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CHA P. IX.

The king fecretly regrets this measure.

HIS majesty 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 justice, he might make void the Irish peace. In the mean time his majesty 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 should 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 Wefton was dispatched, on the 16th of May, from Breda, and one hundred and fifty pounds given him to defray his charges. But when his majesty came into Scotland, he found him there, alleging, "that he was not permitted by the Scots to proceed in his journey; at which his majesty was exceedingly troubled, but faw plainly, it was a contrivance between him (Weston), Lord Wilmot and the Scots.

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"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 difgufted, that he refolved to lay afide all thoughts of going thither, upon fuch terms. overcome with the entreaties of his fervants, he yielded in terminis, to the breach of the peace with the Irish, conditionally,

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But,

conditionally, that it should not be published, until his majesty had acquainted the Marquis of Ormond and his friends in Ireland with it."

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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 several 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 majesty, or fet them at greater variance among themselves, 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 majefty, having taken, or approved, the covenant, they were deprived of the benefit of the peace, and left to the extirpation, which the covenant proposes, of their religion and persons."

CHA P. X.

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; feveral of their bishops affembled at James-town, in order to confult

3 Cart. Orm. vol. ii. fol. III.

4 Cart. Orig. Pap.

s 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 reafon, entered into, that in cafe of a breach or difavowal of the peace, on the part of his majesty or lord lieutenant, they would return to their original confederacy, as the likelieft means to hinder their people from closing 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 affift him with men, money, or any other fupplies whatsoever."

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To this excommunication (which, though thus haftily drawn up, was not published 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 majesty had taken the covenant, and made void the peace, (the only fecurity that was left them for their religion, liberty, lives and fortunes) thefe bishops, on the 15th of September, 1650, pub

At

lifhed their excommunication in the ufual form. 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

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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.

power to hinder their people from affisting 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 these 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 neceffity." So little foundation was there for the injurious reflection made by a late historian," that it having been propofed to these bishops, to iffue 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 rafhness 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."

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CHA P.

Append. to Walsh's Hift, of the Remonft. f. 70.
s Carte's Orm.

Lel. Hift. of Irel.

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 promise 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, " if his majesty "if refolves to confent to that condition, in the mont rigid conftruction of it to himself and his fubjects, I doubt not but his immediate going thither is most counfellable." But he, at the fame time," queftioned

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• See Borl. Irish Rebel. f. 328.

2 Orm. Let. to Sec. Nicholas. Cart. Orig. Pap. v. ii. p. 361. 3 Ib.

a Dr. Leland more cautioufly, 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 tranfaction, 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,"

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