VOLUNTEER BODY O F IRELAND. SIR, You have promised and proved yourself to be the warmest friend to Liberty and Religious Toleration. I truft I have fome claim to your friendship; like you, I have endeavoured for the benefit of my country; like you, in the midst of dangers, I fpeak bold truths; and ftill farther like you, I glory in the name of an Irishman: I, therefore, place this Work under your protection, as a lafting monument of your public spirit. Dublin, C. H. WILSON. RELATIVE TO IRELAND. THAT the prefent fhining period of Irish history may not hereafter be clouded from the vague conjecture of literary pride, the affectation of uncommon difcernment, or the prejudice of party, I fhall make no apology for prefenting my countrymen with a full and compleat collection of their firm and liberal resolutions; to which I intend to prefix the Hiftory of Volunteering, and a retròfpect of this kingdom from the invafion of Henry II. &c. merely to exhibit our privileges, the innovation of our rights, the reftriction of our commerce, and the neceffity of our armed afsociations; fo that by contrafting the paft time with the glorious profpect of the future, we may be the more truly fenfible of the bleffings we are about to enjoy, the obligations we are under of piously tranfmitting them to our children, and the gratitude we owe to Heaven, and thofe virtuous patriots, whofe whofe firm exertions have restored us to that liberty, from which happinfs is infeparable. The English at every period appear to have entertained the highest contempt for the Irish *. Nor is there an historian among them who has treated us, or our affairs, with impartiality; nay, even Giraldus Cambrenfis, who attended Henry II. in his expedition here, as Hiftoriographer, has afcribed Mac Murragh's expulfion to an affair of gallantry †, when in fact, it was the tyranny he exercised over his subjects, as may more fully appear in Lord Lyttleton's hiftory of Henry II. on authorities furnished by that venerable historian, Charles O'Conor, Efq; from whofe lips I have had a further corroboration of this affertion. King Henry having obtained a bull from Pope Adrian, his countryman, for the inveftiture of this kingdom, I shall prefent it to my readers, as a proof of the miferable superftition, grofs ignorance, and Papal authority of those days; and, above all, the religious pretext for the invasion. "ADRIAN, Bifhop, fervant of the fervants of God, to his dearest fon in Chrift the illuftrious King of England, greeting and apoftolic benediction. "Full laudably and profitably hath your magnificence conceived the defign of propagating your glorious renown on earth, and completing your reward of eternal happiness in Heaven; while, as a catholic prince, you are intent on enlarging the borders of the church, teaching the truth of the Chriftian faith to the ignorant and rude, exterminating the roots of vice from the field of the Lord, and for the more • Even the refined Chesterfield, of graceful memory, who dwelt long amongst us, in a letter to the Bishop of Waterford, reprefents one of our provinces as then in a state of the most profound ignorance and barbarism. The caufe of Dermod's expulfion, fays the legendary monk, was in confequence of his having carried off the wife of Tiergnan O'Rourke King of Breiffne. This lady is reprefented by the Poets and Annalists of those days, as exceedingly beautiful, and of an amorous difpofition; her flight with Mac Murragh it is generally thought carried only the appearance of reluctance; her name was Dervorghal, her father was O'Mallaghlin, King of Meath; the lived to the age of 90, and died in a Convent in Drogheda. Mr. Hume calls her Omach, and her husband Ororic, King of Meath; mistakes which, however trifling, fhould awaken fufpicion to negligence, or ignorance in more important affairs. convenient convenient execution of this purpofe, requiring the counfel and favour of the apoftolic fee. In which, the maturer your deliberation, and the greater the difcretion of your procedure, by fo much the happier, we truft, will be your progrefs, with the affistance of the Lord; as all things are used to come to a profperous end and iffue, which take their beginning from the ardour of faith and the love of religion. "There is indeed no doubt but that Ireland, and all the iflands on which Chrift the fun of righteousness hath fhone, and which have received the doctrines of the Christian faith, do belong to the jurifdiction of St. Peter and of the holy Roman church, as your excellency alfo doth acknowledge. And therefore we are the more folicitous to propagate the righteous plantation of faith in this land, and the branch acceptable to God, as we have the fecret conviction of confcience that this is more especially our bounden duty, "You then, moft dear fon in Chrift, have fignified to us your defire to enter into the ifland of Ireland, in order to reduce the people to obedience unto laws, and to extirpate the plants of vice; and that you are willing to pay from each houfe a yearly penfion of one penny to St. Peter, and that you will preferve the rights of the churches of this land whole and inviolate. We therefore, with that grace and acceptance fuited to your pious and laudable defign, and favourably affenting to your petition, do hold it good and acceptable, that, for extending the borders of the church, restraining the progrefs of vice, for the correction of manners, the planting of virtue, and the encrease of religion, you enter this island, and execute therein whatever shall pertain to the honour of God and welfare of the land; and that the people of this land receive you honourably, and reverence you as their lord: the rights of their churches ftill remaining facred and inviolate; and faving to St. Peter the annual penfion of one penny from every houfe. "If then you be refolved to carry the defign you have conceived into effectual execution, fludy to form this nation to virtuous manners; and labour by yourfelf, and others whom you fhall judge meet for this work, in faith, word, and life, that the church may be there adorned, that the religion of the Christian faith may be planted and grow up, and that all things pertaining to the honour of God, and the falvation of fouls, be fo ordered, that you may be entitled to the fulness of eternal reward from God, and obtain a glorious renown on earth throughout all ages." As |