The state of the Protestants of Ireland under the late King James's government in which their carriage towards him is justified, and the absolute necessity of their endeavouring to be freed from his government, and of submitting to their present Majesties is demonstrated.

SECT. I. The Introduction to the proof of this head, grounded on a short view of the State of Ireland, at the time of King James's coming to the Crown; and of the vain assurances Protestants gave themselves of Security from the consideration of their Merits towards him; the Repute of his good Nature, and his own true Interest.

1. THE destruction of a People is so horrid a thing, that it is not easie to persuade a good natured Man that such an unnatural design can enter into any ones heart: and we our selves though al∣most ruined, dare hardly relate it to others lest they should not believe us. It is certain that if the Protestants of these Kingdoms could have believed that King James would have attempted what he did, they would never have entred into such Feuds against their fellow Subjects and Friends to pre∣vent his Exclusion: but their Zeal for the Monarchy and Succession, made them willing to overlook the danger; and they persuaded themselves that the absurdity and dif∣culty of the thing, would keep him if he came to the Crown, from attempting it, notwithstanding they knew that his Principles inclined him, and his Counsellors would prompt him to it. I question much if any thing but sad Experi∣ence would ever have opened the Eyes, or convinced the generality of these Nations that his designs were such as we found them in the event: and perhaps it is worth all our Sufferings, though very heavy, to have learned (as we have done) by this Example, never to trust Men of King James's

Principles and Religion with a Power that may destroy us; since it appears in him, that no Interest, Difficulties, or Obli∣gations are sufficient to hinder such from employing that Power to effect it. No Man could be under deeper Obligations to use his Power with Moderation than King James was; yet in the short time he possessed it, he employed it with so much dili∣gence and earnestness to destroy us, that he in a great measure accomplished it; and we must thank God only, and his present Majesties victorious Arms, that saved us from a total and final Destruction, to which we were so manifestly devoted. To make this appear, it will be necessary to take a short view of the State of Ireland, at, and since King James's coming to the Crown, and by the Alteration he introduced, it will plainly appear what he designed. At his coming to the Crown, Ire∣land was in a most flourishing Condition; Lands were every where improved, and Rents advanced to near double what they had been in a few years before; the Kingdom abounded with Money, Trade flourished, even to the Envy of our Neighbours; Cities, especially Dublin, encreased exceedingly; Gentlemens Seats were built, or building, every where, and Parks, Enclosures, and other Ornaments were carefully pro∣moted; insomuch that many places of the Kingdom equalled the Improvements of England. The Papists themselves, where Rancour, Pride or Laziness did not hinder them, lived happi∣ly, and a great many of them got considerable Estates, either by Traffick, by the Law, or by other Arts and Industry.

2. There was a free Liberty of Conscience by connivence, tho not by the Law; and the King's Revenue encreased proportionably to the Kingdom's* 1.1 Advance in Wealth, and was every day grow∣ing: it amounted to more than three hundred thousand pounds per annum, a Sum sufficient to defray all the Expence of the Crown, and to return yearly a considerable Sum into England, to which this Nation had formerly been a con∣stant Expence. If King James had minded either his own In∣terest, or the Kingdoms, he would not have interrupted this happy Condition. But the Protestants found, that neither this, nor the Services of any towards him, nor his own

good Nature, were Barrs sufficient to secure them from De∣struction.

2. It is certainly the Interest of all Kings to govern their Subjects with Justice and Equity; if therefore they understood or would mind their true Interest, no King would ruin any of his Subjects: but it often happens, that either Men are so weak that they do not understand their Interest, or else so little at their own Command, that some foolish Passion or Humour sways them more than all the Interest in the World: and from these proceeds all the ill Government which has ruined so many Kingdoms. Now King James was so bent on gaining an abso∣lute Power over the Lives and Liberties of his Subjects, and on introducing his Religion, that he valued no Interest when it came in competition with those.

3. Every Body that knew King James's Interest, and the true Interest of his Kingdoms, knew that it concerned him to keep fair with Protestants, especially with that party who were most devoted to him, and had set the Crown on his Head; and this had been, in the Opinion of thinking Men the most ef∣fectual way to inlarge his Power, and introduce his Religion; but because it did not suit with the Methods his bigotted Counsellors had proposed, he took a Course directly contrary to his Interest, and seemed to take a peculiar pleasure in af∣fronting and oppressing those very Men, whom in Interest he was most concerned to cherish and support.

His Proceeding thus in England was visibly the Cause of his Ruin; he had left himself no Friend to stand by him, when he stood in greatest need of them. Upon his coming to Ireland the Protestants had entertained some favourable Hopes, that he would have seen, and been convinced of his Error, and would now at last govern himself by other measures; it was manifestly his Interest to have done so, and nothing in proba∣bility could have allayed the Heats of England and Scotland so much as his Justice and Kindness to the Protestants of Ireland, nor could any thing have had so much the Appearance of an Answer to those many and evident Arguments by which they demonstrated his destructive Designs against those Kingdoms, as to have had it to say, that in Ireland, where it was in his Power, he was far from doing what they surmised he intended

to do in England, or if he had ever any such intentions, it was plain he had now altered them. These things were laid be∣fore him by some that wish'd well to his Affairs, and had more Prudence than his furious and bigotted Counsellors; and sometimes they seemed to make Impressions on him, but the Priests and needy Courtiers, who had swallowed in their Ima∣ginations the Spoils and Estates of the Protestants of England as well as of Ireland, could not endure to hear of this. They seemed mightily afraid lest he should be restored to his Throne by consent of his Protestant Subjects: For if so (said they) we know it will be on so strict Conditions, that we shall gain but little by it, it will not be in his power to gratifie us. And not only they, but the Irish in general likewise endeavoured to make his Restitution by way of Articles or Peace impracti∣cable and impossible. A Design so extremely foolish, that it is strange any should be found so sillily wicked as to promote it, or that King James should be so imposed on as to hearken to it; and yet it is certain he did, at least at some times, entertain it; and was heard to express himself to one that pressed him to Moderation to Protestants on this account; that he never ex∣pected to get into England but with Fire and Sword. How∣ever his Counsellors were not so weak, but they saw what disadvantage his dealing with the Protestants had on his Interest in England, and therefore they took care to conceal it as much as possible; they stopped all Intercourse as far as they could with England; they had a party to cry up the mildness of King James's Government towards the Protestants, to applaud the Ease, the Plenty, the Security in which they lived, and to run down and discredit all Relations to the contrary that came from Ireland. These endeavoured to perswade the World, that there was no such thing as a Bill of Attainder, or of Repeal; no Act taking away the Preferments or Maintenance of the Clergy, nor any Imprisonment or Plundering of Protestants; no taking away of Goods by private Orders of the King, or le∣vying of Monies by Proclamations. In short, they did that which on all occasions is the Practice, and indeed Support of Popery. They endeavoured to face down plain matter of Fact with Forehead and Confidence, and to perswade the World, that all these were mere Forgeries of King James's

Enemies. As many as believed these Allegations of theirs▪ and were persuaded by them, that the Protestants of Ireland were well used by King James, were inclined to favour him; a certain sign, that if they had been really well used by him, it would have gotten him many Friends, and perhaps reconciled some of his worst Enemies. But the Design entertained by him and his Party required the Ruin of Protestants, and of their Religion; whereas his Interest required, that it should not be believed, that he designed either; and therefore Care was ta∣ken to prosecute the Design with all eagerness, and deny the Matter of Fact with all impudence; and his Majesty took care to promote both: for he ruined the Protestants of Ireland by his Acts of Parliament, and by the other Methods we shall hereafter speak of; and by his Proclamations sent privately into England to his Partisans there, assured the World, that the Protestant Religion and Interest were his special care, and that he had secured them against their Enemies. It was his Interest to have done, as well as pretended this; but the carrying on his Design was so much in his Thoughts, that he chose to sacrifice his Interest to it.

4. And no wonder, if it be true, what is reported of him, that he resolved to die a Martyr, rather than not settle his Re∣ligion, and that he had rather die the next day, that Design being compassed, than live fifty years without effecting it. All which sufficiently explains that which seemed a Riddle to many, how King James should be so very hard on his Protestant▪ Subjects, when his Interest required, that he should treat them with all imaginable kindness; especially in the present Circum∣stances of his Affairs, whilst in Ireland. The Reasons of his acting contrary to his Interest in so palpable an instance, were either from the Persuasions of his ill Counsellors, who assured him, that they would so order the Matter, that what he did in Ireland should not be heard of, or not be believed in England; or else from a settled Resolution not to mind any Interest which came in competition with his grand Designs of advancing Po∣pery, and the Slavery of the Nations. To effect which, it is ma∣nifest he was content to be a Vassal to France; for whosoever calls in a potent Neighbour to his assistance, must reckon that will be the consequence if he get the better by his Means; of

which the Irish themselves were sensible, when they saw the French Succors landed; and the Protestants could not but con∣clude, that King James was so intent upon destroying them, that (so he compassed that Design) he cared not if he enslaved himself and the Kingdoms.

5. Nor had the Services of any towards him, more influence on him than his own Interest. Never had any Prince fairer Op∣portunities to distinguish his Friends from his Enemies, than King James; the struggle he had to get to the Crown was so long, and the issue so doubtful, that there was no Temptation for any one to dissemble his Thoughts towards him; and never had Subjects a fairer opportunity to serve and merit from a Prince. Now his Carriage to those that then proved his Friends, who against their own Interest, and against the En∣deavours of the most powerful, and most diffused Faction that ever appeared in a Kingdom, set the Crown on his Head, is a plain demonstration of what force, Merit or Service were with him, towards altering his private Designs. No sooner did it appear, that those who were against the Exclusion, de∣signed to preserve the Kingdom, as well as the Succession, but he abandoned them, and not only laid them aside, but further exposed them to the revenge of those very Men that they had provoked by espousing his Quarrel. It is no news to any how King James cast off his fastest Friends, when he saw that they would not proceed after his Measures to destroy the Liberty and Religion of their Country; and took into his Bosom and Council those that had been his most bitter Enemies, when he perceived, that they would assist him in that Design. Which is a plain demonstration, that he had no regard to Services or Merit, further than they tended to enslave the Nations, and destroy the settled Religion. But no Protestant that had any value for his God, his Conscience or Country, could pretend to this Merit; and therefore in the King's Opinion he could do nothing that his Majesty would count a Service.

King James had no desire to be served by Protestants, as was manifest by his turning many out, for no other reason, but because they would not change their Religion. By preferring Papists to all Places of Trust and Profit, tho not so deserving or well qualified for them as those that possessed them. By his

declaring, that he would have all that did eat his Bread, of his own Religion. If therefore he employed any, it was for a colour, either to cover his Partiality, or because he could not find a Papist fit for their Places, or because he believed, that in time he might gain them to be of his Religion, or lastly, because he had some odious Work to do, which he thought he could the better excuse, if he could get a Protestant to do it; where these Reasons ceased, he never employed any. But it is observable, where he did employ them, tho their places were considerable, yet they never had the In∣terest with him, or power proper to their place; but were mere Cyphers in it. Thus he made Sir Edward Herbert Chancellor of England, and caused a Seal to be cut for him, but he never allowed him that Interest with him, or had that re∣gard for him in Councils that his place required. The puny Papist Judges had more influence on the King, and could make bolder with him than he; he was not admitted to the Secret of Affairs at all, and at the publick Councils he was set below Fitton, Chancellor of Ireland, and several others; whom I am informed, whilst employed as Chancellor of England, and in his Masters presence, he ought to have preceded. But ge∣nerally Protestants were only admitted to inferior places, and for the most part with a Companion; and they had only the Name, their Companions must do all, and they durst not con∣tradict them; and tho they were intitled to rise according as Vacancies fell, yet some inconsiderable Papist was sure to get the start of them, and to be put over their Heads; so that it was never in their power to serve the King considerably, or merit at his Hands.

If they did chance to do any thing signal, yet their Enemies had so much the advantage of King James's Ear, that they were sure to be misrepresented; and what those said, having the dead Weight of Religion to help it, did generally with him, outweigh the Protestants Service. Of this Sir Charles Murry is an Instance; he followed King James through France to Ireland, and all along appeared zealous for his Service. Yet because he professed himself a Protestant, upon his landing at Kinsale, some that had an ill will to him prevailed with the King to clap him up a Prisoner in the Fort of Kinsale, where

he lay without being able to learn any Reason for his Confine∣ment, from the twelfth of March 168•• / ••, till toward the end of the following Summer; and then they had occasion for him to help to order their Camp, and fortifie Ardee, which procured him his Liberty; tho he never could have the satisfaction to learn either his Crime, or his Accuser.

My Lord Forbess, Son to the Earl of Granard, is another remarkable Instance: When the pretended Parliament sate in Dublin, both Houses were informed, that my Lord Forbess adhered to King James's Interest in England, and that he was a Prisoner in the Tower upon that account, his Friends thought it proper to improve this occasion with the King, and the Parlia∣ment, to save my Lord's Estate at Mollingar, which he holds under the Act of Settlement. And this seemed the more feasible because the Lands did, if not all, yet for the most part, for∣merly belong not to private persons, but to a Corporation. But all the Interest could be made, did not prevail; all that could be obtained, was a Clause implying, that the Commissioners that should be appointed to execute the Act, should set him out a Reprizal under the same Limitations, under which he held the Town and Lands of Mollingar; which (as one of the House of Commons expressed it) was a Mouthful of Moonshine. So little regard was had to the Services or Merits of Prote∣stants.

6. And they had no reason to expect it should be otherwise; for there was no regard had to the most considerable Papists▪ where their Interest interfered with the general Design. It was resolved to destroy the▪ Act of Settlement, the Foundation of the English and Protestant Interest in Ireland. This brought along with it Destruction to many Papists that held Estates under it, which they had purchased since the year 1662, as well as to Protestants. Those Papists were very numerous, and more wealthy than the rest (especially in Connaught) and they were likewise very zealous for King James, and many of them in his actual Service, and venturing their Lives for him, at the time of passing the Act of Repeal; yet this did not hinder him from giving away their Estates by that Act to the old Pro∣prietors.

In short, if serving King James truly and faithfully, even to their own prejudice, whilst it was for his Advantage and his Circumstances needed their Service, could have merited his Fa∣vour, most Protestants had supererogated; but all this passed for nothing with him, he would be served his own way: that is, he would have Protestants been active to destroy their Properties, Liberty and Religion, he would have had them lend their Hands to tie the Chains of Slavery for them and their Posterity, to which they had already contributed too far to oblige his Humor, both before and after his coming to the Crown, against the common Interest of the Kingdom. No∣thing less than the same blind Obedience, would serve him in the State, which his Clergy require in the Church, which we would not by any means pay him; and therefore it was in vain for us to think of preserving our selves by any Merit or Ser∣vice we could render him; he did not think any thing a Pro∣testant could do with a good Conscience, to be a Service. And if we did all was required, yet there never wanted per∣sons about his Majesty who had Malice enough towards us, and Interest enough with him, to misrepresent our most merito∣rious Actions.

8. Nor was the good Nature and merciful Disposition of King James any greater Security to the Protestants of Ireland, than their own Merits towards him. There are, 'tis true, Kings in the World, that have an absolute Power over the Lives and Liberties of their Subjects; and yet govern them with such Justice and Mercy, that they suffer very little in∣conveniency by it: but the Examples of this kind are so very rare, that it is ill trusting any one with such a Power. King James's Partizans made it their Business to represent their Master as the most merciful and justest Prince in the World; and then they railed at us that grudged to lay our own and our Posterities Lives and Liberties at his Feet. Perhaps if he alone had been to have had the Disposal of them, and would have followed his natural Inclinations, we should not so much have feared to have trusted him; but whilst he had such Ministers about him, and embraced a Religion of such Principles as he professed, we had no Reason to depend much on his natural Clemency or Inclination, for these were sufficient to corrupt the best natured Man in the World.

9. No doubt but Charles the Fifth of Germany was of as compassionate and generous a Nature as any Man; yet that did not keep him from making havock of his Subjects on account of Religion; besides all his Wars and Bloodshed to suppress the Reformation, he destroyed by way of legal Process fifty thou∣sand in the Inquisition, a Barbarity, I believe, hardly equalled by Nero▪ Francis the First of France was a Prince equal to any in Generosity and Nobleness of Nature; and yet he made no less Havock and Destruction in his Dominions on the same Account. The present French King is a Demonstration, that neither Love of Glory, nor of Interest, neither Greatness of Mind, nor Goodness of Nature, are Antidotes against, the Force of Romish Principles, or can restrain the Prince that has throughly imbibed them, from Blood and Persecution; other∣wise he would never have made himself infamous by such hor∣rid Cruelties as he has committed on his Protestant Subjects, or brought an indelible Blot on a Reign which he would fain have represented to be more glorious than any of his Prede∣cessors.

It is not necessary that what has been said should bring in question the good Nature or merciful Temper of King James, tho we confess we were unwilling to trust it too far. We had before our Thoughts the Proceedings in the West of England, where we saw his Clemency did not interpose, but suffered more to be prosecuted, tryed, condemned, and executed for that one Rebellion (and yet it was not so considerable as many others) than perhaps had suffered in that manner for many of the Rebellions since the Conquest. We found that he con∣sented to attaint above two thousand five hundred of the most considerable persons of this Kingdom; and that his good Na∣ture might not be a Temptation to pardon them, he put it out of his power to do it by the same Act. After his coming into Ireland, very few Pardons passed the Great Seal, perhaps not three; nor had many so much as the promise of a Pardon given them, tho very many needed and desired it.

Many of the Country People, who were not of the Army, were brought up Prisoners; they pleaded that they were not concerned in the Wars; that they lived in their Houses, and on their Farms, and submitted only to the stronger, without

engaging in the Cause; but all to no purpose: they were used worse than the Soldiers who were Prisoners, and suffered to starve in Jails, if the Charity of their Fellow Protestants had not relieved them. Many who were wronged and oppressed, petitioned his Majesty for Redress, but their Petitions were re∣jected, at best mislaid, and the Petitioners were so far from obtaining any Answer, that they often could never hear what became of their Petitions.

10. The chief Counsellors of the King were the Popish Clergy, and the Descendents of such as had shed the Blood of so many Protestants in the year 1641, who then ruined and destroyed the Kingdom, and made it a heap of Rubbish, and a Slaughter-House; and whilst he hearkened to the Suggesti∣ons and Councils of such, it was not possible for him to exert his good Nature and Clemency towards us.

It was the continual Business of these Counsellors to incense the King against us, to represent us as People unworthy of any Favour, Humanity, or Justice; that we were all Rogues, Vil∣lains and Traitors, and not fit to be allowed the common Offi∣ces of Humanity: This Chancellor Fitton declared on the Bench: This the King's Favourites and Attendants suggested publickly to him at his times of Eating, at his Couchee and Levee, and upon all occasions.

However it was, it is evident by the effect, that King James in great measure completed the Ruin of the Protestants and English Interest in this Kingdom; which will plainly appear, 1. In his dealing with the Army. 2. With the Courts of Ju∣dicature. 3. With the Privy Council and Offices. 4. With Corporations. 5. With Trade, and the trading People of the Nation. 6. With our Liberties. 7. With our Fortunes. 8. With the Lives of his Protestant Subjects. And 9. With their Religion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lord Clarendon's Speech at giving up the Sword to the Earl of Tirconnel, and the Abstract of the Revenue for 1685. Appendix, N. 5. & 6.