conditionally, that it should not be published, until his majefty had acquainted the Marquis of Ormond and his friends in Ireland with it."

a

At the fame time that the Scots detained Weston in Scotland, and by that means prevented Ormond's earlier and particular knowledge of this tranfaction,' they dispatched several of their minifters to the Laggan and Clanboys in the north of Ireland;" who, doubtlefs, proclaimed aloud the news of the king's having confented to take the covenant, and to declare the late peace void; being affured, that nothing could more alienate the affections of the Irish from his majesty, or fet them at greater variance among themfelves, than fuch intelligence. In May, 1650, the Marquis of Ormond had heard by reports, which he thought probable, that the king had agreed with the Scots." And he afterwards expreffed his apprehenfion," "that great advantage was left to fuch as were industrious to draw the Irish from their allegiance, by infufing into them a belief, that his majefty, having taken, or approved, the covenant, they were deprived of the benefit of the peace, and left to the extirpation, which the covenant proposes, of their religion and perfons."

CHA P. X.

Proceedings of the bishops at James-town. THE confederates being now alarmed by repeated accounts of the king's having taken the covenant, not without a well grounded fufpicion, that Ormond had approved of, and advised, that measure; feveral of their bishops affembled at James-town, in order to confult

3 Cart. Orm. vol. ii. fol. 11I.

• Cart. Orig. Pap.

s Ib. vol. ii. fol. 442.

The Marquis of Ormond in a letter from Ennis, 25th of June, 1650, fays, "that the report of his majesty's being then agreed with his fubjects of Scotland, was given out among the rebels." Cart. Orig. Pap. vol. ii. p. 433.

fult what was fit to be done on fo important an emergency; where taking into confideration, the fad condition to which their nation and religion must neceffarily be reduced by fuch an event; and mindful of a resolution they had formerly, with good reason, entered into, that in cafe of a breach or difavowal of the peace, on the part of his majesty or lord lieutenant, they would return to their original confederacy, as the likelieft means to hinder their people from clofing with the parliament, “ "they now fell to deliberate on the most effectual way of putting that refolution in practice; and, at length, determined to recall and withdraw, on the peril of ecclefiaftical cenfure, all those of their communion, from the Marquis of Ormond's command.” ' Wherefore, on the 12th of Auguft, 1650, they drew up and figned an excommunication against all fuch catholics as fhould enlist under, feed, help, or adhere to his excellency; or affift him with men, money, or any other supplies whatsoever."

To this excommunication (which, though thus haftily drawn up, was not published till the 15th of the following month) a limitation was annexed," that the next general affembly, which was foon to meet at Loughrea, fhould difpofe of it as they thought proper." But that affembly not having met at the appointed time; and fresh and undoubted intelligence arriving daily, that his majesty had taken the covenant, and made void the peace, (the only fecurity that was left them for their religion, liberty, lives and fortunes) these bishops, on the 15th of September, 1650, published their excommunication in the ufual form. the fame time, they unanimously resolved, pursuant to their affociation-oath, ftill faithfully to ferve the king against the regicides, and to use all the means in their power

At

a "On account of the king's difavowal of Glamorgan's peace, and his being prevailed on by the Scots to make void that which had been concluded with the Marquis of Ormond in 1646, by his own reiterated commands.

power to hinder their people from affifting them in any respect whatsoever. The fincerity of this refolution appears, by their including in the fame cenfure,'" all thofe unnatural patriots, and others of their own flock, that should adhere to these common enemies of God, king, and country; or fhould any ways help, affift, abet, or favour them, by bearing arms for, or with them; or by otherwise contributing to them, without urgent neceffity." So little foundation was there for the injurious reflection made by a late historian," that it having been proposed to these bishops, to iffue their excommunication against those who were guilty of fuch compliances, they had referved this engine of theirs for more factious purposes, and could not be prevailed upon to employ it in the king's fervice."

On the very next day, however, after this excommunication was published, these bishops iffued an order for fufpending the effects of it in the Earl of Clanrickard's army, which confifted chiefly of catholics, the only perfons that could be affected by it. Upon which irresolution of theirs, the Marquis of Ormond failed not to observe," " that, fuppofing them to have proceeded on just grounds, yet their rafhness was not excufable, as appears in that as they haftily denounced their excommunication on the 15th of September, so it was more wifely fufpended by the fame men on the 16th following."

CHAP,

3 Append. to Walfh's Hift. of the Remonft. f. 70.

Lel. Hift. of Irel.

5 Carte's Orm.

CHA P. XI.

Ormond approved and advised the king's agreement with the Scots.

LORD Clarendon, Dr. Borlase,' Mr. Carte, and generally all our hiftorians affirm, "that when the Marquis of Ormond first heard of the king's declaration at Dumferling, he did really believe it a forgery, contrived either by the English rebels, or the Irish congregation, to feduce the people from their loyalty and affection to his majefty." However that might be, his lordship certainly knew long before that declaration was published (what was equally deftructive to the Irish peace), that the king had agreed to take the covenant, and thereby engaged his folemn promise to endeavour the utter extirpation of these people's religion or perfons. For fo' early as March 5th, 1648, we find, by a letter from himself, that "he understood the kingdom of Scotland had invited his majesty thither to be crowned; but that he was to fecure religion, according to the covenant, before he was to be admited to govern." After which he says, "if his majesty refolves to confent to that condition, in the most rigid construction of it to himself and his fubjects, I doubt not but his immediate going thither is most counsellable." But he, at the fame time,3 66 quef

b

See Borl. Irish Rebel. f. 328.

tioned

2 Orm. Let. to Sec. Nicholas. Cart. Orig. Pap. v. ii. p. 361. 3 Ib.

2 Dr. Leland more cautiously, and indeed, more truly fays, "that Ormond affected to believe it a forgery; but that he foon received a private letter from the king, acknowledging that he had really fubfcribed the declaration, apologizing for this fhameful tranfaction, as the effect of fear or force." Hift. of Irel. vol. iii. p. 376.

Nay, in one of his letters on this occafion, he actually vindicates the king's conduct in-this particular: "I am much

deceived,"

4

tioned not, but it would be confidered, how inconfiftent the covenant was with the peace concluded with the Irish, by virtue of the power given him; and that there would be care taken, to give that people no apprehenfion, that they would be broken with, which might drive them to take defperate ways for their fafety." In November 1649, he declared, "that he was at no time against the treaty with Scotland; and that much less was he then." In July 1650,"he believed it then appeared, that the treaty was ended, he hoped, in an agreement with the Scots, fo that," adds his lordship, "in place of arguments to dispose his majesty to an accord fo neceffary, as without, or befides it, I fee no near hope of his reftitution, I shall apply myself to the use to be made of fuch an accord in this kingdom" (Ireland). And then he proposes, "that himself may be fortified with fome gracious declaration from his majefty, fubfequent to the agreement of Scotland, in favour of all thofe (Irish) that had been, and still continued, loyal and affectionate to his fervice; and he conceived, that, without fuch a declaration and purpose as to thofe, his majefty could not acquit

• Orm. Let. to Sec. Nicholas. Cart. Orig. Pap. vol. ii. p. 415. 5 Id. ib. p. 436.

6

Append. to Walsh's Remonftrance.

deceived," fays he, "if it hath not paffed for the most orthodox doctrine, with those I take to be the most orthodox men, that in lawful commands (and fuch certainly is the defence or recovery of their just rights), we are to yield active obedience to papist, nay pagan princes, if we be their subjects; and why not as well to a presbyterian king, I know not.' Carte's Orig.

Pap. vol. i. f. 430.

That active obedience ought to be paid to the lawful commands of popish, prefbyterian, or even pagan princes, is not denied or controverted. The only queftion here is, whether either popifh or protestant subjects are bound to pay fuch obedience to the unlawful commands of any prince, who had broken the public faith, folemnly plighted to them; and who had publicly vowed, in the manner before mentioned, the utter extirpation of their religion and perfons?