gaged, had been detained in Ireland for the occafion, were ready, from principle and inclination to engage in their cause.

Adieu.

FR

LETTER IX.

ROM the caufes and the favourable circumstances mentioned in my last letter, a scheme was formed, by fome of the principal natives, of a general infurrection.

ROGER O'Moor, the head of a distinguished family which had greatly fuffered by the injustice of the English, took an active part on the present occafion. He was well qualified for the business. Befides a handsome perfon, his manners were courteous, polished and infinuating. To the advantages he received from a genteel education, he added good sense and an unblemished character. Deeply affected by the injuries of his family and his country, he exerted his popular talents, and used every means to enflame the public difcontents. He engaged in this defign Colonel Plunket, younger fon of Sir Chriftopher Plunket, as one of his confidential affociates. Plunket was vain, well allied, warmly attached to his religion, and in depreffed circumstances. Needy likewise, and of fimilar difpofitions, was another of his associates, Connor Macguire Baron of Enniskillen. To these we may add Macmahon, Philip Reily, Tirlough, and his brother Sir Phelim O'Neal of Kinnard, a man of violent paffions, of profligate manners, of mean parts and little education. The officers who came to conduct the troops to Spain likewife engaged in the fame caufe. To procure friends, strenuous efforts were used at home and upon the Continent.

THE

THE fifth of October, when the intercourse with England would be interrupted by the feafon, and when the tenants would have collected the rents, which the confpirators refolved to apply to their own use, was the time fixed for the execution of their scheme. The day came, but they were unprepared. The defign was then deferred until the twenty third of October, when the caftle of Dublin was to be feized and the infurrection to be univerfal.

As the affair had been a confiderable time in agitation, and a number of perfons concerned, fufpicions had arifen with respect to it. So early as March, Secretary Vane, by order of the King, wrote to the Lords Juftices, that he had received fuch advice from his Majefty's minifters at foreign courts, concerning a rebellion fufpected to take place in Ireland, as made it neceffary for them to be very circumfpect, in order, if it was really in agitation, to prevent fuch a defign. Early in October, Sir William Cole of Enniskillen acquainted them with fome circumftances, which raised his apprehenfions concerning the fafety of government. A few days after, he wrote to them a fecond letter, which contained certain information, in respect to the intended infurrection. But the letter mifcarried. Happily however for the people of Dublin, the plot was divulged, when on the point of being executed.

On the evening of the twenty fecond of October, a number of the confpirators affembled in Dublin. One of the principal of them, Macmahon, disclosed the fecret to Owen O'Connoly a Proteftant, in hopes that he would affift in executing the defign. O'Connoly was fhocked, made his escape with difficulty, and communicated to Sir James Parfons the alarming intelligence. Guards were immediately placed on the

city

city and caftle. Search was made for the confpirators. Lord Maguire, Macmahon, and about thirty of the lower fort were feized, but O'Moore and the rest of the principals, probably through the affiftance of friends in Duhlin who favoured the defign, efcaped, Macmahon made a full confeffion of the plot, in which he boasted with exultation. Sir Francis Willoughby a gallant foldier, was made governor of the Castle, which was furnished with arms for ten thousand men, but eighteen warders and forty halberdiers compofed the whole of the garrifon. The military force of the kingdom, in confequence of the late reduction, was very inconfiderable; it was therefore more neceffary, that individuals fhould be warned of their danger, in order to use the best means in their power of protecting themselves. For this purpose, a proclamation was published on the twenty third of October, and renewed the following day. Soon after another proclamation was published, by which ftrangers, and all fufpected perfons, were commanded to depart from the town.

B

LETTER X.

Farewell.

ESIDES iffuing proclamations, the Juftices fent expreffes with commiffions to the Proteftants of note in the different parts of the kingdom, empowering them to arm, to profecute the infurgents with fire and fword, and to receive fuch of them as fubmitted to his Majefty's grace and mercy. They likewise dispatched commiffions, conveying the fame powers, to the principal gentlemen of the pale. Information of the imminent danger to which the kingdom was expofed, was also conveyed to his Majesty

and

and to the parliament of England, entreating im mediate affiftance.

THOUGH every exertion was used to put the Caftle in a state of defence, and two hundred foldiers arrived in Dublin for it's protection, with a number of Proteftants from the country, who fled to it for fafety, and were formed into a regiment, nothing could equal the terror and miserable anxiety of the citizens. Their imagination was on the rack. They were filled with alarms which encreased every hour, which anticipated the approach of the enemy, magnified their numbers, their cruelty, and every circumstance which could heighten in the mind a dread of the impending danger.

To remove fufpicions entertained of them, feveral Roman Catholic lords of the pale applied to government for arms. Five hundred were given to Lord Gormanstown, and twelve hundred were distributed among the other Catholics of the different counties of Leinfter. From this it would feem, that they were not fufpected; it does not appear that there could be fpared to them a larger portion of arms; but they were diffatisfied. They were, alfo, much offended by the proclamation, for fetting forth" that a deteftable conspiracy had been formed by fome evil affected Irish Papifts." To fatisfy them, it was explained in such a manner, as to fhew that they were not comprehended in it.

MEAN while, the infurgents proceeded elsewhere with the execution of their design. In a few days they were almost entirely poffeffed of the counties of Derry, Donegal, Cavan, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Longford, Monaghan and Tyrone. They even made fome progrefs in the counties of Downé and Armagh.

EVERY method was used to excite the paffions and encourage the multitudes who had joined in the infurrection.

infurrection. Even commiffions were forged, first one in the name of the King, and then a fecond in the name of the parliament, approving of the design and encouraging to the support of it. Government immediately published a proclamation, to prevent perfons from being deluded by this impofition. This appeared on the thirtieth of October. The following day another proclamation was published, by which all the infurgents of Meath, Weftmeath, Louth and Longford, not freeholders or in prifon, who had not killed any of his Majefty's fubjects, and would furrender in ten days, were promised pardon. This proclamation would have been humane and of fingular ufe, had it not been fo improperly restricted. Why did it not extend to all the counties in arms? Many perfons might have been confined whofe offences were venial. Would not the exception in prejudice of freeholders, who were excluded, plainly from the rapacious motives of encreasing forfeitures, render them more violent, being thus deprived of all hopes of pardon?

As the Proteftants were taken by furprife, they had no opportunity of concerting measures for their mutual defence. Each man separately endeavoured to protect himself, in confequence of which the Irish met with a very feeble refiftance. But when their fears fubfided, they united in several places, under the command of the gentlemen who had received commiffions, and had been speedily fupplied with arms by government, and ufed vigorous efforts for their preservation. Enniskillen, Carrickfergus and several other places withstood the attacks of the Irish. But Sir Phelim O'Nial, by whom they were commanded in the North, determined to perfevere, He had made an unsuccessful attack upon Lisburn. A detachment of four thousand men attempted a VOL. II, fecond

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