expected to be confidered as taking only their lawful dues but for the king to accept of the fame, or less, from these people, to enable him to carry on the most neceffary public fervice' (on condition only of freeing them from fuch barbarous and unjust extortions) was, in their lordships opinion, nothing lefs than "fetting religion to fale, with the fouls of the people." "

g

CHAP.

majesty's inftructions, should be converted to pious uses; not obferved, but made a private profit." Commons Remonftrance. See Commons Journal, vol. i. fol. 261.

"In Connaught and elsewhere, fixpence per annum of every couple (holy-water clerk); of every man that dies a muttue, by the name of anointing-money: from a poor man that has but one cow, they take that for mortuary: from one that is better able, his best garment for mortuary. If a woman, her best garment for mortuary: and a gallon of drink for every brewing, by the name of mary-gallons: for every beef that is killed for the funeral of any man, the hide and tallow, and they challenged a quarter befides: four-pence or fixpence per annum from every parishioner, for foul-money: a ridge of winter-corn and a ridge of oats for every plow, by the name of St. Patrick's ridges for portion-canons, the tenth part of the goods, after debts paid, &c." Ib. p. 260.

We are told in the life of primate Ufher, that this proteftation (of the bishops) had a confiderable effect in retarding a project, the fuccefs of which was abfolutely neceffary to the king's affairs." Lel. ubi fupra, vol. ii. p. 482, note.

It has been obferved on this occafion," that on the plantations made in the reign of James, the new colonists had been supplied with teachers principally from Scotland, they formed their churches on the prefbyterian model, and many refused to accept epifcopal ordination. To quiet fuch fcruples, the bishops, by the approbation of Ufher, their learned metropolitan, confented to ordain them to the ministry, without adhering strictly to the established form, and to admit some of their brethren of the Scottish prefbytery to a participation of their office. Thus these Scottish teachers enjoyed churches and tythes without using the liturgy. Such men clamoured loudly against the horrid defign of felling the truth, and establishing idolatry for a price: their brethren of the other provinces readily united in the clamour." Lel. Hift. vol. ii. p. 481.

1

A free gift raised for the king, chiefly by the natives, for which they were rewarded by a new perfecution of their religion.

a

IN this preffing exigency of his majesty's affairs, a free gift or contribution, of one hundred and twenty thoufand pounds, was fet on foot in Ireland, " of which, says Mr. Carte,' the catholics paid near two-thirds." b And indeed, on that account, they feem to have been well entitled to that refpite from legal penalties, which they are faid to have then obtained. But this refpite, if any they had, must have been very inconfiderable; VOL. I.

I

Life of Ormond, vol. i.

for

"This was a voluntary offer made by the Irish agents, then in England; the money was to be paid in three years, by way of three fubfidies, each amounting to fifty thousand pounds, and each to be divided into equal quarterly payments. The graces which they folicited in confequence of this extraordinary exertion of loyalty, were in fome inftances favourable to recufants, but fuch as in general were evidently reasonable and equitable. The bounty was accepted." Lel. ubi fupra, p. 483.

The catholic nobility and gentry afterwards folemnly declared, in their remonftrance of grievances, delivered to his majefty's commiffioners at Trim, in March 1642: "That they had readily, and without reluctance or repining, contributed to all the fubfidies, loans and other extraordinary grants made to his majefty fince the beginning of his reign; and were in parliament and otherwise, moft forward in granting said fums; and did bear nine parts in ten, in the payment thereof." App.

The truth of this appears from hence, that these subfidies, loans, &c. were rated to each person, in proportion to the value of his real property; and we are well informed, "that before the year 1641, the Irish were the proprietors of ten acres of land, to one that the English had in Ireland.” Col. Laurence Inter. of Ireland, part ii. p. 47.

Father Walsh fays, that they had nineteen in twenty acres. Reply to a Perfon of Quality.

That

for in the year 1629, a fevere perfecution was raised against them, which was as unlooked for, as unmerited. The council of Ireland, in their letter to the king, April 28th of that year, confefs," "That except what they call the infolence and excrefcence of the popish clergy (which fhall be just now explained), the kingdom, as to the civil part of it, was in far better order at that juncture, than ever it was in the memory of man; as well in the general and current execution of justice, according to the laws, in the freedom of men's perfons and eftates, and in the univerfal outward fubmiffion of all forts of fettled inhabitants to the crown. and laws of England; as alfo in the advancement of the crown revenues, and in the competent number of bishops and other able and learned bifhops of the church of England." But these bishops, it seems, and other able and learned minifters of the church of England, were not then thought fufficient, without the help of a military force, to reclaim the catholics from the heinous fin of ferving God in the way most agreeable to their own confciences.

The cause and manner of this perfecution are thus related by Hammon l'Eftrange, who was then, or fhortly after, in Ireland.' "In this year," fays he, "the Roman clergy began to rant it, and to exercise their fancies, called religion, fo publicly as if they had gained a toleration." The reader, I imagine, will be furprized to find, that this ranting of the catholic clergy was nothing more, than their reading prayers quietly to their people in one of their own chapels: For

2 Scrinia Sacra. 3 See Harris's Fiction Unmasked.

с

That there was great partiality fhewn to certain persons in thefe collections, appears from hence, that Richard, Earl of Cork, out of his vaft eftate," paid towards one yearly contribution (fays Lord Wentworth) not a penny more than fix fhillings and eight pence a quarter." State Letters, vol. i. fol. 148. 407.

It has been observed on this occafion, that "the protestant party were zealous in their deteftation of popish idolatry (i. e. ceremonies),

"For (proceeds l'Eftrange) whilft the lords juftices were at Chrift-church in Dublin, on St. Stephen's day, they were celebrating mafs in Cook-street; which their lordships taking notice of, they fent the archbishop of Dublin, the mayor, fheriffs, and recorder of the city, with a file of musketeers, to apprehend them; which they did, taking away the crucifixes and paraments of the altar; the foldiers hewing down the image of St. Francis; the priests and friars were delivered into the hands of the pursuivants, at whom the people threw ftones, and rescued them: the lords juftices being informed of this, fent a guard and delivered them, and clapped eight popifh aldermen by the heels for not affifting their mayor. On this account, fifteen houses, (chapels) by direction of the lords of the council in England, were feized to the king's use, and the priests and friars were fo perfecuted, that two of them (adds my author) hanged themselves in their own defence."

Few, I believe, will wonder that the populace endeavoured to rescue their priests, in fuch an exigency; and fewer yet, that the catholic aldermen of Dublin did not affift their mayor in this priest-catching bufinefs. But it is not eafy to conceive, what elfe but a truly puritanical excefs of zeal, could have excited an archbishop of Dublin to quit his proper province, the public fervice of the church, on a folemn feftival, to head a file of musketeers, and lead them on thus furiously

I 2

ceremonies), that the inferiors of their clergy were poor, and fometimes fcandalously profligate. And that many of the prelates, as well as officers of ftate, of English birth, were puritanically affected." See Leland's History of Ireland, vol. iii.

P. 4.

This perfecution was afterwards extended all over the kingdom. The English council acquainted the juftices of Ireland, on that occafion, "That his majesty in perfon, was pleased openly, and in moft gracious manner, to approve and commend their ability and good service; whereby they might be fufficiently encouraged to go on, with the like refolution and moderation, till the work was fully done, as well in the city as in other places of the kingdom, leaving to their discretion, when and where to carry a foft or harder hand.” Scrinia Sacra.

furiously to demolish a chapel, apprehend a few priests, and terrify a number of harmless people in the midst of their devotions; and that too" in the midst of far better order in civil matters, and more universal subjection to the crown and laws of England, than was ever before known in the memory of man." One can hardly help thinking, that the furious puritan Venner did, fome years after, copy the example of this archbishop of Dublin, when issuing from his conventicle in Colman-street, London, with about fifty of his disciples armed, he fancied himself commiffioned from heaven to fall upon and kill all those whom he met with in the ftreets, of a different perfuafion from his

own.

4

After what has been hitherto related, who can help wondering at the partiality or ignorance of thofe hiftorians who confidently tell us, "that, during all this and the former reign, the catholics of Ireland enjoyed an undisturbed exercise of their religion; and that even Dublin, where the feat of the king's chief governor was, they went as publicly and uninterruptedly to their devotions, as he went to his."

CHA P. III.

The free gift or contribution continued for the fervice of the government.

THE free gift before-mentioned, having been con

tinued longer, and grown more burdenfome than was expected, the people "began to entertain frightful apprehenfions, left it might, in fine, turn to an hereditary charge on their eftates." The proteftants especially, complained loudly of it; thofe of Cavan in particular, who figned a petition to the lords juftices against it, fetting forth," "That it was plotted and collected without the confent of the proteftants of that country,

4 Clarendon, &c.

* Lord Strafford's State Letters, vol. i. f. 184. 2 Id. ib. f. 150.