BISHOP with a file of Musketeers, and the Mayor, Sheriffs, and Recorder of the city, to APPRE HEND THEM; which they did, pulling down the crucifixes and paraments of the altar; the foldiers hewed down the image of St. Francis; and the Priefts and Francifcan Friars were delivered prifoners into the hands of the purfuivants; but the people threw ftones, and rescued them.-The Lords Juftices being informed of this, fent the guards, and delivered them; and immediately clapt eight Popish aldermen by the heels, for not affifting their mayor. On this account, fifteen chapels were seized to the King's use; and the Priefts and Friars were fo perfecuted, that (adds L'Eftrange with feeming fatisfaction)" two of them hanged themselves in their own defence-" -But I think it much ore probable that they were privately executed.

Now, certainly, that a Catholic populace fhould rescue their TEACHERS in fuch an exigency, or that eight refpectable aldermen of Dublin fhould not chufe to hunt in couples, with their mayor, and go A PRIEST-CATCHING, does not excite any very forcible idea of criminality: But that a Proteftant archbishop, with a profane, lewd, and armed foldiery at the tail of his facerdotal habit, fhould interrupt, and villify the adoration of the fame God in which he had, himself, a moment before, partaken! And should imprison, and perfecute to despair and to death, two of the priesthood of the fame Chrift Jefus, of whofe order he himself was! Oh monftrous-!!! Let us hear no more of the Smithfields of bishop Bonner, and the bigotry of Mary Tudor!

This perfecution was afterwards extended all over the kingdom." The English Council acquainted

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acquainted the Justices of Ireland on that occafion, that his majefty in perfon was pleased, openly, and in a moft gracious manner to ap prove and commend their ability, and good fervice; whereby they might be fufficiently encouraged to go on, till the work was fully done as well in the city as in all other places of the kingdom, leaving to their difcretion, when, and where, to carry a fofter, or harder hand-" [See Serinia Sacra, article IId. of Eliz. ftatute] -This was effectually following up the advice given to Chichester, by Knox, Bishop of Raphoe

But to keep in view, for a few paragraphs more, thisoppreffive and heavy levy, of one fhilling per head on all Catholicks omitting to attend the established Church on Sundays, and all holidays

Lord Strafford and the privy council inform the King [Strafford's State Letters, Vol. I. p. 76.] "That it was impoffible to improve the revenue, fave only by impofing the twelve-pence a Sunday upon the Recufants" [that was thofe refufing to attend divine fervice]. And we find this propofal was readily agreed to by the King. And Doctor Leland fays, [Vol. III. P. 26] Bishop Bedel had united with all the inhabitants of his diocefs, in a petition to the late Lords Juftices, reprefenting the new contribution as irregularly obtained, and oppreffively levied-The prefent Lords Juftices advised, [he ought to have faid Lord Deputy, for Strafford had been in the government for near a year before] that the Recufants fhould be strictly prefented by juries, and the weekly fines imposed for their abfence from the established worship, as a means of providing for the army

Which was levying a tax upon their religion, for the providing for an army, which army was to be used by arch-bifhops and lord-mayors as an inftrument of deftruction of the chapels, and prieft-hood of that very Religion!Could Domitian have invented more ingenious tyranny-?

In July, 1633, Lord Wentworth landed in Dublin; and very fhortly after, in a letter to archbishop Laud, he confeffes that "The duties had from the Irish were rather, indeed, violent takings, ravishments of the poor, than the modeft, quiet levies of a pious and chriftian King-" [State Letters, Vol. I. p. 19.]

"I fhall labour, he continues, to make as many captains and officers, burgeffes in this parliament, as I poffibly can; who having immediate dependence on the Crown, may fway the bufinefs of the two parties which way I please " These two parties were the Proteftants and Recufants-Wentworth's object was to procure pay for the army; the Catholicks were fatisfied it should be raised by a general tax; but the Proteftants infifted upon having it levied entirely and folely upon the Catholicks, by the tax upon their religion, according to the ftatute of the IId. of Elizabeth

Wentworth accordingly was very fedulous and active in procuring returns of his captains and officers, at the enfuing parliament; and to the exclufion of Catholick returns-Mr. Carte, in his Life of Ormond, relates "That a Catholick was a Candidate for the City of Dublin in oppofition to a Mr. Cataline, fupported by the Calle The Sheriff made a return contrary to

the

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the wish of the Court; and was immediately fummoned by Wentworth to the Star chamber, where he finedhim in 2001. and presently in 500l. more, for his refufing to fet his hand to a part ofhis examination, which was to disable him from ever bearing that office in the city." " Which, adds his Lordship, wrought fo good an effect, as giving prefent order for a new sheriff, and going to a new election next day, Cataline and Barry another Proteftant were chosen-" [Carte's Ormond, Vol. I. p. 270.]

"In

There is a curious paffage refpecting this parliament, illuftrative of the ufe which Great Britain uniformly made of OUR UNHAPPY AND FATAL DIVISIONS--[State Letters, Vol. I. p. 331. Wentworth writes to the English Council] this parliament the parties were in a manner equal; fome few odds on the Proteftant fide; and one watching the other, left their fellow fhould rob them; an emulation well fomented before band-" And an emulation well understood by Archbishop Boulter near a century after.

The worst of this affair, says he, is that it unites Papifts and Protestants; and if that reconciliation takes place, farewell to English influence in this country-" [Boulter's Letters.]

About this time, Wentworth acquainted his majefty [State Letters, Vol. I. p. 350]. "That he fhould be able to make out a title for him to Conaught against all oppofition: and that the acquifition to his majefty would be above one hundred and twenty thousand acres-"-Yet in the fame year he had written to the Lord Treasurer [Vol. I. p. 340] "How to make out his majefty's title to Conaught and Ormond, which confidering how they have been already attempted

attempted and foiled, is of all the reft the greatest difficulty, I have not hitherto received the leaft inftruction from your lordship, or any minifter on that fide-". -But he had a very fufficient method of his own of title-making, taught him by Chichester-In State Letters, Vol. I. p. 442, Wentworth writes to the council," that he had given orders to his managers in Conaught, that when he went there to hold a court of Inquifition, gentlemen of the best eftates in the different counties fhould be returned on the Juries which were to be held in the firft trials of defective titles: because this being a leading cafe for the whole province, it would fet a value upon the goodness of the king's title; and if the Jury should prevaricate, I will be fure to have perfons of fuch means as might answer to the king in a round fine, in the Caftle chamber; and because the fear of that fine would be apter to produce the defired effect in fuch perfons, than in others who had nothing to lofe-"

Does the treatment of any conquered country parallel this tyranny! and what picture do thefe paffages prefent of the peacable, timid, submisfive difpofition of the innocent Catholicks, labouring under fuch accumulated wrongs-?

"Wentworth's Project, fays Dr. Leland, was nothing less than to fubvert the title to every cftate, in every part of Conaught, and to establith a new plantation through that whole province, A project which when first proposed in the late reign was received with horror, and amazement, [Vol. 3. p. 30.] He alfo obferves "that needy projectors, and rapacious courtiers, ftill continued the fcandalous traffic of pleading the king's title againft the poffeffors of eftates, feizing their lands, or forcing