time obscure in Dublin and after that was received into the Castle but never appeared till this as was deem'd seasonable juncture and then in the capacity of Under Secretary to Sir Ellis Leaton His business was to infuse into the Populace of the City of Dublin an Opinion of the Treachery of their Recorder Sir William Davis and to make the pretext the more plausible he had Instructions to add That the Recorder and the Lord Primate then Lord Chancellour counselled the L. B. to enact those Laws for the abolishing of the Ancient Government of the City and farther insinuating that this was done at the desire and instigation and by the contrivance of
the chief Aldermen This impious suggestion being not only artfully spread among but also too easily credited by the Citizens induced 'em to pitch upon Nevell as their most proper Agent and in order to this advanced Mony which they presented to Sir Ellis Leaton who together with Nevell brought the then Lord Mayor Totty with the Sheriffs to the Lord Lieutenant who publickly declared the Relation above and withal promised to recal his former Order Upon which he called a Council but the unravelling of the business discovered a Popish Intriegue which occasioned their not agreeing with the Lord Lieutenant After this a Consult was held by the Lord year 1672 Mayor and Sheriffs with Colonel Talbot now Lord Tyrconnel and his Brother the then Titular Archbishop of Dublin as also with Sir Nicholas Plunkett an old Irish Lawyer before mentioned who was formerly one of the Pope's Supream Council at Kilkenny in Ireland This Consult was upon a Sunday at Talbot's House Three Miles from Dublin where it was resolved That the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs should call a general Assembly of the City and by the Act of that Assembly turn out the Recorder together with those Aldermen which were opposite to the Romish Party Matters were so far acted in pursuance to this intended Subversion that the Assembly was already in Council but found all the Twenty four Aldermen unanimous so that they could not according to the Laws of that City pass any Order in regard that none could be made without the Assent of the Court of Aldermen who sat in a Room by themselves This was a fatal obstacle to their Design whereupon they sent to the Lord Lieutenant to be Instructed how and in what manner they should proceed and in the interim kept the Assembly shut up all the day At last they received the following Directions That one of the Sheriffs with several of the Commons should come into the Aldermen's Court and bring a Petition in the name of the whole City to turn out Sir William Davis the Recorder and Seven Aldermen who were of the greatest account in that City But notwithstanding the depth of this Policy which was lain with all the artifice and subtilty it could be capable of yet was the whole of it privately discovered by one of the Sheriffs which put the Aldermen into a posture of Preparation for their Defence which was managed with that success that upon its coming to be debated the adverse Party obtain'd only the Suffrages of two indigent Aldermen which gave a considerable check to the Intriegue But then the Lord Mayor called a private Assembly and not one of the Seven Aldermen were present The Commons were called into the Aldermen's Court and there in a tumultous and irregular manner they were turned out and Seven of the Rabble put in their places as also Leatone the Lord Lieutenant's Secretary was made Recorder This Revolution so awakened the Eyes of the Citizens of Dublin that they began to make a more narrow Inspection into the main drift and tendency of it which within a Month after 't was set on foot they plainly perceived was immediately levelled at the Foundation of the Protestant Interest and Religion They now became apprehensive how miserably they had been imposed upon especially when they saw Papists brought into the Common-Council and every day the disguise so thrown off that they remained no longer doubtful of a most apparent and palpable Design of introducing Popery About this time Talbot the Titular Archbishop of year 1672 Dublin apply'd himself to the Lord Lieutenant and borrowed some of the Hangings of the Castle Silver Candlesticks Plate and other Utensils to use at an High Mass which Sir Ellis Leaton got to be sent with the Complement of saying That He hoped to have High Mass at Christ's Church at Christmass and which in all probability had been effected if a discovery of a most bloody and inhumane Conspiracy to be acted in this Year had not seasonably prevented it of which take the following Account The Priests by Directions from their Superiours ordered their several Congregations at Mass That at such a time every Roman Catholick should fix over their Doors a Cross made of Straw The People were curious to understand the reason of this Order but the matter was carried with so much secrecy that the Priests themselves 't was believed knew no more than that it was designed to bless the Peoples Houses This in pursuance to the Advice and Instruction of the Priests who like so many Infallible Oracles are upon all occasions how difficult or unreasonable soever most punctually obeyed was generally performed and at the same time vast multitudes of Priests came from beyond the Seas and it appears by the Sequel That some of these were better acquainted with the bottom of this black and damnable Intriegue than generally the poor ignorant Priests of Ireland were to whom 't was not by the Hellish Conclave at Rome thought fit to Communicate a matter of this private and great importance For one of these Foreign Priests finding several Houses which had not Crosses fixed at their Doors he warned the People with great earnestness to put them up and further told them That this omission might be their Ruine though he would not name to them the particular Instance wherein But amidst the People's various conjectures as to the occasion of this so general an Order one of these Foreign Priests more open-hearted than the rest acquaints a Friend of his with this Design which being by him communicated to another and this other acquainting some Friend of his till at last by this Relation of it to several hands the matter was so far divulged that 't was impossible to conceal it any longer from being publickly known This intended Bloody Massacre was formed after the ensuing manner Upon a certain day appointed for the Execution of this dismal Tragedy all the Protestants were to be barbarously Murthered and the Signal appointed to distinguish the Irish from these Hereticks was a Cross of Straw put up before their Doors which wheresoever that was not found all those Houses were to be destroy'd But this being opportunely discovered search was made and Crosses were accordingly found at most of the Irish Doors in the whole Province of Munster which being made up in a very small compass were not before taken notice of Search was made for the Priest who was the first Author of this Discovery but he was not to be found and the Government in Ireland was then so extreamly byassed and discovered so partial an affection to the Irish Interest that no encouragement was given to a farther Inspection into this horrid Plot which upon a narrower search would doubtless have answered the whole of the Relation given of it by the Priest and would have appeared a most Vnchristian and Vnnatural but upon these accounts in the present sense and practice of the Church of Rome a more Catholick Design But such as were active
acquired a fair Reputation among the Popish Party for his success in these Arts of Delusion and Treachery and they in their Secret Cabals did not a little magnifie and applaud their Politicks which they thought they so amused the English with laughing at the Credulity of the Heretick Dogs for so their Grandees in their private Meetings would frequently call them Having thus obtained their wish as to the surrendry of the Charters the next work was to agree upon a Model for the men This debate was strongly canvassed several ways and that which chiefly puzled them and even put 'em almost to a Non-plus was that the King would have nothing of this transacted at Court for fear of meeting with opposition there This Exigency of not being suffered to receive advice from England exposed them to great Difficulties for they were utter Strangers to the Laws and Government of Corporations as indeed they were to all matters of Government having been conversant in nothing but Secret Plots and Private Contrivances how to unhinge and discompose all Governments and as an aggravation of their misfortune except Rice Daly and Neagle there was not a man of them in the Privy Council that had common sense if you will believe themselves for Rice and Daly would often complain that nothing could pass at the Council-Board that concerned the Publick but their Countrymen must first ask Teig If that would not spoil his Pottatoe-Garden Necessity at last supply'd the place of Invention and a method was agreed upon which reduced Corporations to perfect Slavery and this in all the Circumstances of that affair was their prime and ultimate aim For as to matter of Trade or improving of the Nation these were Speculations of too Metaphysical a nature for men of their size and former way of Education as was demonstrated in the first Proclamation issued forth by Tyrconnel and his Council to break an Act of Parliament in taking off the duty of Iron and admitting it so into the Kingdom whereby they might encourage Merchants to bring in Pieces of Eight from Spain and so hasty they were to have the honour of this admirable contrivance that without asking the King's leave which is always done before any Proclamation relating to the Revenue Pass They put it in execution but as soon as 't was heard of in England a Proclamation came from the King forbidding this wise act made by these great States-men And so ill this presumptuous folly of theirs was interpreted That the Lord Bellasis swore in Council that That Fellow in Ireland was Fool and Mad-man year 1687 enough to ruine ten Kingdoms Father Petres corrected him severely for this foul miscarriage and writ to him That if he acted not with greater Caution the King could not possibly preserve him in that Government These Documents and severe Reprimands of the Ghostly Father were so religiously observed by him that for the future he would proceed in nothing but ball out at the Council-Board and call them Fools and Blockheads if they spake any thing that was contradicted by the English Privy-Council Their great Confident was the Lord Chief Justice Keating who knowing that he had an Ascendant over them as to Parts was so imperious and insulting that sometimes he was taken to task but had wit enough to submit yet often was very uneasie to them But however he in publick and W. in private for he was not of the Privy-Council directed them in the management of the affair of the Charters And when they had got the shape and model of them presented by these Temporizing Painters who drew to the life according to the Popish fancy then they proceeded to an Election of the men to name in their Charters and here they begged pardon of their Advisers and would be their own Directors 'T was their Rule to have in the great Cities who were most English one third Protestants and two thirds Papists but then these that they called Protestants were Quakers or other Enthusiasticks and two or three in a Charter of such Protestants as either their considerable Estates or loose Principles would secure to their Party by that means leaving not a man of true Value or Courage in any Corporation in the Kingdom and although they took in Lords and Gentlemen out of the Countrey into all their Corporations yet could they not compleat them without additional numbers of Scandalous and Contemptible men In one Corporation in the North the first Magistrate of the Town was a Man that had been burnt in the Hand Here you see by what impious Arts and fraudulent Machinations the several Corporations were cheated and trapanned out of their Charters most of them wheedled and grosly imposed upon by a Wolf in Sheeps Cloathing Secretary Ellis who stuck not to make great Promises of enlarging their Priviledges and the like though he knew nothing to be more destructive of the Protestant Interest and Religion of which he owned himself a Professor And as his wearing of a Protestant Mask contributed very much to the success of this intrigue so did the same Vizard put on by Keating and W. not a little facilitate the Model of the new Charters of which they contrived the Plat-form and then 't was easie for the Popish Faction to super-struct upon it the palpableness of whose design was in nothing more fully evident than in putting in of all manner of Fanatical Enthusiasts into their new Charters under the notion of Protestants For 't was evident that some of these were as irreconcileable Enemies to the Protestant Church as they were Friends to and Confederates with the Romish As for instance The Quakers concerning which ridiculous Profession Who is or can be ignorant that 't was derived from the Jesuits Who knows not that these have sharpened their Weapons at the Romish Forge and that their prime Leaders whatever they otherwise pretend to do inwardly own Ignatius Loyola as their Founder These were therefore too much their own Creatures to be neglected by them as not only appears by their former Principles if those monstrous Absurdities they maintain may be reckoned to be such but also by their present Practices as their vindicating the late King's Declaration for Liberty of Conscience though it manifestly tended to the introduction of Popery and their zealous espousing of his interest at this day do fully shew But amidst all the new arts of modelling the Corporations neither their Brethren the Quakers nor other of their Adherents could give them such effectual assistance but that often they were put to their shifts and necessitated to elect men of the blackest Characters and most infamous Reputations as appears from their choosing a Magistrate that had been burnt in the Hand Here was admirable justice indeed to be expected where he who had not only held up his hand but been punished in so scandalous a manner at the Bar was now to sit upon the Bench. But as the Popish Party were put to these Difficulties of getting
and so accommodate the matter as to stifle any farther noise of it which Sheridon was ready enough to embrace but at the same time both the Lord Deputy and he had mutual Jealousies of and strove who should first intrap one another The Lord Deputy by reason of his aversion to him for siding with Sheridon does now revive the Quarrel that the Irish Clergy had with the Primate especially the Archbishop of Cashell I call the Titular one so in this Discourse Upon an Assembly of the Titular Popish Bishops of Ireland great Debate arose concerning the Priority of their Jurisdictions in reference to which the Primate insolently usurped over them all not distinguishing the Archbishop which he of Cashell resenting as a great Indignity and Affront inflamed the difference to a great height and caused them to break up abruptly and in great discontent with one another Cashell is the more Learned Man the Primate being universally contemned by their own Party as neither respected by them as a Scholar or a Man of Parts which general disesteem made most of the Clergy that were considerable I mean the Dignitaries bandy against him and their Prejudice ran so high that they sent over to Father Peters who promoted their Applications to the King to have a Co-adjutor imposed upon him The King writes about it to the Pope with aggravating Exclamations of the Primate's Miscarriages and Insufficiency to which the Pope replied That he was one of his own Election and so indeed he was being a Fryar in Spain and coming over Chaplain to the Spanish Embassador at the time of the Primate of Ireland's being Executed he prevailed with the Embassador to present him to the Duke of York who writ to the Pope in his behalf upon whose recommendation he got the Mitre This Quarrel of the Irish Clergy had been dormant for some time but the Deputy to execute his Revenge upon the Primate thought it now seasonable to awaken and revive it But this continued not long upon the Stage for he soon received a severe reprimand from Father Peters for this rash Action who was extreamly moved at the proceeding This being the most effectual course whereby to render their Party ridiculous and contemptible to the World that whilst they were so industriously contriving to establish their Religion they should at once break all their former measures by endeavouring to supplant and destroy one another And therefore 't was immediately hushed up in a deep silence and the Primate at least seemingly and to outward appearance reconciled to the Lord Deputy Sheridon again assumes to Petition for leave to go for England assuring his Excellency That 't was only in order to pursue some private business of his own That he had a Law-suit for some Debt due to his Wife which required his attendance c. but all would not prevail to obtain permission wherefore he employs his Wife's interest at London and by that way sollicits the King with so much importunity till at last an Order was got for his going over About the Ninth of December in this Year year 1687 upon a Sunday Morning there happened such an Inundation of Water in the City of Dublin as no man was ever a Spectator of the like It carried away Stone-Bridges destroyed Houses and without intermission continued three days overflowing a great part of the City to the unspeakable damage of many Thousands and that which encreased the Prodigy was That no Rain fell save a few Showers upon the Saturday Night before This besides the considerable detriment to or rather apparent ruine of many English was accounted by many as a miraculous act of the Divine Providence and interpreted as an ominous Presage of that Deluge of Troubles which has since so universally descended upon the poor English in that distressed Kingdom But to come again to Sheridon who now arrives at London but 't was near four and twenty hours before he could speak with Sunderland who after his admittance gave him but a cold reception the reason of which as 't was conjectured was that Sunderland expected that which Sheridon was not yet Master of for he had but just began his Trade when the Lord Deputy and he fell at variance This indifferency or rather coldness in Sunderland did not hinder him from applying to the rest of his Friends but was so unhappy as to find by them that there was no expectation of removing Tyrconnel for he was fortified with the French Interest and was in a manner Deputy to Lewis not James it being said in Paris when News came there of Tyrconnel's being struck out That there was none in England durst move him and so it appeared as we shall find hereafter Sheridon wanted not those which were Favourites and Well-wishers to his design against the Deputy as Castlemain Powis and another not to be named but they durst not trust Sheridon with their Sentiments but sent some of their Confidents to animate him with general Promises without naming any body He found himself now involved in great danger and in three days turned his Story and went to Sunderland to whom he had at first only complained of the Lord Deputy's unkindness but now comes and positively affirms that he brought over no Articles against him nor could say any thing but what was honourable of him only that his Excellency had taken displeasure against him he knew not why c. and that the occasion of his coming over was to follow his own private business Father Peters his Wife's Uncle would not carry him to kiss the King's hand but at last his Friend the Lord Sunderland got him admittance However the King would not hear him speak in so great awe stood he to his Brother or rather Master of France whose Creature Tyrconnel was Sheridon had not continued three days in London when he was followed by the Lord Dongan a Young Man Son to the Earl of Lymerick He brought Letters to Sunderland and others setting forth Sheridon in black Characters which Negotiation so succeeded that Father Peters would admit him no more in his presence And now those Lords which would have privately supported him against Tyrconnel deserted and declaimed against him when they perceived that he publickly magnified his Master by which means he was wholly left to himself and Tyrconnel's Party vigorously pursued him here as a Delinquent and had it immediately inserted in the News-Letter That he was turned out of his Employments in Ireland and so he had notice given him that he was too that of being Secretary and a Popish Bishop preferred to his place Sheridon was now involved in very great streights to go back he considered 't was to no purpose To remain here 't was not possible for him without the assistance of Friends and none would appear for him At length he delivers a Petition with his own hand to the King desiring that he might be heard speak for himself and not be Condemned to utter Destruction as he
a Demonstration indeed that 't was palpably unjust refused to grant the Injunction however their Tool Worth did it and the cry is That the Blood of that Man lies at his door But the Sheriff exceeded the Tenour of his Warrant for he had nothing to do with the House nor Land it stood upon Swan therefore kept his House and the Sheriff coming to take possession Swan looked out of the Window and desired him to call a Jury of that Neighbourhood and if they found that Land or House in his order from the Exchequer he would give quiet possession but otherwise he would not open his Doors for he was very sure the Sheriff had no order to come there Upon this without any offer of Swan more than keeping his Door shut the Sheriff having his Men ready a number of them together discharged a Volley of Shot at him as he stood in his Window and shot him in several places they broke open his Doors and finding him wallowing in Blood and groaning upon the Floor they took him up and flung him out of Doors Some more Compassionate than the rest carried him into a Cabin where he had so much strength as to ask for Drink In his House there was of several sorts enough but those Inhumane Butchers would not give the Dying Man a drop who died there in the place This Horrible Tragedy I thought fit not to omit the relation of though by way of Digression as being but the introductory part of too many of the like Barbarities repeated since Every day by all ways Expresses came to Tyrconnell which gave him no good account of Affairs which made him give Commissions to any that would accept of them and that he might have the more custom without a penny of Fees to the Secretary For many of them that had Commissions pawned them for their Lodgings at their going out of Town not having a Penny to carry them along but pawning their very Cloaths off their Backs as they Travelled The English and some of the best of themselves laughed at this Poppet-play for no man believed that 't was designed for more than a shew and that Tyrconnel did it to make good his Word of being able to raise an Army of an Hundred Thousand Men at a Months notice Every day brought an additional account of the Prince of Orange's success which put the Grandees into so great a terrour and consternation that those who at first had expressed a great deal of alacrity and forwardness amongst them in raising of Men began now to decline and by degrees more and more to draw back Then the Lord Deputy sent to the Judges and the Lord Chief Justice Nugent to shew his valour undertook to raise a Regiment and so others pretended to do but it came to nothing The Irish were in greater trouble and confusion than before the English braving it in City and Country every day expecting to have an English Lord Lieutenant over it being the unanimous opinion of all the Protestants that the Irish Lords would have contended who should be the first Man to make their submission but no relief coming to the English as was expected some began to draw for England when an unexpected Catastrophe had like to have swallowed all up 'T was the Earl of Mount Alexander's receiving of a Letter giving him an account That upon the Ninth of that Instant December all year 1688 the Protestants of Ireland were to be cut off This Letter he sends with several Copies to Dublin and to all parts of the Kingdom it arrived at Dublin but on Friday and the Sunday following was to be the day of Slaughter This suddain alarum struck such a fear upon the English that upon the Saturday there got away about Three Thousand Souls There happened to be abundance of Ships in the Harbour at that time but were so crammed that many were in danger of being stifled The Run of these people happened to be so suddain and in the middle of the Night that it resembled the flight of the Jews out of Egypt and the Irish were as desirous to have them gone for some of them were in as great a terrour as the other The Guards kept their Post in a Maze and the Draw-bridge of the Castle was drawn up thus they stood upon their Guard till Morning and when Tyrconnel understood what the matter was he first sent the Earl of Roscommon and the Earl of Longford to Ringsend this being Sunday Morning to perswade the People to stay and ordered the Yatcht to sail after them that were gone and to fetch them back but neither of his Orders succeeded And the same day sent to some of the most Considerable Persons and Citizens of Dublin that were Protestants making great Protestations and Oaths of his utter abhorrence of the pretended design of Massacring the English begging them to perswade their Friends not to stir 'T was by all his actions at this juncture sufficiently apparent that he had then no thoughts of standing out notwithstanding that he gave Commissions to every one that would accept of them For he now made great Court to the English desiring several of them to testifie how just and equal he had always been in his Government to the Protestants This was a condescention to the English which carried no proportion with the imperiousness of his former carriage to them and was accordingly interpreted as an effect of inevitable necessity and of that great Consternation of which such eminent Characters were plainly legible in all the Circumstances of his Deportment for he now discovered as much awe and dread of the success of the Prince of Orange's Arms as upon the first News of his Arrival he had done of disdain and contempt Every Action he did had deep Marks of his Fears engraven upon it and all his Discourses expressed his disordered and evil apprehensions of the present tendency of Affairs But as Matters were in this great hurry and confusion at the Castle so is it not easie to set forth the strange Effects and Consequences which attended that suddain alarum in the City of an intended Universal Massacre There you might see Thousands of People deserting their Houses and all their Substance in the World and running to the Ships with scarce any Cloaths upon their Backs Never was seen such a Consternation as at this time Never such a Confusion and Distraction All the Bloody Massacres in the former Rebellion were now reflected upon under the most ghastly and dismal Representations and those Scenes of barbarity and cruelty seem'd to threaten the same or worse usage which produc'd the greatest horrour and amazement grief and despair that humane nature could be capable of This facal News which had so terrify'd the Protestants of Dublin as if the dissolution of all things had been at hand arrived not to several parts of the Kingdom till the very day 't was to be put in execution which being Sunday was brought to the