jesty by some faction of your parliament of England; of the injustice done them by those that govern here; and of the general destruction conceived to be designed against the natives, that almost the whole nation are united into one resolute body, to gain their preservation, or sell their lives at the dearest rate." And the earl of Castlehaven among other reasons for having joined the confederates against this administration, assigns the following. "I began to consider (says he) the condition of this kingdom, as that the state did chiefly consist of men of mean birth and quality; that most of them steered by the influence and power of those who were in arms against the king; that they had by cruel massacre, hanging and torturing, been the slaughter of thousands of innocent men, women and children, better subjects than themselves; that they, by all their actions, shewed that they looked at nothing but the extirpation of the nation, the destruction of monarchy, and by the utter suppression of the catholic religion, to settle and establish puritanism. To these (adds his lordship) I could be no traitor."*

"But the confederate nobility and gentry being soon after made sensible, that the words "odious rebellion" before-mentioned, were actually taken from the king's commission, and inserted by the lords justices in the safe-conduct for the aforesaid evil purpose, were resolved to disappoint so iniquitous a design; and therefore

* Desid. Cur. Hibern. vol. ii. p. 122.

immediately wrote to the commissioners appointed by the king, "that they were ready to appear before them with a representation of their grievances." Accordingly the time and place of meeting proposed by the confederate catholics, which was the eighteenth of March, at Trim, were agreed to by these commissioners. But the confederates still resenting the imputation of rebellion, though taken from the king's commission, thought it necessary to "protest at the same time, in the presence of the God of truth, that they had been necessitated to take arms to prevent the extirpation of their nation and religion, threatened and contrived by their enemies; to maintain the prerogatives of his majesty's crown and dignity, and the interests of his royal issue, and for no other reason whatever." And, indeed, of the sincerity of this protestation, we shall presently find them giving unquestionable proofs."

"The justices now perceiving that abusive appellations could not provoke the confederates to absent themselves from the intended meeting, resolved to try what cruel and perfidious actions would do. For on the thirteenth of March (five days before the appointed time) they gained the consent of the council to an act, which," says Mr. Carte," could only serve to exasperate the confederates, and produce a retaliation that might inflame matters to such a degree, as to put a stop to all further treaty. Sir Richard Grenville had taken, at Longwood, Mr. Edward Lisagh Connor; and in the battle of Rathconnel,

on February the seventh, he had also taken one Dowdal, another gentleman named Betagh, and one Alymer, son of Garret Aylmer, a lawyer eminent in his profession, all gentlemen of considerable families. Sir Richard, though very severe in the prosecution of the war, was a man of great spirit and honor, and not likely to violate the quarter he had given. The lords justices therefore wrote to him that they had occasion to examine said prisoners, and ordered him to send them for that purpose to Dublin, under a safe guard. They signed, at the same time, another order to Sir Henry Tichbourne, to examine only if these prisoners were so taken, and to cause them immediately to be executed by the martial law.

"But even this detestable expedient to prevent the appointed meeting proved as unsuccessful as the former. For, For," on the before-mentioned eighteenth of March, 1642, by virtue of his majesty's commission, the earl of St. Alban and Clanrickard, the earl of Roscommon, Sir Maurice Eustace, and others, the king's commissioners, met the commissioners of the confederate catholics, at Trim." These latter were, lord Gormanstown, Sir Lucas Dillon, knt. Sir Robert Talbot, Bart. John Walsh, Esq. and others; at which time in the name of the catholics of Ireland they presented the following remonstrance to his majesty's commissioners, which was by them transmitted to his majesty.*

TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTIE.

MOST GRACIOUS SOVERAIGNE,

"Wee your majestie's most dutifull and loyall subjects, the catholiques of your highness kingdome of Ireland, being necessitated to take armes for the preservation of our religion, the maintenance of your majestie's rights and prerogatives, the naturall and just defence of our lives and estates, and the liberties of our country, have often since the beginning of these troubles attempted to present our humble complaynts unto your royall view; but we are frustrated of our hopes therein by the power and vigilance of our adversaryes, (the now lords justices and other ministers of state in this kingdome) who by the assistance of the malignant partie in England, now in armes against your royall person, with less difficultie to attain the bad ends they proposed to themselves, of extirpateing our religion and nation, have hitherto debarred us of any access to your majestie's justice, which occasioned the effusion of much innocent blood, and other mischiefs in this your kingdom, that otherwise might well bee prevented. And whereas of late notice was sent unto us of a commission granted by your majestie to the right honorable the lord Marques of Ormond, and others, authorising them to heare what we shall say or propound, and the same to transmit to your majestie in writeing, which your majestie's gratious and

princely favour, wee finde to bee accompanied with these words, viz. (albeit wee doe extremely detest the odious rebellion which the recusants of Ireland have without ground or colour raysed against us, our crown and dignitie) which words wee doe in all humilitie conceive to have proceeded from the misrepresentations of our adversaries; and therefore doe protest, we have been therein maliciously traduced to your majestie, haveing never entertayned any rebellious thought against your majestie's most faithfull and loyall subjects; and doe most humbly beseech your majestie soe to owne and ayowe us; and as such we present unto your majestie these ensueing grievances, and causes of the present distempers.

Imprimis. The catholiques of this kingdome, whome no reward could invite, no persecution enforce, to forsake that religion professed by them and their ancestors for thirteen hundred years, or thereabouts, are since the second yeare of the reigne of queene Elizabeth, made incapable of places of honour or trust, in church or commonwealth; their nobles become contemptible, their gentry debarred from learning in universities, or public schools within this kingdom; their younger brothers put by all manner of imployment in their native country, and necessitated (to their great discomfort, and impoverishment of the land) to seek education and fortune abroad; misfortunes made incident to the said catholiques of Ireland (their numbers, qualitie, and loyaltie considered) of all the nations of Christendome.