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After long disputes with Sir G. Preston, the Lax-weir being finally made over to the Corporation, they let the fishings, 29th Jan., 1679, for £284 5s. a-year, "all members of this council to have a salmon or more to eat in the weir-house castle at any time for nothing." All freemen were to have as many salmon as they could eat in the castle, at 9d. each.1

William Yorke, dying in office, a new election was made, 2nd April, 1679, when Mr. Pery gave a double vote, which the Judges of Assize decided to be illegal, and Sir Samuel Foxon voted for himself. The votes were equal; but by striking off Sir Samuel's, and one of Mr. Pery's, (given to him) Sir William King was declared elected.

Trade was kept very much in the hands of the freemen. A Waterford merchant bought a cargo of wheat in Sligo-it was driven to Limerick by stress of weather, and sold to one who was not a freeman-so the mayor seized it as "foreign bought and foreign sold;" and it was only restored on the purchaser agreeing to sell one Limerick barrel to every one who would buy it, at the price at which he had bought it wholesale.3

There being a great vacancy of resident aldermen and burgesses in this year, William Gribble and Anthony Bartlett were elected aldermen by the Council on the 6th of October.

Standish Hartstonge, Recorder, being made Baron of the Exchequer in 1680, Henry Turner, Esq., nephew to the Lord Chancellor, was elected, on his recommendation, in his place on the 13th March, 1680. Hartstonge had held the office since the Restoration.1

Bigotry and fanatical hatred of Catholicity were now raging throughout the city. On the 29th of June, 1679, being Ascension day, the Pope's picture was dragged up and down the river Shannon in a boat, and afterwards, with great shoutings was publicly burned in Limerick. This was during the mayoralty of Sir William King, who was the first mayor who quartered all the soldiers on the Catholics without putting any on the Protestants, and that out of prejudice, because the Catholics disputed in law for their freedom.5

On the 3rd of November, 1683, the greatest frost that had ever been previously known in Ireland began, and it continued until the 9th of February; the frost was seven or eight feet thick on the river Shannon; all the lakes and rivers of Ireland were in like manner frozen; men, women, cattle and carriages went over the rivers on the ice; people frequently walked on it from the King's Island to Parteen. In the following year William Gribble being mayor, he went to Scattery Island, to exercise his jurisdiction among the herring boats for the city duties, which were 1000 herrings and 1000 oysters out of each boat (a most exorbitant tax). This he reduced to 500 a piece. The death of King Charles II. occurred in London on the 6th of February, 1684; he was a prince who in his exile acknowledged great obligations to the Irish; on his accession to the throne the Irish reasonably expected to be restored to their estates, which they forfeited for fighting for him and his father, but he followed the pernicious advices of Clarendon, viz. to make friends of his enemies by gratifying them, and that he could always make sure of his old friends. Adopting this advice he left the Cromwellians in

1 Corporation Minute Book in the British Museum.

? Ibid.

3 Ibid. Mem.-That

freemen of Bristol pay no inward or outward tolls in Limerick. 3rd April, 1680.

4 Standish Hartstonge Esq., of Bruff, one of the Barons of the Court of Exchequer, was created a Baronet in 1681. The Baronetcy eventually descended to Sir Henry, who, dying without issue, the Bruff estate devolved on (the daughter of his sister) Mary Ormsby, wife of

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possession of the estates, and the betrayed Irish who were fools to part with an inch of ground for him or one of his family. Though he was a Catholic in his heart and died one, yet he countenanced the most violent persecutions against those of that profession, and his whole reign was a scene of plots, persecutions, and executions of the poorer Catholics, as well of holy prelates, priests, and friars, and of Catholic gentlemen, &c. &c. He had great wit and penetration, but his debauched life did not permit him to utilise either. It was justly said of him that he never said a foolish thing, nor ever did a wise thing. In his reign the glorious martyr Archbishop Plunkett of Armagh suffered a most cruel and ignominious death.

On the day King Charles II. died, his brother James Duke of York and Albany was proclaimed king in London. On the 11th he was proclaimed in Dublin; on the 13th being Sunday he was proclaimed king in Limerick. The Mayor, Richard Smith, the Sheriffs, the Governor, Sir William King, the Protestant Bishop and Clergy in their surplices and robes, and all the Corporation in their robes were all on horseback. The trades and militia walked with their colours, and great rejoicings were shown on the occasion. This king publicly professed the Catholic faith.2

He

Robert Smith being Mayor in 1685, he flagged the City Court-house, made the jury-room at the east end of it, and framed in the place of judicature; he newly built the King's Island gate and tower, and with his own hands he cut on the stone fixed over the gate at the island side these words, "Reedificata 1° Jacobi 24 Roberto Smith Pretore, sumptibus civium.” also, at his own cost, set up in the Exchange, a brass table standing on a short pillar, and himself engraved this inscription on it: "Ex dono Roberti Smith majoris Limericencibus civibus." It was afterwards placed in the new Exchange, and was called "The Nail," being intended for a public place for paying down money on, though not applied to that use.3

On the 1st of August, same year, Lieut.-Colonel Anthony Hamilton came to Limerick as Governor, in place of Sir William King, who was deposed. Hamilton was the first Governor who for 35 years before publicly went to Mass. On the 21st of September Lord Clarendon, who was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, arrived in Limerick; for an entire month before ten troops of horse were quartered on the inhabitants; they were the first army who, for forty years before went publicly to Mass. Mass was publicly said in the yard of the King's Castle, and in the citadel near St. John's gate for the army who every Sunday went to hear it, marching thither in order with their drums and hautboys. The Lord Lieutenant remained in Limerick but two nights and one day.5

White's MSS.

2 Ibid.

3 White's MSS. This nail or brass table is now in the Town Hall of Limerick.

Anthony Hamilton, Esq., was appointed Governor of Limerick after Sir William Kinghe is set down among the general officers of King James's army-his brother, John, was killed at Aughrim. Richard behaved with great spirit at the battle of the Boyne. One of his sisters was married to Sir Donough O'Brien, ancestor of Lord Inchiquin. The Duchess of Berwick, one of whose sisters, Charlotte, was married to Lord Clare, ancestor of the Marquis of Thomond, which Lord Clare was killed at the battle of Ramelies, was his particular friend. His mother was daughter of Lord Thurles, sister of James Duke of Ormond. Anthony Hamilton was born at Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, about 1646, or three or four years earlier. In that year Owen O'Neile took Roscrea, and put every soul to death, as Carte says, except Sir Geo. Hamilton's lady, sister to the Marquis of Ormond, and some few gentlemen whom he kept prisoners. Lady Hamilton died in August, 1680, as appears from an interesting and affecting letter of her brother, the Duke of Ormond, dated Carrick, August 25th. He had lost his noble son, Lord Ossory, three weeks before. Sir George Hamilton was a Catholic.

5 White's MSS. The citadel was afterwards converted into an hospital and is now the Fever Hospital of St. John's.

The 12th of February, 1686, John Talbot, Earl of Tyrconnell, was sworn Lord Deputy of Ireland. He was the first Lord Deputy who went publicly to Mass since Queen Mary's time, and all over Ireland there were the greatest rejoicings among the Irish on that account; but he was hated by the Protestants.1 On the 18th of March twelve of the Roman Catholic merchants of Limerick were made free of the Common Council; and on the 2nd of the same month William Turner, Recorder of Limerick, became a Roman Catholic, and as he was exasperated with the Corporation, he procured from the Lord Lieutenant, Tyrconnell, that the Protestant Mayor, Geo. Roche and his Sheriffs should be deposed; and in their places he got named for the rest of the year Mr. Robert Hannon, a Catholic, as Mayor, and Thomas Harold, a Catholic, as Sheriff, with Peter Monsell, a Protestant. The Corporation would not accept of Hannon as Mayor, or the others as Sheriff's until the Assizes, when the Lord Chief Baron Stephen Rice refused holding the Assizes until Hannon was admitted. The Common Council thereupon elected Hannon Mayor, and Harold and Monsell Sheriffs, and on the 8th of April, 1687, the rod, sword and mace were delivered up to Mr. Hannon. Sir John Fitzgerald was at this time Governor of Limerick, so that the Governor, Mayor, Recorder, and one of the Sheriffs went publicly to Mass, the first occurrence of the kind for forty years.2

On the 4th of October, 1687, being St. Francis's day, the Franciscan friars possessed themselves of their own Church in the Abbey; it was consecrated by the Right Rev. John Moloney, Catholic Bishop of Limerick, who had the administration of Killaloe, there being no Catholic Bishop of Killaloe. The Bishop said first Mass in it, and the Rev. Jasper White said the second Mass. The friars now rented this Church from the Englishman who held it, viz. John Pery, Lieutenant of a Foot Company. He was ancestor to the Lords Pery and Glentworth."

In the next year was finished the Church which the Capuchins built in the Irish-town, afterwards called the Infirmary in Palmerstown. The first who said Mass therein was one Father Maurice White, a Capuchin friar from Clonmel. It is said that Father Jasper White was security for the money, which he was afterwards obliged to pay.

On 10th of June the same year, Charles Ignatius James, Prince of Wales, was born; his godfathers were the Pope's Nuncio and the Queen's brother; the godmothers were the Queen-Dowager of King Charles II. and the Duchess of Pembroke. He was the first Prince in England who had been baptized by a priest for two hundred years. Upon this account Robert Hannon, Mayor of Limerick, made great rejoicings, and "let three hogsheads of wine run" among the populace.5

In the following year Sir Thomas Southwell and three hundred other Protestants, who fought under King James, were taken prisoners in the County of Galway; and on the 3rd of October Richard White, Robert Woulfe, Pierce Moroney, Doctor Wale, and James England, were made free of the Council of Limerick, Thomas Harold being Mayor.

The country was now rapidly hastening towards those great conflicts and changes which develop their proportions as we proceed.

1 White's MSS.

2 Ibid.

3 Ibid.

4 White's MSS. This Church was taken down in the month of March, 1797, so that in a short time the site of it was forgotten. It lay about the middle of the street on the western side of it.-Dr. Young's note.

• White's MSS.

CHAPTER XXXII.

IMPORTANT EVENTS-SCHONBERG LANDS AT CARRICKFERGUS-KING JAMES ARRIVES IN KINSALE, AND PROCEEDS TO DUBLIN LANDING OF KING WILLIAM-THE BATTLE OF THE BOYNE-FLIGHT OF JAMES TO FRANCETHE MARCH OF WILLIAM TO LIMERICK.

I HAVE briefly sketched in the foregoing chapter the rapid progress of events which preceded the grand crisis at which we have arrived, and which was to decide for ages the fate of a country that had trembled so long in the balance. From whatever cause arising, King James did not afford to his supporters that confidence which he might have inspired among men who had bled for their principles, and who had hoped, when he came to the throne, that their rights and liberties would receive a becoming recognition. On the other hand, the Protestant party, which for so long a period had enjoyed immunity and protection for their most revolting excesses, which had obtained the possessions of the Irish proprietors, who had been driven forth with unheard-of cruelty, from their lands, were now resolved to hold what they had obtained, and to resist opposition from whatever quarter it might arrive. William had already an immense following in England; and strengthened by a powerful party, he resolved to measure weapons with his father-in-law, King James, and to make Ireland the battle-ground on which the mighty issue was to be decided. On the 12th of March, 1689, James landed at Kinsale from France, having about 1800 men with him. He proceeded immediately from Cork to Dublin, where Lord Tyrconnell, whom he had constituted Lord Lieutenant, and the entire Catholic people, received him with open arms as the friend and deliverer, in whom they hoped to find a king equal to the tremendous emergency that had arisen. He entered Dublin on Palm Sunday the 24th, amid the most extraordinary display of joy the streets were lined with soldiers, and the windows were hung with tapestry the King on horseback. Whilst active, energetic, and powerful preparations were making on this side of the Channel, to sustain the legitimate king, and vindicate the rights of a nation which had so long and so grievously suffered, eighteen regiments of foot and four or five of horse were raised in England for the service of the Prince of Orange in Ireland. The levies were made with very great speed; for in five or six weeks the regiments were completed. In the Tower of London, however, there were not sufficient arms, which had to be sent for to Holland to supply the soldiery that were destined for this country. The army thus raised, after marching to Chester, and encamping at Neston, embarked on the 8th of August, under the command of the Duke Schonberg, General of all the forces of William and Mary; Count Solmes, General of the Foot, and several great officers more, with ten thousand foot and horse: they set sail at High Lake, and landed on Tuesday, the 13th, in the afternoon about three o'clock, within a mile and a-half of Carrickfergus. It is a strange circumstance that

1 The Duke of Berwick states that the people showed an extraordinary enthusiasm for him. 2 Storey's Impartial History.

in giving a detail of the voyage, the first object which Storey states struck his vision was the Mourne mountains, in Down, on which he remarks a famous monastery was placed on the top of one of the very highest of them in times of old; and that, throughout his History, he appears to dwell with a pleasureable interest on the antiquities of a country to which he and his friends came to exterminate the ancient race which had fostered and protected monasteries and churches, until the oppressor and devastator arrived with sword and fire. Schonberg garrisoned Carrickfergus, burned the suburbs, marched to Belfast, again to Carrickfergus, where the garrison surrendered, back to Belfast, where he returned unopened a letter sent to him by the Duke of Berwick, because it was not directed to the "Duke" Schonberg. Newry was next burned, -the people ran in terror from their homes, which they left a prey in the hands of the spoiler. They then marched to Dundalk, where they encamped, and where, wandering abroad, some of them met their death at the hands of certain Rapparees, who were numerous in the neighbourhood.2 King James's army, 20,000 strong, lay in Drogheda at this time, where they were within a short distance of their enemy, and where they supplied themselves with a sufficiency of forage and corn. The army (James's) subsequently encamped at the bridge of Slane, whilst William's began their entrenchments, and Major-General Kirk's fierce battalion greatly misnomered, "Lambs," was ordered to march on Monday, the 16th, into the trenches.

William's army now amounted to thirty thousand men; and in addition to these, early in March, 1690, four hundred Danes arrived at Belfast, anxious to take part in any warfare against those to whom they had ever shown themselves rapacious enemies-the Irish. On the fourteenth of that month, five thousand French Infantry landed at Kinsale, with General Count Lauzun and the Marquis de Lery; King James having sent back MajorGeneral Macarthy and as many Irish. Indeed it was observed with pain that James was hastening his own ruin, and disgusting his Irish officers by an unjust preference of Frenchmen in the promotions he daily made. On the 4th of June a French Regiment marched into Limerick to garrison it for King James, against the forces of William, which at this juncture were hourly expecting the arrival from England of their darling, an event which took place at Carrickfergus on the 14th of the same month, when he came with an enormous force, in addition to that which had been previously at his service in Ireland. William was congratulated by the Protestant clergy of the country, who were then in Ulster. At Belfast he stated that he had come to Ireland not to let the grass grow under his feet, and he made good his words, for the whole army got immediate orders to march into the field. He and Prince George, the Duke of Ormonde, and all the principal officers, went to the camp at Loughbrickland, and instead of allowing the soldiers to pass him in review, he at once went amongst them, examined each regiment critically, and gave such directions as he thought needful under the circumstances he at once, by this means, won the confidence of the men.

He carried with him for his own use and the use of Prince George, moving

"I went abroad, where I found all the houses deserted for several miles; most of them that I observed had crosses on the inside, above the doors, upon the thatch, some made of wood and others of straw or rushes, finely wrought; some houses had more and some less."—Storey's Impartial History.

2 Rapparee signifies a half stick or broken beam, like a half pike; and for the last three or four years the priests would not allow an Irishman to come to Mass, unless he brought his rapparee along with him.-Ibid.

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