tion, disclaimed their having confented to it, though they were obliged to fign it for conformity."

It hath been mentioned above, that this congregation had annexed to their cenfure a reftriction, by which the next general affembly was empowered to difpofe of it in what manner they thought proper. That affembly met, by the Marquis of Ormond's appointment at Loughrea, on the 15th of November, 1650; "it was very full, and (befides the clergy)," confifted of the principal nobility and gentry of fortune and intereft in the kingdom." "The bishops there prefent, for the removing of thofe jealoufies, which were occafioned by their proceedings at James-town,' declared and protefted, of their own accord, that by their excommunication and declaration, they had no other aim but the preservation of their religion and people; and that they did not purpose to make any encroachment upon his majefty's authority, or the liberty of their fellow fubjects; confeffing that it did not belong to their jurisdiction fo to do."

When this affembly understood the Marquis of Ormond's refolution to leave the kingdom, they fent four of their members, viz. the Lords Dillon and Clanrickard, and two others, to his lordfhip at Kilcolgan,' with an inftrument bearing date the 7th of December; in which, after reciting what the bishops had protested in the affembly, concerning their excommunication and declaration, they added," that they, the lords fpiritual and temporal, and the gentry met in that affembly, conceived, that there was no better foundation or ground for their union, than the holding to and obeying his majesty's authority, to which they owed and ought to pay all dutiful obedience. And they did thereby declare and proteft, that there was not any power in the lords fpiritual or temporal, gentry or people, clergy or laity of the kingdom, to alter or take away his majesty's authority; they holding that to

* Cart. Orm. vol. ii. Clarend.
* Borl. Hift. Irish Rebel. fol. 339.
5 Id. ib.

Id. ib. fol. 139.
Clarend. Carte.

be

be the chief flower of the crown, and the fupport of the people's liberty; and they unanimously beseeched his excellency, in his hearty defire of the nation's prefervation, to leave that authority with them in fome person, faithful to his majefty, and acceptable to the nation; to which perfon, when he fhould be made known to them, they would not only afford all due obedience, but would alfo offer, and propofe the best ways and means they could devife for the conservation of his majesty's rights, and the people's liberties and interests; and for the begetting a ready obedience in all places and perfons, to his majefty's authority."

In answer to this requeít, his excellency told them," "that he was refolved to make use speedily of the liberty the king had given him as to his own person ; which he found was unacceptable to the people. Yet that, if they could propofe to him any way how he could depofit the king's authority, in such a manner as that it might not be expofed to the same affronts it had received in him, and might be applied to the preserving of the people, and the recovery of the kingdom, he fhould readily agree to it; and he heartily wifhed they might receive that happiness by his abfence, which they could not receive by his presence."

His excellency was refolved to trust the royal authority in no body but the Earl of Clanrickard, the only perfon in the kingdom fit for fo high a truft; and on the 7th of December aforefaid, after he had embarked, he wrote to the affembly," that he had left. authority with his lordship, to govern the kingdom, provided their declaration were fo far explained, as to give the marquis of Clanrickard full fatisfaction, with regard to the expreffions they made ufe of to declare their duty of obedience."

An inftrument was hereupon drawn up, wherein the affembly declared, that neither the lords fpiritual or temporal, gentry or people, clergy or laity, had power to discharge the people from that due and perfect obedience

Clarend. Carte.

7 Cart. Orm. vol. ii. fol. 137. • Id. ib.

obedience to his majesty's authority vested in the Marquis of Clanrickard; and that, in cafe of any fuch act or endeavour, no perfons fhould, or ought to be led thereby; but that, for their disobedience, on any fuch grounds, they were fubject to the heavy cenfures and penalties of the laws of the land. But to this a proviso was added, that this obedience was not intended to be paid to any person, that fhould be appointed chief govenor, who had joined in the covenant, or fhould violate the articles of the peace. Upon this declaration, Lord Clanrickard was prevailed upon to accept the government; ⚫ and Ormond departed for France.

с

b

The prefbytery of Bangor's proceedings on the peace.

NONE cenfured the congregation at James-town more feverely than the prefbyterians in Ulfter; yet. none had fo little right to cenfure it. For that congregation only followed the example that was fet them the year

8 Id. ib.

That provifo was expreffed in these words. "And inafmuch as his majesty is at present in the hands of a presbyterian party of the Scots, who have declared themselves enemies to this nation, and vowed the extirpation of our religion, we declare, it is not hereby intended, to oblige ourselves to receive, obey, or obferve any governor, that fhall come unduly nominated by, or procured from his majefty, by reason of, or during his being in an unfree condition, that may raise a disturbance in the present government, eftablished by his majefty's authority, or cause the violation of the articles of peace.' Borl. Hift. of

the Irish Rebel. fol., 339.

<"The bishop of Ferns, (fays Borlafe) hitherto averse to the king's authority, more particularly importuned him (Clanrickard) in the name of the clergy, not to decline a charge, which could only preferve the king's power in that kingdom, and the nation from deftruction, promifing fo entire a submission and co-operation from the whole clergy, that his authority should not be difputed." Irish Rebel. fol. 338.

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 Viscount Montgomery of Ards, to command all the forces within that province, his lordship thought it neceffary to fignify to his majefty's fubjects 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 lordship. 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 stead," not to join hands to fuch a course; not to join in executing fuch a commiffion,

See Prefbyterian Loyalty, p. 256.

a The 10,000 Scots, that were sent 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 discipline; 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 Vifcount of Ards and the Lord Viscount of Claneboy, fhewed an early zeal for the intereft of the presbytery; 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 difcipline, 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 fpeaking favourably of them, acknowledging the authority of the prefent 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," "in the prefence of God, that he would use his uttermoft endeavours, while he was entrusted with power, to countenance and affift the exercise of their religion, as it was then practifed; and likewise, that he

2 Ib. p. 409.

In February 1649, " the general affembly of the church of Scotland had fet them an example, by publishing a remonftrance wherein," they declared, and folemnly protefted, 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 easily carry on the old designs 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 proteftant party, that came from the Irifh army unto them." Borl. Hift. of the Irish Rebel. Append. fol. 22.