HISTORY BY WILLIAM CRAWFORD, A. M. VOL. I. STRABANE HOLSTZINAORG Printed by JOHN BELLE W. Re-classed 3-15-33 AVM 3-27-28 MRS Ref. St.. To General the Earl of Charlemont. My LORD, your kind Indulgence I owe the Gratification of being permitted to caft the following Letters on your Lordship's Protection. During the Course of the Subfcription, they have been supported by fome of the first Characters in the Kingdom; that the Design was not only patronised but confiderably promoted by your Lordship, is a Circumstance highly flattering to the Author, and has been, in a particular Manner, conducive to his Intereft. To trace out and vindicate our national Rights is a principal Intention of the present Work. Thefe, during the late glorious Struggle, have been aided by your Lordship with an affectionate, a perfevering and animated Zeal, that has excited the Admiration of your Fellow-Citizens, and which they and their Pofterity will ever feel with all the Warmth A 2 of of grateful Senfibility. It is one of the first and most anxious Wishes in the Heart of every Irishman, that you may long live to enjoy the exquifite Pleasure resulting from the Reflection that you have been a chief Inftrument in emancipating your Country, to cherish by your Example and your Influence the noble Spirit which has regained her Freedom, to see her rifing in Profperity and in Confequence, from the Advantages fhe has obtained, and her Prospects enlarged by those Improvements neceffary to perfect her Con ftitution. THE Obligations which I owe your Lordship, and the perfonal Civilities, I had almost prefumed to fay, Marks of Friendship with which you have honored me I feel and will ever feel with confciuus Pride. With the most perfect Respect, and with every Sentiment of Gratitude, I have the Honor to be, My Lord, Your Lordship's most humble And moft obedient Servant, W. CRAWFORD. PREFACE. T HERE was fcarcely an individual so absorbed by selfish views as not to participate of the fpirit of national freedom with which the late fortunate concurrence of circumftances animated the people of this country. The hope that this admirable principle might in fome measure be invigorated by tracing out to them the origin, the nature and the progress of our conftitution, and the various encroachments which it has fuffered by the unjuft interference of the British legiflature, was the motive which firft induced me to engage in this undertaking. Though to afcertain and to vindicate our rights has been my chief object, as neceffary to this defign, and to render the work more generally acceptable, I have given a comprehensive view of the most important and interesting facts in the history of Ireland, from the earliest period to the present time. The immediate wishes of Irishmen have been gratified in the revolution which has terminated, most honourably for their country, the conteft in which they have been engaged with their fellow fubjects of Britain. This glorious event will not however, it is prefumed, render the work here offered to the public unneceffary with refpect to it's principal defign. To the unprejudiced, it will justify the late exertions of the people in behalf of their privileges, will point out, that in regaining A 3 those |