power to hinder their people from affifting them in any respect whatsoever. The fincerity of this refolution appears, by their including in the fame cenfure," all those unnatural patriots, and others of their own flock, that should adhere to thefe common enemies of God, king, and country; or fhould any ways help, affift, abet, or favour them, by bearing arms for, or with them; or by otherwise contributing to them, without urgent neceflity." So little foundation was there for the injurious reflection made by a late historian," that it having been propofed to these bishops, to issue their excommunication against those who were guilty of fuch compliances, they had referved this engine of theirs for more factious purposes, and could not be prevailed upon to employ it in the king's fervice." On the very next day, however, after this excommunication was published, these bishops iffued an order for fufpending the effects of it in the Earl of Clanrickard's army, which confifted chiefly of catholics, the only perfons that could be affected by it. Upon which irrefolution of theirs, the Marquis of Ormond failed not to observe," "that, fuppofing them to have proceeded on just grounds, yet their rashness was not excufable, as appears in that as they haftily denounced their excommunication on the 15th of September, fo it was more wifely fufpended by the fame men on the 16th following." CHA P. 3 Append. to Walsh's Hist, of the Remonft. f. 70. CHA P. XI. Ormond approved and advised the king's agreement with the Scots. LORD Clarendon, Dr. Borlafe,' Mr. Carte, and generally all our hiftorians affirm, "that when the Marquis of Ormond first heard of the king's declaration at Dumferling, he did really believe it a forgery," contrived either by the English rebels, or the Irish congregation, to feduce the people from their loyalty and affection to his majefty." However that might be, his lordship certainly knew long before that declaration was published (what was equally deftructive to the Irish peace), that the king had agreed to take the covenant, and thereby engaged his folemn promife to endeavour the utter extirpation of these people's religion or perfons. For fo early as March 5th, 1648, we find, by a letter from himself, that "he understood the kingdom of Scotland had invited his majefty thither to be crowned; but that he was to fecure religion, according to the covenant, before he was to be admited to govern." After which he fays, After which he says, " if his majesty refolves to confent to that condition, in the most rigid conftruction of it to himself and his fubjects, I doubt not but his immediate going thither is most counfellable." b But he, at the fame time,' " quef See Borl. Irish Rebel. f. 328. tioned 2 Orm. Let. to Sec. Nicholas. Cart. Orig. Pap. v. ii. p. 361. 3 Ib. a Dr. Leland more cautiously, and indeed, more truly fays, "that Ormond affected to believe it a forgery; but that he foon received a private letter from the king, acknowledging that he had really fubfcribed the declaration, apologizing for this fhameful transaction, as the effect of fear or force." Hift. of Irel. vol. iii. p. 376. Nay, in one of his letters on this occafion, he actually vindicates the king's conduct in this particular: "I am much deceived," tioned not, but it would be confidered, how inconfiftent the covenant was with the peace concluded with the Irish, by virtue of the power given him; and that there would be care taken, to give that people no apprehenfion, that they would be broken with, which might drive them to take defperate ways for their fafety." In November 1649, he declared, "that he was at no time against the treaty with Scotland; and that much less was he then." In July 1650,5" he believed it then appeared, that the treaty was ended, he hoped, in an agreement with the Scots, fo that,' adds his lordship, " in place of arguments to dispose his majesty to an accord fo neceffary, as without, or befides it, I fee no near hope of his reftitution, I fhall apply myself to the ufe to be made of fuch an accord in this kingdom" (Ireland). And then he proposes," "that himself may be fortified with fome gracious declaration from his majefty, fubfequent to the agreement of Scotland, in favour of all thofe (Irish) that had been, and ftill continued, loyal and affectionate to his fervice; and he conceived, that, without fuch a declaration and purpose as to those, his majefty could not acquit + Orm. Let. to Sec. Nicholas. Cart. Orig. Pap. vol. ii. 6 Append. to Walsh's Remonftrance. p. 415. deceived," fays he, " if it hath not paffed for the most orthodox doctrine, with those I take to be the most orthodox men, that in lawful commands (and fuch certainly is the defence or recovery of their juft rights), we are to yield active obedience to papift, nay pagan princes, if we be their subjects; and why not as well to a prefbyterian king, I know not." Carte's Orig. Pap. vol. i. f. 430. That active obedience ought to be paid to the lawful commands of popish, prefbyterian, or even pagan princes, is not denied or controverted. The only queftion here is, whether either popish or proteftant fubjects are bound to pay fuch obedience to the unlawful commands of any prince, who had broken the public faith, folemnly plighted to them; and who had publicly vowed, in the manner before mentioned, the utter extirpation of their religion and perfons? acquit himself with honour towards that people; whereof," adds he, " many have perished, and more are likely to do fo for their loyalty to the crown." CHA P. XII. The real caufe of the clergy's proceedings at James-town. AT the fame time that the king's declaration* at Dumferling was notified in form to the Irish congregation, the Marquis of Ormond propofed to make good the peace, upon certain conditions; one of which was the revoking their excommunication. But that they refused to confent to, because, as they alleged among other reafons," they understood from his lordship's letter to them on that occafion, that he had suggested matter unto his majefty for making that declaration, by which, for ought appearing unto them, the king had withdrawn his commiffion from him, and had caft away the nation, as rebels, from his protecVOL. II. tion. D The king's printed declaration was received by the Marquis of Ormond, on the 13th of October, 1650, and fent to the commiffioners of truft on the 24th of the fame month. Walth's Hift. of the Remonft. App. f. 123. In their declaration, annexed to their excommunication, they allege, which is true," that he had reprefented to his majesty, that fome parts of the kingdom were disobedient, which abfolutely deny any difobedience to have been then committed; and that thereby he had procured from his majefty, a letter to withdraw his own perfon and the royal authority, if such disobedience was multiplied; and fo leave the people without the benefit of the peace." Borl. Irish Rebel. f. 322. from Clarend. The bishops at James-town alleged, as a reason for not revoking their excommunication, that they had perused the declaration which had been published in Scotland, difavowing the peace." Id. ib. f. 331. These bifhops urged the declaration in Scotland, as a ground and excuse for all their proceedings." Id. ib. f. 332. In the declaration at Dumferling, the king " acknowledged his forrow for making peace with the papists, and recalled all tion. Nor could they understand (they faid) the mystery of preserving his majefty's authority with them, or over them, in fuch a cafe; or how it could be done." They added, "that they believed, the king's authority being thus taken from them, the best remedy for hindering the people to close with the parliament, was to return to their former confederacy, as it was intended by the nation, in cafe of the breach of the peace, on the part of his majesty.' That the king's agreement with the Scots, and the fhameful conditions of it, were early known to the Irish in general, is manifeft, not only from what has been already mentioned, but alfo from the following inftance of the infincerity of his majesty's more recent promifes to them. When his majesty first took the refolution of entering into a perfonal treaty with the Scotch commiffioners at Breda, he wrote to the mar quis of Ormond, January 23d, 1649,' "to affure him, that though he would endeavour to oblige that nation (the Scots), by all just and honourable condefcenfions, to engage themselves to enter England in the fpring, with a confiderable army, for his fervice; yet he would not, either in the faid treaty, or upon any other occafion whatsoever, confent to any thing that should be contrary to the agreement made with the Roman catholics of Ireland; but would fulfil and perform all grants and conceffions, which he had either made or promised them, according to the full extent of that grace, he had always intended that nation; which, as he had new inftances of their loyalty and affection to him, he should study rather to enlarge, than to diminish, or infringe, in the leaft degree." He, at the fame time, defired the Marquis " to give thefe 'Cart. Orm. vol. ii. fol. 129. all the commiffions granted by him in Ireland." Cart. Orm. vol. ii. f. 131. Hence the Earl of Clanrickard, in a letter to Lord Muskerry, confeffes," that the king, by that act (declaration) difavowed the peace with the Irifh, and took away his protection from them." Clanrick. Mem. Dub. ed. p. 108. |