path of rectitude, prevailed with him to publish a proclamation forbidding the Roman Catholic clergy to exercise their religion in the open and public manner to which they had been encouraged by the indulgence of government. This proclamation occasioned by the complaints of zealous, indifcreet Proteftants, was not enforced, yet it occafioned difcontent in the minds of a number of the Popish party. Difcontent produced complaints of Falkland, in respect to this and other measures of government. He was

1630. recalled; and Richard Earl of Cork and Lord

Viscount Ely were appointed, in the capacity of lords juftices, his fucceffors.

Ir the Roman Catholics were diffatisfied with the late Deputy, they had now much more cause to complain. The laws againft them were executed, by the new governors, with feverity. As an instance of which, they ordered Saint Patrick's purgatory, fituated in a small island of Lough Derg and held in great veneration by the Catholics, to be dug up and totally effaced. It was an act of unmanly intolerant bigotry, inconfiftent with the benign fpirit of the Gospel and with the dictates of all the kind feelings of the heart. When his Majesty became acquainted with them, the lords juftices were ordered to desist from these proceedings.

THE

LETTER II.

Adieu.

HE time of paying the laft proportion of the of fubfidy was now at hand. So many were the wants of government that a new fubfidy was neceffary. It was demanded, but the Roman Catholics, whofe grievances, notwithstanding his Majefty's positive engagement, had been very partially

1632.

partially redreffed, refused to comply. The King declared, that, if they continued obftinate, the graces should be entirely withdrawn. In confequence, twenty thousand pounds were added to the former contribution, to be paid in four separate proportions.

CHARLES perceiving the difficulties in which his affairs were likely to be involved and that it would be of much importance to his intereft were the government of Ireland under the direction of a man of abilities and on whofe principles he could entirely depend, had fome time before committed that office to Thomas Lord Viscount Wentworth. Among the friends of liberty and their country in that diftinguished age Wentworth had been confpicuous in his oppofition to the unconftitutional measures of Charles. But totally deftitute of that noble principle, which raises the mind above felfifh views where the public interest is concerned, he acted this part, to give himself confequence with government to which he looked up for the gratification of his vanity and ambition, the predominant paflions of his heart, Whenever he had fo far gained his point as to be taken notice of by the King, he threw off the mask, deferted his old friends and enlifted in the fervice of ministry. In reward of his prostitution, he was made president of York, received other proofs of the kindnefs of government, and, as a higher mark of royal favour, was made Deputy of Ireland. He was fworn into office the twenty fifth of July fixteen hundred and thirty three.

NEVER was the Irish nation ruled by a governor fo artful, fo haughty and tyrannical. That Ireland was a conquered country, that with respect to the privileges it enjoyed, it was altogether dependent on England, were the ideas which he entertained of this kingdom. His ideas and the principles on which he

determined

determined to act, foon appeared very confpicuously. In his treatment of the council, he affumed a ftately dignity and an infolent demeanour to which they had been little accustomed.

THE calling of a parliament, a measure to which the defpotic principles of Charles made him very averfe in both kingdoms, became quite neceffary in Ireland to procure fupplies and fettle them on a more permanent foundation.

THIS measure being determined, Wentworth took every step to render it conducive to the withes of his Majefty. It had been usual with the Deputy to fummon the lords of the pale to council that they. might have an opportunity of giving their advice with respect to the time proper for the meeting of parliament and the business to be tranfacted in it. To this cuftom, which was friendly to the liberties of the nation, Wentworth paid no regard.

THE Council on meeting to confider of the bills to be tranfmitted, wifhed that certain bills, agreeable to the defires of the people and conducive to the public welfare, should accompany the bill of fubfidy, and that the fum to be granted fhould be fuch as the country could bear and be particularly specified. "Your fole object," replied the imperious Wentworth, "must be to please the King; I will admit of no bargain, the fubfidy bill must be tranfmitted with a blank to be filled up by his Majefty, at pleasure 9 if the parliament does not comply with his Majefty's defires, I will obey him should he order me to put myself at the head of the army and there either die or force the people to do what is fit and reasonable." The council were aftonished, but instead of being roufed into indignation by language deteftable in a free country and which no man could ufe but the fervile minion of a defpot, they tamely fubmitted.

GREAT

Sir

GREAT pains having been taken, and with fuccefs, to procure a majority in favour of government, the parliament affembled. In his fpeech to it, the Deputy, to prevent any schemes from being laid by oppofition, with a view to fruftrate the wifhes of the court, expressed himself in the following very extraordinary manner, "You must have no private meetings; this, in the King's name, I must forbid, and am ordered to punish with a fevere and a heavy hand.” From his own letters, this appears to have been perfectly agreeable to his Majefty's instructions. Robert Talbot ventured to make fome remarks on the conduct of Wentworth, for which he was expeled from the house of commons and imprifoned. Six fubfidies were granted, which, including the whole affeffment on the lords, commons, and clergy, amounted to the enormous fum of three hundred thousand pounds. The object of the Deputy 1634. in burthening this country with a preffure fo much beyond what it was able to bear, was not merely to supply the wants of the Irish government; he defired alfo to be furnished with the means of affifting his Majesty in executing the designs which he had formed against the liberties of his English fubjects,

NOTHING of any confequence was done in the lower house concerning the complaints of the nation. Thofe rights of the people of which they were the delegated guardians, seemed to have been to the members of it an object of no importance.

THE lords difcovered a very different fpirit. They spoke much of the King's promife with respect to the graces, they loudly complained of public grievances, they even, proceeded to frame certain bills, in behalf of the public good, in order to their being tranfmitted to England. As this was done, in contradiction

tradiction to Poynings' Statute, the lords having no power, in the firft inftance, but that of remonftrating to the Deputy and council with respect to fuch points as they wished should be paffed into a law, Wentworth entered his protest against the measure. Farewell.

LETTER III.

T had been fettled betwixt Charles and the De

IT

puty that there should be two feffions of the prefent parliament and that in the beginning of the first the act of fubfidy fhould be paffed. To procure money was the defign for which the parliament had been convened, and by complying with it previous to the confideration of grievances, they gave up the only power, by the prudent exercife of which, the redress of them could be accomplished. But notwithstanding, there was a difficulty in the matter which it was neceffary to obviate to fave the character of the King from fevere reflexions. It has been related that to procure a confiderable fum from the recufants, his Majefty had engaged, under the royal fignet, that the graces which they defired fhould be confirmed by parliament. Charles faw that fome of the graces were inconfiftent with his intereft and though he did not fcruple to promote his felfifh defigns, at the expence of fincerity, he had difficulty in breaking an obligation of fo very particular a nature. To folve his doubts, Wentworth obferved; that by Poynings' Law, he and the council were empowered to transmit or to suppress bills, at pleasure, that those of them proper to be sent over might be transmitted, the pafling of which into laws would redound to his Majefty's honor; that fuch of them as were not conducive to his interest could be fuppref

fed,