coldness and evasion*, and with but scant supply of arms, whereat they are, as might be expected, sorely mortified. Most marvellously do these Lords Justices play into our hands; and if they but prosper in putting these great nobles of the pale into desperation, we shall, in truth, have rare work of it!

"November 10.-All again looks downward, and there seemeth but small chance of a general rising this winter. His Majesty hath writ over to the Lords Justices that he will no longer deceive his loving subjects of Ireland, but that, in the Parliament forthwith to be assembled, the long desired Graces shall be propounded and confirmed. Blank tidings these

* In the same manner the offers of the Catholic gentry in 1798, to raise regiments, &c. were coldly rejected; and Mr. Plunket stated, from his own knowledge, in the House of Commons, last sessions, that though, during the whole of the rebellion, the Roman Catholics were most anxious to enter into the yeomanry corps of Dublin, the Protestants almost invariably refused them admittance. So rigidly, at that period, was Sir William Parsons's receipt for the mixing up of a good rebellion attended to.

for our gallants in the North. Roger Moore may now go whistle after his fair Leinster domains, and Sir Phelim must turn the old Tyrone helmet into a drinking-cup. Our only hope is in the Lords Justices.

"November 17.-The Lords Justices have prorogued the Parliament without suffering the promised Graces to be therein propounded, or even mentioned, whereby all chance of a redress of grievances is happily at an end, and we may now expect a right merry winter. The Byrnes of Wicklow were up on the 12th, the twenty-four O'Farrels of Longford have joined, and the Tooles and Cavanaghs of Caterlogh are stirring.

"November 18.-Tidings just come to hand, that on the night of the 13th ult. the English and Scotch of Carrickfergus did issue forth, and attack and murder, in the island Magee*, 3000 men, women, and children, all innocent persons, there being as yet no appear

* There has been some controversy about the date of this massacre, but the testimonies for fixing it early in November preponderate.

ance of revolt in that quarter. If this doth not cause all Ireland to rise on the sudden, then is the blood of her Macs run dry, and her ancient O's become cyphers indeed.

"19.—Already hath the scabbard been put away, since the foul adventure of island Magee; and, at Lurgan and other places, repayment hath been taken, with heavy interest, for the treachery of that night. Sir Phelim is now blooded, and we shall not soon see the end on't.

"December 3.-The Lords Justices have taken back with much insult the few arms entrusted to the Lords of the Pale, and banished them from Dublin, whereby the disaffection of these great nobles is decided, and they are already, it is said, communing with Roger

Moore.

"December 4.-Colonel Coote hath, in reward of his murderous carnage at Wicklow, been appointed governor of Dublin.

"December 8.—There is an order of both Houses of the English Parliament, dated November 30, directing the Lords Justices to "grant his Majesty's pardon to all those who

within a convenient time shall return to their obedience." This might, as the saying goes, spoil sport; but that the Lords Justices are too keen on their scent of forfeitures, to suffer themselves to be turned therefrom by any such clemency; accordingly, no proclamation of this nature hath appeared, and matters go on right riotously still*.

"December 9.-Munster will soon be up, for the Lord President hath gone thither to tranquillize it. He hath already put to death four persons at Ballyowen, hanged six innocent labourers at Ballymurrin, and eight at Ballygalburt+; and when those loyal gentlemen, the

* Charles seems to have been too late aware of the mistake which he had committed in breaking faith with the Irish. In his answer to a declaration of the English House of Commons, he tells them, that "if he had been obeyed in the Irish affairs before he went to Scotland, and had been suffered to perform his engagements to his Irish subjects, there had been no rebellion."—Relig. Sacr. Carolinæ, quoted by Curry.

+ The skill with which the county of Wexford was roused from its tranquillity in 1798, by the seasonable application of burnings, half-hangings, &c. was a pal

Butlers of Kilveylaghlen and Ballynakill, with the Lord Dunboyne at their head, alarmed by the ill blood which this cruelty had produced, did come to offer their services in preserving the peace of the province, the Lord President told them, in his hasty, furious way, that 'they were all rebels alike, that he would not trust one soul of them, but thought it more prudent to hang the best of them.’ Whether these noble gentlemen will continue to be loyal after such speeches, remains to be seen.

"December.-At last the Lords and Gentlemen of the Pale have declared themselves, and now the whole nation hath risen in arms*.

pable but improved copy of this expedition of the Lord President of Munster.

* "The Lords Justices being at length forced by the King to make some show of treating with these confederate Catholics, sent a messenger to their Supreme Council sitting at Ross, offering a safe conduct to any whom they might depute to represent their grievances to the king's commissioners. In order, however, to defeat the pretended object, the safe conduct contained, among other insulting expressions, the words odious rebellion,' applied to the proceedings of the