made the lord primate, and eight other bishops then re-
sident in Dublin, address themselves, in the name of all
the orthodox clergy of Ireland, to the king as a nursing
father to the churches within his dominions by divine
law, and the great patron of the clergy by the laws of
the land. They represented to him, “ that it never was
the intention of his grandfather, that one single tenant,
who had no need, and was of no use to the church, should
enjoy a greater yearly revenue out of his royal bounty
than the see itself, and the succession of pastors; yet this
was the case, till the time of the earl of Strafford, through
whose sides the church was now attacked and in danger
of suffering; that they were ready to demonstrate, that
the council table in Ireland had been ever esteemed and
used as the proper judicature for such causes throughout
the two last reigns, and so upwards throughout all ages
since the conquest. Nor could it possibly be otherwise;
the revenues of Irish bishops depending much upon rules
of plantation; and rules of plantation being only cognos-
cible at the council-board. The tithing-table of Ulster
was grounded upon an act of state; and acts of state had
no other judge but the council-board. But waving the
constant practice and the precedents of all former ages,
they confidently affirmed, that the earl of Strafford did
nothing in those improvements but what he was war-
ranted and authorized to do by two facts of parliament
made expressly in the point, at the instance of the tenants
themselves; and to make laws looking backwards, or to
make that to be illegally done which was then legally
done, would be contrary to the laws of God and man.
If those men's desires should take place, some good bi-
shoprics (say they) would be reduced to 60l., and some
to five marks or forty shillings a year; and those visible
monuments of former sacrilege now interred would be
revived. The greater part of the present bishops, when
10 Car. I. sess. 3. cap. 5. et 10 et 11 Car. cap. 3.

聊

1

they have quitted all commendams, and surrendered their tertiam et quartam episcopalem (i. e. the third or fourth part of the tithes of their whole diocess) for the support and maintenance of a rural resident clergy, must be exposed to contempt and want, if not to beggary itself. They therefore humbly prayed, that as they hoped, both by word and example, to approve themselves patterns of loyalty to the rest of his subjects; so his majesty would preserve his own rights, by preserving them in theirs, according to the fundamental laws of the kingdom; and 211 suffer nothing to be concluded to the prejudice of the church of Ireland, before they were heard to speak for themselves, by their agents, whom they craved leave to send over to his majesty with their humble and submissive desires and representations of such expedients as they conceived very conducible to the good of the church.

18

This petition was on Dec. 5 sent to the marquis of Ormond, and by him presented to his majesty, who returned them a gracious answer in a letter of the 24th of that month, assuring them, that he would by all the ways and means in his power preserve their rights and those of the church of Ireland, so far as by law and justice he might; that nothing could give him more content than, when occasion should be offered, to add to the revenue thereof, which had been too much diminished by rapacious or improvident hands, and to restore it to its ancient patrimony; so as they needed not either to fear the taking away of the rents raised in lord Strafford's time, or to doubt of any endeavours of his which might tend to make that church flourish; as they might perceive by his late letters sent to Ireland for the settling of the impropriate and forfeited tithes in his gift upon the respective incumbents. The marquis of Ormond, transmitting this letter of his majesty's, wrote on the same day to the lord primate Bramhall, acknowledging

the receipt of his of the 5th, "wherein," says he, "I find your great care of the church of Ireland, for which I give your lordship many thanks, assuring you that I shall cooperate with you in all things necessary for the carrying on of so good a work; and I know his majesty to be so intent thereupon, as I think I may promise you that he will part with his firstfruits, (which your lordship knows is a considerable branch of his revenue,) as in your letter you desire. And that being yielded unto by his majesty, you need not doubt but he will give his assent to those smaller things proposed by you; as the union of lesser benefices to make a competency; some little glebes to be appointed where there are none; a free school to be erected in every diocess, and to the agreeing upon one uniform order or table of tithing to be established throughout the kingdom. For these are things of so much conveniency and necessity, as they need not the solicitation of such agents to be sent over, as you intend. But if your lordship will be pleased to leave that care here upon sir G. Lane, my secretary, I will be your solicitor, and see the business done, since these are things so much. tending to the good of that torn and distracted church.” 19 The clergy of Ireland could not have a better solicitor

of their cause, and soon felt the good effects of his interposition in their behalf. The marquis procured not only these but other grants for them; which on the 9th of February following drew from three of the archbishops and eight other bishops then at Dublin an address of thanks in the name of themselves and all the orthodox clergy of Ireland, acknowledging the benefit they had now received from his powerful mediation, and the sense they had of the protection and just favours which by long experience they had found from him upon all occasions; offering up their prayers for the perpetual prosperity of his lordship and his noble family; and beseeching him to continue his care over them, whilst they

20

should approve themselves industrious, according to the uttermost degree of prudence which God had given them, to advance the glory of God, the honour of his majesty, and the prosperity of his people; and to lay up this their faithful acknowledgment among the other monuments of his virtue and loyalty, as a testimony of their gratitude, and an invitation of his posterity to tread in the same steps which he had traced out unto them.

The marquis continued his care for them, which was 212 now more necessary; and it was very happy for the church of Ireland that he was soon after made lord lieutenant of the kingdom. For the common business of all that plied about court at this time was to solicit grants of Irish lands; and his majesty rather considering the merit, sufferings, or perhaps the importunity of the suitor, than understanding the nature or value of what he granted, was often surprised into grants of those impropriations which he had directed to be given to the clergy. The marquis, being lord lieutenant, stopped all these grants, and on Nov. 17, 1663, procured a letter from the king, wherein, to prevent his being surprised or otherwise deceived in his resolutions for the support of the church, and advancement of true religion in his realm of Ireland, his majesty signified his pleasure, that the lord lieutenant should suffer no grant of any impropriation in his disposal to pass to any person whatsoever, upon pretence or by virtue of any warrant, order, or direction obtained from him for the same. His majesty at the same time giving order, that his grant of impropriations to the clergy should be expressly provided for, and confirmed in the act of explanation then under consideration; and the marquis of Ormond continuing several years afterwards in the government to see that act executed, and all possessions settled, the clergy of Ireland have ever since enjoyed these benefactions and all their rights by an uncontroverted title, without being exposed

21

22

to those invasions and impairings to which the smaller revenues of the English clergy are daily subject, and will be for ever subject, till the account books of incumbents be transmitted down to their successors as regularly as the parish registers; till the English clergy be empowered, like the Irish, to pass letters patent for the securing of their rights to posterity, or that ancient terriers be allowed as evidence in our courts of law, without being set aside by more modern pretences of custom; an inconvenience to which letters patent are not subject.

A new broad seal being made for Ireland, the king appointed sir Maurice Eustace (an old and particular friend of the marquis of Ormond) lord chancellor of the kingdom, who was sworn into his office on Oct. 24. The lord Broghill and sir C. Coote were raised to the dignity of earls of Orrery and Mountrath, and made, with the chancellor, lords justices of the kingdom: the two last were sworn on Dec. 31, and the earl of Orrery on Jan. 17 following, ten days before the consecration of the twelve new bishops in St. Patrick's church at Dublin. Their chief instructions were, to tender the oaths of allegiance and supremacy to all his majesty's subjects of that kingdom, and to proceed according to law against those that should refuse; to prepare such bills as by them and the council (which was then also appointed) should be thought to be for the good of the people, and to transmit them, pursuant to Poyning's act, in order to a parliament; and to send over the names of fit commissioners to execute his majesty's declaration for the settlement of that kingdom.

The king had been so taken up with the proceedings of the parliament of England, that, till it broke up in September, he had no leisure to apply himself to the affairs of Ireland. The settlement of that kingdom was a work of great intricacy and difficulty, and required a mature consideration. Several proposals were offered for