year before, by the prefbytery of Bangor; with this difference, that the former, as we have seen, had fome provocation given them, which the latter could not pretend.

For on the conclufion of the peace in 1648, the king having fent a commiffion to Hugh Vifcount Montgomery of Ards, to command all the forces within that province, his lordship thought it neceffary to fignify to his majesty's subjects of Ulfter his inveftiture with that commiffion, and accordingly published a declaration, July 4th, 1649, for that purpose.

A prefbytery was thereupon convened at Bangor, July 7th, in which a declaration was drawn up, containing feveral virulent reflections on his lordfhip. He is therein charged, among other things," with lifting up his hand against them; with betraying the covenant; with owning King Charles the fecond; with cloathing himself with a commiffion from him; with receiving commands from the Marquis of Ormond, and joining with malignants, who blafphemed the covenant. For this caufe," faid they," as embassadors of Christ, we beseech the people, "in his ftead," not to join hands to fuch a course; not to join in executing fuch a commiffion,

• See Presbyterian Loyalty, p. 256.

The 10,0co Scots, that were fent about the year 1642 into Ulfter by the English parliament, "were poffeffed of Carrickfergus as their head quarters, brought over their ministers along with them, who being of the prefbyterian perfuafion (fays my author) did affociate for the exercise of difcipline; and fuch minifters of the fame perfuafion as then refided in the kingdom joined with them, and founded a prefbytery, which was that very prefbytery who framed the declaration at Bangor in 1649. The Lord Viscount of Ards and the Lord Vifcount of Claneboy, fhewed an early zeal for the intereft of the prefbytery; for on the 19th of July, 1642, (which was but nine days after their first meeting) my Lord of Ards fent Capt. Magill to the prefbytery then met at Carrickfergus, with a meffage to them, promifing that he would join with them in discipline, and my Lord Claneboy writ them a letter, delivered the very fame day, and giving the fame affurance for himself, as my Lord of Ards had done by his meffage." Prefbyter. Loyalty, p. 253.

miffion, by ferving either as officers or foldiers, or they fhall wring the dregs of the cup, which the malignants have been drinking thefe many years paft. We do also, in the name of Jefus Chrift, warn the people of our charge from all compliance with their ungodly course, either by speaking favourably of them, acknowledging the authority of the present command under the Marquis of Ormond and the Lord of Ards; by impofing cefs for the maintenance of their unlawful power; or by obeying their orders, or paying cefs to their army, or fupplying them with that which is the finews of war, money and victuals." "

I have faid that the prefbytery at Bangor could not pretend fuch provocation for this outrage on the royal authority, as the congregation at James-town really had; for, by the king's having taken the covenant, the latter were threatened openly with the utter extirpation of their religion; but the prefbytery were promised, and affured of the prefervation, and extenfion of theirs. Lord Montgomery, who was himself a zealous prefbyterian, folemnly engaged in his declaration,2 "in the presence of God, that he would ufe his uttermoft endeavours, while he was entrusted with power, to countenance and affift the exercise of their religion, as it was then practised; and likewise, that he

In February 1649," the general affembly of the church of Scotland had fet them an example, by publishing a remonstrance wherein, they declared, and folemnly protested, among other things, against the Lord of Ards and others having entered into a peace and affociation with the Marquis of Ormond, that they might the more eafily carry on the old defigns of the popish, prelatical and malignant party." See Borl. Hift. of the Rebel. fol. 289.

"In April following, 1650, this fame Lord of Ards, Lord Moor, and Colonel Trevor, came from the Irish quarters to Oliver Cromwell at Clonmell, foon after he had taken that town, to render themselves to him, being perfons of great note and eminence in the kingdom, and the first of quality of the protestant party, that came from the Irish army unto them." Borl. Hift. of the Irish Rebel. Append. fol. 22.

d

he would folicit his majesty, and, (as he had good grounds to hope) with fuccefs, for a confirmation under his hand." And, two days before that declaration iffued,' Lord Inchiquin wrote to the fame prefbytery, "that he being a well-wifher to the prefbyterian government, and honoured with a public truft by his majefty, knew that his majefty was refolved, for their fatisfaction, to establish the prefbyterian government in them parts; and, he believed, in other parts also of the kingdom. And no man knows," adds his lordfhip, "whether the whole number of proteftants may not agree to embrace it."

CHA P. XV.

The total defection of the proteftant forces. SHORTLY after the presbytery's declaration was published, there was fuch a general defection in the northern army, that the Marquis of Ormond told the king, in December 1649,' "that his majesty might account that province, if not wholly loft, yet in a low and defperate condition; and that he expected to be strongly invaded from thence next summer." In that letter it was, that he defired his majefty's permiffion to withdraw himself out of the kingdom," because it was unable of itself, and without powerful aids from abroad, to refift the growing power of the rebels." Yet, when his lordship did withdraw himfelf, fome months after, he greatly encreased these rebels power, by permitting, or rather tranfmitting, the forces then under his immediate command to join and affift them. For, when he

1 Prefbyterian Loyalty, p. 409. 'Carte's Orm. vol. ii. p. 422.

2 Id. ib.

was

Borlafe fays," that amongst the prefbyterians he went for a patron." Irish Rebel. fol. 243. He fays alfo, "that the Lord of Ards (a little before this) had been chofen by the prefbyterian ministers, their commander in chief, thereby poffeffing himself of Carrickfergus and Belfast." Ib. fol. 273.

was preparing to leave the kingdom, and had defigned Lord Clanrickard for his deputy, "he permitted," fays the Earl of Orrery," all thofe worthy proteftants, who, till then, had served under him, to come off to the reft of the proteftants, though then headed by Ireton himself, esteeming them fafer with that real regicide, fo accompanied, than with those pretended antiregicides, fo principled." How thefe (as he is pleased to call the confederates) pretended antiregicides were principled, with refpect to his majefty's fervice, fufficiently appears from what has been already related.* Nor, indeed, was Ormond himself unconfcious, that both their attachment to his majesty, and oppofition to these rebels, were real and permanent. For when upon a former occafion, he folicited leave from the English parliament, to transport five thousand foot, and five hundred horfemen, together with himself, out of the kingdom into France, in order to obtain their confent, he obferved," that it would be a fure means of ridding their partizans in Ireland of many unfure friends among the king's party, as well as many certain enemies among the Irifh;" and thereby facilitate the reduction of the kingdom to their obedience. Thus were many of thofe proteftant forces, under his excellency, whom he calls the king's party, acknowledged by himself to be friends to the English rebels, though unfure, and the confederate Irish catholics to be their certain enemies.

4

By this great acceffion of forces, permitted to these real regicides, the ruin of Ireland was quickly completed. Such permiffion, however, was perfectly confonant to his excellency's former agreement in 1647, when he delivered up all his power and authority to the fame

a

Answer to Walsh.

4 In the year 1647.

s Cart. Orm. vol. i. fol. 603.

"It may be (fays P. Walsh) that the Earl of Orrery himself is a witness beyond all exception, that the Irish catholics were the last in the three kingdoms that laid down their arms, and gave over fighting for the royal caufe." Reply to a Perfon of Quality, p. 50.

fame party. And in fact, had any comment been wanting to explain the motives of that agreement, this permiffion would be a very full, and clear one; for, as the fame Lord Orrery obferves, and feems to appeal to Ormond himself, then lord lieutenant of Ireland, for the truth of the whole paffage," "certainly, he esteemed those less ill, to whom he fent his friends, than those from whom he fent them;" and confequently, was more folicitous for the interefts and fuccefs of the former, than for those of the latter; which, furely, was befides, an unpardonable impofition on his truly noble friend, the Marquis of Clanrickard; with whom in appearance, he left the government of the kingdom, but in reality, by that permiffion, deprived him of the means of defending and preferving it.

Treaty with the Duke of Lorrain. DISTRESSED as the confederate catholics now were, and deferted by all the proteftant forces of the kingdom, their fidelity and zeal for his majesty's fervice remained unaltered. While the general affembly was ftill fitting at Loughrea, very favourable offers of accommodation were sent them by the regicides, which they not only rejected, but they alfo prevailed on the deputy' to iffue a proclamation, declaring all thofe of their communion, guilty of high treafon, and punishable with death, who should aid or affift them; and fuch as were already with them, and did not quit their fervice in fourteen days, were, by the fame proclamation, made liable to the fame punishment. The bishops likewise, present in that affembly, denounced excommunication against all catholics, who either ferved under the regicides, or entered into any treaty of pacification with them.

Yet

'Orrery, ubi fupra. Cart. Orm. vol. ii. fol. 144. Borl. Irish Rebel. fol. 340. 2 Carte, ib.