2 occafion. In one of them to Secretary Nicholas, who, he knew, was averfe to that measure, he seems to have clearly foreseen all the evils that were likely to attend it; for he tells him, that, " unless his majefty was refolved to deliver up both himself and his people to the covenant and prefbytery, he would not go to Scotland; and that the covenant was inconfiftent with the peace he had concluded with the Irish, and which his majesty had confirmed." But from what we find in a private letter of Lord Byron's, who was then with the king at Breda, to his excellency, it appears that he fecretly abetted, and promoted, that defign. For Lord Byron told him," that, in order to what he found was his lordship's opinion, concerning his majefty's conjunction with the Scots, he had contributed his beft endeavours to the effecting of it; and that his majesty would begin his journey in a few days, and had commanded him (Byron) to attend him thither." And the king himself, in a letter to the marquis, January 16th, 1649, fays, "you will perceive by my public letter, that I have refolved of a treaty with my fubjects of Scotland, whereunto I was principally induced by that relation which Harry Seymour made to me, from you, of the state of things in Ireland.” a 4 Accordingly, his majefty, having agreed with the Scotch commiffioners, left Breda, and arrived in Scotland, on the 23d of June 1650, O. S. but before they fuffered him to land,' they obliged him to fign both the covenants, national and folemn. And, in about two 2 Carte's Orm. vol. iii. fol. 607. 3 Cart. Orig. Papers, vol. i. p. 333. months 4 Ib. vol. ii. p. 423. 5 Sir Edward Walker's Hiftoric. Difcourf. ⚫ And Seymour himself, in a letter to the Marquis of Ormond of the 15th of March following, tells him," that his arrival from Ireland was fo seasonable as to interrupt the breach with the Scots, which was in a very forward way, proceeding from the misinformations of the marquis's fucceffes; but that his excellency's truer informations by him, not only changed that defign, but gave a difpatch in two days to Mr. Windram, the Scots commiffioner, which he had in vain folicited fix weeks before, without the least advance." Cart. Collect. of Orig. Pap. vol. i. P. 365. 4 months after, he was prevailed upon to publish a declaration," that he would have no enemies but the enemies of the covenant; and that he did deteft, and abhor all popery, fuperftition and idolatry, together with prelacy; refolving not to tolerate, much lefs to allow those, in any part of his dominions, and to endeavour the extirpation thereof to the utmost of his power." And with regard to the peace lately concluded with the confederates, and confirmed by himself, he exprefsly pronounced it" null and void; adding, " that he was convinced in his confcience of the finfulness and unlawfulnefs of it, and of his allowing them (the confederates) the liberty of the popish religion; for which he did, from his heart, desire to be deeply humbled before the Lord; and for having fought unto fuch unlawful help, for the reftoring of him to his throne." What opinion one of his majesty's own fecretaries had of this declaration, appears from his letter to the Marquis of Ormond, January 25th, 1650, "when" I confider," fays he, "this infamous declaration, he," which the Scots compelled the king to publish, and are ftill refolved to have his majefty make good (though not only all the king's party, but even ftrangers that have any fense of honour, or confcience, declaim against it), I cannot fo much as hope, that they intend any good or fafety to his majefty, whom they have fo wickedly and notorioufly abufed." Moft certain it is, that after this declaration was known in England, "many people there, who were before averfe to the parliament's measures, freely and voluntarily enlifted in their armies to fight against the Scots." b ⚫ Cart. Orig. Pap. vol. i. p. 400. CHAP. 7 Id. ib. p. 417. "Nothing could be more convenient for the congregation of prelates, (foon after affembled at James-town) and their purpofe of enflaming the people, than this virulent declaration. They imputed it entirely to the reprefentations of the Marquis of Ormond." Lel. Hift. of Irel. vol. iii. p. 376. CHAP. The king fecretly regrets this measure. HIS majefty did not become guilty, all at once, of this open violation of the public faith." Before he left Breda he yielded thus far to the Scotch commiffioners, that if a free parliament in the kingdom of Scotland fhould fo think fitting, he would then find fome way, how with honour and juftice, he might make void the Irish peace. In the mean time his majefty would by no means permit that any fuch thing fhould be inferted in the body of the articles of agreement; and it was concluded, that that business fhould remain in a distinct paper in the Earl of Caffell's hands, in regard of the difhonour it might bring on the Marquis of Ormond, and his majesty's friends in Ireland. No fooner was this done, but his majesty laboured immediately to inform Ormond of what had paffed; and Mr. Richard Weston was dispatched, on the 16th of May, from Breda, and one hundred and fifty pounds given him to defray his charges. But when his majefty came into Scotland, he found him there, alleging, "that he was not permitted by the Scots to proceed in his journey; at which his majefty was exceedingly troubled, but faw plainly, it was a contrivance between him (Weston), Lord Wilmot and the Scots. 2 "After his majesty had put to fea, the Scotch commiffioners fhewed him new and higher propofitions from the kingdom of Scotland; which were, that unlefs his majesty would immediately take the covenant, and, in terminis, break the peace with the Irish, he was not to be received into Scotland; at which he was fo much disgusted, that he refolved to lay afide all thoughts of going thither, upon fuch terms. But, overcome with the entreaties of his fervants, he yielded in terminis, to the breach of the peace with the Irish, conditionally, Cart. Collect. Orig. Pap. vol. i. p. 391. 2 Ib. conditionally, that it fhould not be published, until his majefty had acquainted the Marquis of Ormond and his friends in Ireland with it." At the fame time that the Scots detained Weston in Scotland, and by that means prevented Ormond's earlier and particular knowledge of this tranfaction," "they dispatched feveral of their minifters to the Laggan and Clanboys in the north of Ireland;" who, doubtlefs, proclaimed aloud the news of the king's having confented to take the covenant, and to declare the late peace void; being affured, that nothing could more alienate the affections of the Irish from his majefty, or fet them at greater variance among themfelves, than fuch intelligence. In May, 1650, the Marquis of Ormond had heard by reports, which he thought probable, that the king had agreed with the Scots." And he afterwards expreffed his apprehenfion," "that great advantage was left to fuch as were induftrious to draw the Irish from their allegiance, by infufing into them a belief, that his majesty, having taken, or approved, the covenant, they were deprived of the benefit of the peace, and left to the extirpation, which the covenant propofes, of their religion and perfons." Proceedings of the bishops at James-town. THE confederates being now alarmed by repeated accounts of the king's having taken the covenant, not without a well grounded fufpicion, that Ormond had approved of, and advised, that measure; several of their bishops affembled at James-town, in order to confult 3 Cart. Orm. vol. ii. fol. 11I. + Cart. Orig. Pap. 5 Ib. vol. ii. fol. 442 a The Marquis of Ormond in a letter from Ennis, 25th of June, 1650, fays, " that the report of his majesty's being then agreed with his fubjects of Scotland, was given out among the rebels." Cart. Orig. Pap. vol. ii. p. 433. fult what was fit to be done on fo important an emergency; where taking into confideration, the fad condition to which their nation and religion must neceffarily be reduced by fuch an event; and mindful of a refolution they had formerly, with good reason, entered into, that in case of a breach or difavowal of the peace, on the part of his majefty or lord lieutenant, they would return to their original confederacy, as the likelieft means to hinder their. people from clofing with the parliament," they now fell to deliberate on the most effectual way of putting that refolution in practice; and, at length, determined to recall and withdraw, on the peril of ecclefiaftical cenfure, all thofe of their communion, from the Marquis of Ormond's command."' Wherefore, on the 12th of Auguft, 1650, they drew up and figned an excommunication against all fuch catholics as fhould enlist under, feed, help, or adhere to his excellency; or aflift him with men, money, or any other fupplies whatsoever." 2 رو To this excommunication (which, though thus haftily drawn up, was not publifhed till the 15th of the following month) a limitation was annexed, "that the next general affembly, which was foon to meet at Loughrea, fhould difpofe of it as they thought proper.'" But that affembly not having met at the appointed time; and fresh and undoubted intelligence arriving daily, that his majefty had taken the covenant, and made void the peace, (the only fecurity that was left them for their religion, liberty, lives and fortunes) these bishops, on the 15th of September, 1650, publifhed their excommunication in the ufual form. At the fame time, they unanimoufly refolved, pursuant to their affociation-oath, ftill faithfully to ferve the king against the regicides, and to use all the means in their power 1 Clarend. Carte. ? Id. ib. a "On account of the king's difavowal of Glamorgan's peace, and his being prevailed on by the Scots to make void that which had been concluded with the Marquis of Ormond in 1646, by his own reiterated commands. |