poisoned were the streams of justice, and so violent was the rage against the accused, that these solid objections were all over-ruled, and his evidence received as if he had been the most immaculate character in the nation. In a virulent and fabulous book, published under the title of "Memoirs of Ireland, from the Restoration to the present time," which contains almost as many lies as sentences, there is a curious account of one of those wonderful plots. It is quite an original; and deserves to be brought to light once more, out of compliment to the talents of the fabricator who could devise, and to the sagacity of the stupid public which could digest, such a tale. It states, that a massacre of the Protestants in Ireland was intended, anno 1670: preparatory to which, "the priests ordered their congregations at mass,” to fix "over their doors a cross made of straw." This cross was to be a mark to the assassins not to molest the inhabitants, "when the bloody massacre was to be perpetrated." All "the men, women, and children" in the houses devoid of the straw cross, "God save the mark!" were "to be butchered, and the houses burned." This is very amusing, truly; and a mere matter of course. But the enigmatical part of the plot remains. The crosses "were so little," that "the Protestants took no notice of them" by daylight, although the cut-throats, to whom they were to afford directions, were to be governed by them at night, as that time alone was fit for such deeds of blood. And, although the directions had been given from the altar, throughout the kingdom, "the matter was carried with so much secrecy," that "the priests themselves" were ignorant of what was meant, and "believed that it was designed to bless the people's houses." And this miserable fabrication was credited ; cited a vast deal of alarm among "the Protestant ascendency ;" and afforded a pretext for the further oppression and persecution of the Roman Catholics : ex "The priests, by directions from their superiors, ordered their several congregations, at mass, that, at such a time, every Roman Catholic should fix over their doors A CROSS MADE OF STRAW. The people were curious to understand the reason of this order; but the matter was carried with so much secrecy, that the priests themselves, it is believed, knew no more than that it was designed to bless the people's houses. This was generally performed: and, at the same time, vast multitudes of priests came from beyond sea; who, as appears by the sequel, were better acquainted with the bottom of this black and damnable intrigue, than generally the poor ignorant priests of Ireland were, to whom the hellish conclave at Rome did not think fit to communicate a matter of this private and great importance. The plot was formed after the ensuing manner. This signal of the cross was to distinguish the Papists from the Protestants, when THE BLOODY MASSACRE WAS TO BE PERPETRATED. Where no cross was found on the door, all within the house, men, women, and children, were to be butchered, on a certain day, and their houses burnt. Intimation of this design being given to the magistracy, search was made; and crosses accordingly found at most of the Papists' doors in the province of Munster. They were so little, that the Protestants, took no notice of them. The priest, who discovered the plot first, ran away, and was no more heard of." 99309 The pretences of plots and conspiracies were constantly employed, throughout the century.* The public mind was kept in unceasing fermentation ; which was excited to the highest degree, when any object of Irish oppression or degradation was to be accomplished, and the excitement was always proportioned to the magnitude of that *"It was thought politic to have recourse to one [a sham plot] in the present exigence. For this purpose a committee was appointed to inquire into informations against the Irish, and the danger of the kingdom from them. Informations of one sort or other will never be wanting, when it is the interest of men in power to encourage them: and they are sure to be received with favour, and swallowed without examination, however trifling, ridiculous, and improbable."310 "They revived the rumours of new plots and conspiracies; received informations of many dark designs and suspicious proceedings of the Irish; alarmed the government with the danger of public commotions; and, though all their industry could produce no material discoveries, yet it served their purpose of loading an obnoxious party with additional odium, at a time when they were to contend with them for estates and settlements." "Reports [were] spread by these agents and their creatures, as if the Irish Roman Catholics were ready to raise a new rebellion in that country. This was a thing impossible to be conceived by any body that knew the real state and miserable condition of those people at this time in Ireland." 309 Memoirs of Ireland, 15. 311 Leland, IV. 125. 1312 310 Carte, II. 223. object.* In no instance did this system fail of complete success. * "The house, to throw an odium upon that nation, and prejudice them in the opinion of the world, as well as of his majesty, before whom their all lay at stake, would needs infer a formed design of an insurrection. But the whole kingdom knew they were in no condition to rebel, nor was it likely they should attempt it at a time, when they were suing for grace and favour from his majesty. Sir M. Eustace, the lord chancellor, a man of great virtue and integrity, who wished well to a true loyal English interest, and not to a pretended one of disaffected and unconformable upstarts, was persuaded of the injustice, as well as the design of this charge against the Irish; and, to discover what ground there was for it, directed the judges in their circuits to cause the matter to be inquired into by the grand juries of the several counties through which they passed. The finding of those juries was alike in all places; there being a great calm every where, no preparation for a rising, nor so much as a rumour of any new troubles. Nothing could be more frivolous and void of proof, than the paper which the commons drew up on this subject.' 99313 "These proceedings insinuating the design of a new rebellion, were founded upon very slight grounds; but there are certain subjects of so odious or unpopular a nature, that few men dare, in public assemblies, offer to stem the torrent, and speak their minds about them with freedom. Of this nature was every motion, expressing a distrust of the Papists, and loading them with rebellious designs; so that though the letters which served as a foundation to their votes, were a mere contrivance and PALPABLE FORGERY, nobody (except the lord Strabane) seems to have expressed their dissatisfaction as to the proof and truth of them, or to have made any attempt to vindicate the Papists from a charge so weakly supported, and so very improbable in the present situation of the kingdom."314 314 Idem, 238. 313 Carte, II. 231. For a full detail of this hideous state of things, which Leland appropriately styles "THE MELANCHOLY PROGRESS OF PERJURY AND SUBORNATION,"315 the reader is referred to that writer,316 and to the Life of the duke of Ormond.317 In the year 1681, there was a wonderful alarmı excited in England, on the subject of an intended insurrection and massacre in Ireland.* The most terrific accounts were transmitted from the latter to the former kingdom; and warrants were issued for apprehending the supposed conspirators: but this, like so many other of the similar contrivances, already noticed, manifested as much folly as fraud. The four leaders of this tremendous conspiracy, for whom those warrants were issued, were, Richard Talbot, lord Mountgarret and his son, and a colonel Peppard.318 Talbot was apprehended; and, being examined, there was nothing discovered that could warrant holding him in custody:319 of lord Mountgarret's son, no further *"January 6th, 1681. Resolved, by the lords spiritual and temporal, in Parliament assembled, that they do declare, that they are fully satisfied, that there now is, and for divers years last past hath been, a horrid and treasonable plot contrived and carried on by those of the Popish religion in Ireland, for massacreing the English, and subverting the Protestant religion, and the ancient established government of that kingdom; to which their lordships desire the concurrence of this house."320 315 Leland, IV. 193. 316 Idem, 188-193. 318 Leland, IV. 185. 320 Memoirs of Ireland, 25. |