obstinately retained these two acts, though the duke of Dorset the lord lieutenant attempted to have them repealed in 1788: failing like lord Wharton (703).

739. The duke of Dorset was succeeded in 1737 by the duke of Devonshire, who lived in great magnificence, and bought over men by liberal bestowal of places; so that the Patriot party found it hard to retain their influence in parliament.

740. In 1745 the Scottish rebellion broke out in favour of the Pretender; but though his army was largely composed of exiled Irishmen, the Irish Catholics at home, thoroughly crushed, took no part in it. Nevertheless the English government felt greatly alarmed about Ireland: and in that same year they sent over the earl of Chesterfield as lord lieutenant, with instructions to exercise moderation.

741. The local oligarchy of Dublin pressed for more severity against the Catholics: but he ridiculed their recommendations: and having satisfied himself by his spies that the Catholics had no hostile designs, he allowed them to worship in their chapels without molestation.

A few days after the battle of Culloden in 1746, which crushed the rebellion, he was recalled. On the day of his departure he walked through the streets to the place of embarkation with his countess on his arm, amid the acclamation of the people, Catholics and Protestants.

742. In 1747 the earl of Harrington came over as lord lieutenant. In the same year George Stone was appointed primate of Armagh; and like primate Boulter, had the chief management of English affairs in Ireland. His constant study was to maintain English ascendancy, which he did in the most arrogant manner; so that he rendered himself intensely unpopular.

743. The duke of Dorset returned as lord lieutenant in 1751. His son lord George Sackville was secretary, and made himself quite as much detested as primate Stone, and for the same reasons. At this time there was a surplus of revenue; and the consideration of how to apply

it revived the old question of privilege between the English and Irish parliaments.

744. The Patriots proposed, in 1749, that it should be applied to pay off some portion of the national debt; but the court party held that this could not be done without the sanction of the king.

745. There were two very able men on the side of the Patriotic party :-counsellor Anthony Malone their leader in parliament, a man of a high order of intellect, and a good orator; and Dr. Charles Lucas, first a Dublin apothecary, and subsequently a practising physician; a member of the town council; but not yet in parliament.

746. Primate Stone and secretary Sackville violently advocated the king's right to interfere; and they and their party were as violently resisted by the opposition headed by Malone in parliament, by Lucas outside, and by the earl of Kildare (afterwards duke of Leinster) in the house of lords.

747. In 1758 the commons, after great opposition from the party of Stone and Sackville, passed a bill by a small majority (of 5) disposing of the money without making any reference to the king or his consent. This gave great offence to the court party. At the same time the earl of Kildare presented a bold address to the king complaining of the arrogance and corruption of Stone and Sackville.

748. The disturbances reached such a serious pass, that the English government recalled lord Dorset in 1755, and sent over the marquess of Hartington in his place. Under him matters settled down: but the Patriots had gained ground-the two parties being now nearly balanced-and the spirit of independence had greatly advanced within the last few years.

749. There was an increasing tendency to toleration; and even the Catholics began to bestir themselves to obtain relief, but with small result for the present.

The Catholic movement had its small beginnings in the efforts of three Catholic gentlemen :-Dr. Curry, a physician of Dublin, the historian of the civil wars in

Ireland; Charles O'Conor of Bellanagar in Roscommon, a well-known scholar and antiquarian; and Mr. Wyse of Waterford. They endeavoured to stir up the Catholic clergy and aristocracy to agitate for their rights; and though they did not succeed, they spread enlightenment and infused some small life and hope among the Catholics. 750. They were more successful with the merchants and business men; and they founded the "Catholic Committee" to watch over the interests of Catholics, which was to hold its meetings in Dublin. In 1757, when John Russell duke of Bedford was appointed lord lieutenant in place of the marquess of Hartington, the Catholics forwarded him an address to which lord Russell sent a kindly-worded reply. This was the first faint beginning of a movement for Catholic relief which subsequently became so formidable under O'Connell.

751. In 1759 there were rumours of a Union between England and Ireland, which caused great excitement. The people of Dublin became enraged when they heard that their parliament was to be removed to London, and that they would have to pay the same taxes as in England; and there was a terrible riot. The mob broke into the house of lords, and seated an old woman on the throne to mock Bedford, who even before this had become very unpopular; and they tried to burn the parliamentary books.

They also made every lord and commoner they met in the streets swear to oppose the union. The military were called out, but the rioting went on, till night sent the mob home. The people who rose this time were all Protestants: the Catholics were still too crushed and timid to take part in any such movement.

R

CHAPTER V.

THE EXPEDITION OF THUROT.

(1759-1760.)

752. England was at this time at war with France, and a report of a projected French invasion caused great alarm. Towards the end of 1759, an army was collected at Vannes in Brittany, which was to be conveyed by a powerful fleet anchored at Brest under admiral Conflans. A smaller squadron of five vessels lay at Dunkirk under Thurot, an enterprising commander, an Irishman, whose real name was O'Farrell.

753. Admiral Hawke kept a watch on the fleet at Brest; but being forced by a storm to take refuge in Torbay, the fleet put to sea. It was intercepted by Hawke off Quiberon bay, on the French coast, on the night of the 14th November 1759, and defeated; after which the French abandoned all thoughts of an invasion.

754. Commodore Boys had been watching Thurot, who however eluded him and sailed out. But he was driven by storms to Bergen in Norway, where he remained till December. One of his vessels had disappeared in the storm; one returned to France; and with the remaining three he appeared off Carrickfergus on the 21st February 1760. Having been tossed about by storms, his crew were reduced by famine and hardships, and were now half starved. With about 1,000 men he disembarked and attacked the castle, which was defended by colonel Jennings with only 150 men of the 62nd regiment, having no cannon and hardly any ammunition.

755. After a brief defence Jennings had to surrender, and the hungry French fell on all the food they could

find; but did not molest the people. As there were not sufficient provisions, they obtained some from Belfast under threat of burning that town and Carrickfergus. On the 26th of February they re-embarked, on hearing that an armed force was advancing on them; but they were intercepted a little north of the Isle of Man by captain Elliott, who had sailed in pursuit from Kinsale with the ship Eolus and two others. There was a sharp action in which Thurot was killed; and his three vessels were captured and brought into Ramsey.

George II. died suddenly at Kensington of heart disease on the 25th October 1760, and was succeeded by his grandson George III.

CHAPTER VI.

SECRET SOCIETIES.

(1760-1762.)

756. The misery and discontent prevailing all over the country at this time gave origin to various oath-bound societies, by which the country was for many years disturbed.

757. The Whiteboys who first rose up in 1761, were so called because they wore white shirts over their coats when out on their nightly excursions: and their operations were chiefly in the counties of Waterford, Cork, Limerick, and Tipperary. This combination was not political: it was not directed against the government, but against the oppressive encroachments of the local landlords: and members of different religions joined in it.

758. The landlords had everywhere begun to enclose as their private property the "commons" (58), which be