CHA P. X.

Falfe reports of a confpiracy among the Irish confidered. The effects of these reports.

BUT

a

UT the commons, not fatisfied even with these advantages, in order to have fome colourable pretext for the injustice intended, refolved to render the party to be injured as odious as poffible. For this purpose they left no means unattempted, however wicked or abfurd, to countenance and diffuse the calumny, lately raised by their emiffaries, as if the Irifh had actually entered into a real confpiracy. They had with great industry, called before them feveral witneffes to prove that the papifts were fometimes feen attending divine service in their own way, and that confiderable numbers of people were gathered together on fuch occafions; that a cutler's apprentice had new furbished an old fword for one of them; and that another was detected buying a horfe for his neceffary occafions. Such proofs of a confpiracy, fays Mr. Carte, might have appeared good and fufficient to the two new earls, but did not fatisfy Sir Maurice Euftace, and a few others. Recourfe was, therefore, had to an old expedient for realizing imaginary plots, which had been formerly found fuccefsful." A letter fuppofed to have been written by one Irish priest to another, upon G 2 fomewhat

b

a "The enemies and competitors of the Irish," fays Dr. Leland on this occafion, "were indefatigable in endeavouring to load their whole party with the guilt of new confpiracies; and even manifest forgeries were received as folid proofs.” Hift. of Irel. vol. iii. p. 426.

b"All the foundation (fays Mr. Carte) for this infinuation was, that there had been of late, meetings of the poor Irish at maffes, in order to partake of a jubilee, which the pope had sent them; but the whole kingdom knew that they were in no condition to rebel." Orm. vol. ii. f, 231.

C

fomewhat that was deemed treasonable, because dark and unintelligible, was fomewhere found and laid before the parliament, by one Jephfon, a member; who, with several other members, was himself, about two years after, convicted of a real confpiracy against the government and executed for the fame. In confequence of this pretended discovery, a proclamation was iffued, and executed with great rigour,+ by which all artificers and fhopkeepers, who had been left in their habitations by the ufurpers, at the time of the transplantation, were now banished from Kilkenny, and other great towns. Horses and arms, being no where else to be found, were fought for in trunks and cabinets; and filver cups were defined to be chalices. The letter above-mentioned was tranfmitted into England with a representation of the infolence of the papifts, for whofe fuppreffion, in order to prevent the threatened danger, his majefty's directions were defired."

"But Chancellor Euftace fufpected the injuftice, as well as defign, of this charge against the Irish; and to discover what ground there was for it, he directed the judges in their circuits to cause the matter to be enquired into by the grand juries of the several coun

"Com. Journ. vol. ii. f. 337. + Cart. Orm. vol. ii.

5 Id. ib. f. 231.

ties,

He reprefented the borough of Trim in the county of Meath. Com. Jour. vol. ii. f. 337. The following members, "Robert Shapcote, John Chambers, Thomas Boyd, Alexander Staples, Abel Warren, John Ruxton, and Thomas Scot, Efqrs. were voted, nem. contradic." for having been engaged in this plot," to be expelled the house, and made incapable of ever fitting in future parliaments; and that the faid expelled members be left to the courts of juftice to be further proceeded againft." Id. ib. f. 347. The charge of the house of commons against these men was," that they were engaged in a late wicked and horrid plot, to have furprized his majefty's castle of Dublin, to have feized on the perfon of his grace James Duke of Ormond, and to have involved the three kingdoms in blood." Ib. f. 350. The above expelled members were also made" incapable of exercifing any employment civil, military, or ecclefiaftical within the kingdom." Ib. f. 354.

ties, through which they paffed. The finding of these juries was alike every where; there being a great calm in all places; no preparations for a rifing, nor fo much as a rumour of any new troubles. Nothing could be more frivolous, and void of proof, than the paper which the commons drew up on this occafion, and prefented to the lords juftices; who yet thought fit to fend it, inclosed in their letters, to Secretary Nicholas, fignifying at the fame time their opinion, that it would be deftructive to the English interest, to admit the Irish to trade and fettle in corporate towns; or to allow the Roman catholic lawyers to practise in their profeffion; both which, however, had been pofitively allowed by his majesty's letters."

CHAP. XI.

The parties principally fufpected of this confpiracy, voluntarily appear before the lords juftices, in order to detect the forgery.

2

THE imputation of a confpiracy' was matter of great apprehenfion to the whole body of the Irish Roman Catholics; all their fortunes depending on the pleasure of his majesty, who was likely to be estranged from them, by unjust representations of their difpofitions and defigns. Wherefore the ordinary was prevailed upon to fend for the two priests, whofe names were in the letter; and the Earl of Fingall waited upon the lords juftices, to defire a protection with regard to their function, but not to extend to the letter, or any other crime with which they might be charged. But the lords juftices would not grant fuch a protection; and fome of the council told Lord Fingall, that they were no friends to the king, who made any objections, or took measures to prove it a forged letter. Dermott, however, the fuppofed writer of this letter, came to Dublin;

3

Dublin; as did Phelan, the other priest, to whom it was directed. Soon after the former prefented a petition to the council, complaining of the injury done him, by this imposture, defiring leave, notwithstanding his function, to appear before them, to justify his innocence, being ready to fuffer any punishment, if he fhould be found criminal as to that letter, or any thing elfe that might tend to fedition, and the disturbance of his majesty's government. After a long examination, he was committed to the cuftody of an officer; and the next day Phelan appearing, Mr. Belling went with him to the council, who having examined him, committed him in the like manner, upon his denying he had ever received any fuch letter."

"It was very improbable, continues Mr. Carte,+ that the Irish should, at a time when their all depended on the king's good-will to them, be forming againft him defigns of an infurrection, which, if they were never fo unfaithful, they were in no condition to execute."

Loyalty of the catholic nobility and gentry of Ireland at this juncture.

ON account of a fevere perfecution at this time raifed against them, and in hopes of removing all future pretence for the fame, the catholics of Ireland, having agreed upon a remonftrance and proteftation of their loyalty, which was couched in the strongest and most explicit terms, fent it by the Earl of Fingall to Mr. Walsh, an Irish Francifcan, then at London, who

a

3 Cart. Orm. vol. ii.

4 Ib.

Walsh's Hift. of the Irish Remonstrance, f. 9.

was

"This religious," fays Mr. Carte, " had always been very cordial and fincere in all his profeffions and zeal for the Duke of Ormond's fervice. And his grace having the post of sene

fchal

was an humble confident of the Duke of Ormond: by whom it was immediately prefented to his majesty, and moft graciously received.

Walsh having foon after come to Ireland, in order to get this remonstrance figned by all the Roman catholic clergy, nobility and gentry of the kingdom (as many of them as were at London, when it was presented, having figned it there) fucceeded fo well, as to obtain, in a fhort time, the fignatures" of fixty-nine of the clergy, fecular and regular; five earls, fix viscounts, two barons, twenty-four colonels and baronets, and fixty efquires and gentlemen."

But

2 lb.

schal or steward to the bishop of Winchester (it being usually given, in antient times, to fome of the most powerful of the nobility, who were thereby engaged in the protection of the See) by a patent from bishop Morley, with the fee of one hundred pounds a year, had settled it upon him for his fubfiftence. This was all Walsh had to live on. He received it duly, and enjoyed it till his death, which happened a little before the Duke of Ormond's." Orm. vol. ii. f. 548. The fame historian informs us, "that Walsh having urged his grace to turn Roman catho lic towards the latter part of his life, the duke told him, among other things," that he wondered, if the condition wherein he was appeared fo dangerous to him, why fo good a friend did not admonish him fooner thereof." "Walsh foon saw there was no good to be done, and did not venture on a second attempt." Ib. The following paffage from Lord Caftlehaven, further illuftrates this Irish friar's character. His lordship, after having told "that he had received a long letter by a trumpet from Ireton, fetting forth the great value he had for his person, and offering him, if he would retire from the king's fervice and live in England privately, he should not only enjoy his estate, but remain in safety with the esteem and favour of the parliament ;” adds, "I immediately fhewed this letter to Father Peter Walsh, my then ghoftly father, whom I had always found faithful to the king, and a lover of his country. With his advice, by the fame trumpet, I answered all his points, and rejected his propofition concerning my own perfon; defiring him withal to fend no more trumpets with fuch errands, if perhaps, he would not have the meffenger ill treated. From this time, there was an end of all meffages, and letters between us." Memoirs, p. 127.

us,