ration. At the same time that he deprecates the violence of Tyrconnel, he feebly admits the claims which the most leading catholics had on the respect of their protestant countrymen. The Earl of Clarendon was obliged to give way to the Earl of Tyrconnel. The ministers of James suspected that Clarendon was not sufficiently zealous in the cause of their master, and that the royal interests, even in his short administration, might be much better secured. The people of England had now been convinced of the real views of James; that he had determined to put himself above the laws of their country; to change their religion, and with their religion, those precious privileges for which they had so long struggled. The king, on the other hand, saw the public mind receding from him, and considered the importance of effecting a secure retreat in the affections of his Irish subjects. He had completely broken with the church, and now endeavoured to play off the presbyterians and catholics against his ecclesiastical enemies. He had resolved to give the fullest toleration to the ca tholics, and declared his hostility to all those persecuting laws which, from the influence of the church, had been enacted both against the dissenters and catholics, "Not content," says Mr Hume, "with granting dispensations to particular persons, he assumed the power of issuing a declaration of general indulgence, and of suspending, at once, all the penal statutes by which a conformity was required to the established religion. James determined, if possible, to conquer the free spirit of

Englishmen; he trampled on those securities which they considered as the bulwarks of their liberty; and thus admitted into the bosom of the constitution, that party who would not hesitate in co-operating with James to destroy it." The people of Ireland, the great majority of whom were catholic, naturally glowed with enthusiastic gratitude to that monarch who had so generously struck off the bolts of the penal laws, and had admitted every man in Ireland, without any restraint on his conscience or violation of his religious principles, to enjoy the highest privileges of the state. They rejoiced to see their countryman, the Earl of Tyrconnel, invested with full powers to put into execution the royal wishes; and though the enemies of Ireland have represented this Irish nobleman as violent, tyrannical, furious, and precipitate, yet he succeeded, in a short time, so to new-model every branch of political power in Ireland, that the Irish nation was, in the hour of James's adversity, the last and strongest pillar of his power. The law, the army, and the corporations, were soon filled with catholics, and the parliament shortly partook of the character of the corporations. That the protestants, who had so long maintained an exclusive monopoly of all the emoluments and honours of office, who were the legislators and administrators of law, who enjoyed an undivided control over the property and industry of the country, should now be loud in their complaints against the audacious innovation which admitted the people of Ireland to a participation of the constitution, is to be ex,

pected by every man who reflects for a moment on the rapacity of that political ambition which never can be satiated; which sees the destruction of its power in the communication of the privileges it enjoys, and which is perpetually insulting the victims of its oppression by their clamorous panegyrics on their free constitution. The protestants of this day loudly clamoured against the tolerant spirit of their king; and as the English were the enemies of James, because he contemplated the establishment of unlimited monarchy, the Irish protestants were his enemies, because he resolved on the destruction of their monopoly.

flew

The Earl of Tyrconnel had nearly accomplished the object of his sovereign in Ireland, when the news arrived, that the Prince of Orange had determined to invade England, and drive the English monarch from his throne. The rumour through Ireland, and all classes of the people were thrown into confusion. The protestants, who were no longer the governors of Ireland, panted for a return of their monopoly, and the catholics trembled for the safety of that king from whom they had experienced such protection. The Irish nation were immediately in arms to defend their sovereign; and from the zeal and determination which the Irish, in 1688, manifested in favour of James's cause, may the kings of England learn how easy it is to command their fidelity and allegiance. Mr Leland says, an armed rabble arose at the call of the Irish priests; but the same historian is obliged to confess, that this same armed rabble had nearly

disputed with success the rights of sovereignty with William. It is acknowledged, that if conducted with the spirit and the energy of such a commander as the English army enjoyed, the result of the struggle would have been the victory of Irish valour. Various expedients were adopted to rouse the apprehensions of the protestants of Ireland. Anonymous letters were industriously circulated, announcing a general massacre; and the deception so far succeeded, as to work upon the fears of the protestant inhabitants of Derry to such a degree, that they shut its gates against the king's troops, and determined to wait the arrival of the English rebels, to whom they immediately sent their ambassadors. Enniskillen followed the example of Derry, and parties arose in all the northern counties, declaring their determination to co-operate with the English in defence of the constitution and the protestant religion. The city of Derry and the town of Enniskillen sent forward their commissioners to Lord Clarendon, in whom they reposed their confidence, praying him to lay their grievances and present situation before King William. The latter received their ambassadors with the warmest promises of his protection, and assured them that he would take care of the Irish protestant." In the mean time, Tyrconnel was encouraged by a message from James, who had fled to France, that he would shortly assert his rights in person, and that he would make Ireland the theatre of the struggle. Lord Inchiquin headed the protestants of Munster, and Lord Kingston those of Connaught. Animated by the

hope of aid from England, the north eastern towns of Ireland proclaimed William and Mary. An energetic movement of the Irish government soon dissipated this little spirit of resistance. The rebels were driven from town to town, and the city of Derry alone was able or willing to defy the menaces of the viceroy. In the meantime, James arrived from France to contend for his crown and dominions. It appears, that either the pride or the ambition of James completely damped the ardour of the French minister in the cause of the Irish nation. Louvois, who was at this time the minister of Lewis XIV., proffered ample supplies of men, money and arms, to James; but connected his offers of aid with a request that the expedition for Ireland should be commanded by his son, that he might have the honour, as he observed, of preserving one crown for his majesty. This James, in an unhappy mo ment, refused. The friendship of Louvois changed to an implacable hostility, which he gratified, to the defeating of the best interests of Lewis, and the fatal effects of which James experienced in an ample degree in some time after. The Earl of Tryconnel could not be intimidated by the threats nor seduced by the promises of William, to abandon his master; he preserved the sovereignty of James entire and undisturbed, except in one corner of the kingdom; and an unfortunate policy alone contributed to make this the most fatal resistance to the arms of James. James sailed from France with fourteen ships of war, six frigates, and three fire ships.