"all the Confpiracies, Plots and Rebellions, that 1687. ever have been against the King, not one Ortho"dox Member of her Communion has been any 66 way in 'em; that he profefs'd himself to be of "that Church, and counted it his greateft Happi"nefs that he was fo. That as for the Proteftants "of that Kingdom in Particular, he could fay in "their Favour, that when the Restoration of the King was oppos'd in England, they were the "Men that us'd their Indefatigable Industry to

66

Effect it. That he defign'd to tell this to the "King, and hop'd by his Lordship's Prudence these "Calumnies and Afperfions that had lain upon them, would be remov'd; and that as they and "the Roman Catholicks were the Subjects of one "Prince, fo they would Unanimously agree in their "Love of one another, and in promoting his Ho66 nour and Happiness ; He clos'd his Speech with .. telling him, That as he receiv'd the Sword in Peace, "Jo he delivered it in Peace. Tyrconnel's Answer was Tyrconto this Effect: That it was the King's Defign, nel's An"and confequently his Command to him, to Go-wer.

66

66

66

vern that Kingdom according to the Law, with

out any Partiality, and therefore he declar'd that "all Men fhould enjoy the Exercise of their Religi

66

on and Properties according to Law. That he "knew there were great Fears in the Kingdom, "fome removing their Goods, fome their Plate, "others their Money. What the Reafon of it was "he could not imagine; but for his own Part he would not have any diftruft the King's Protection. That the Lord Clarendon had hinted, that ... no Diftinction of Names ought to be encourag'd, or any thing elfe that might breed Jealoufies among the King's Subjects, which he would "make his whole Bufinefs to bring about, for this ૬ was the Command of the King, who was both "the greatest and jufteft Prince that ever rul'd "thefe Kingdoms. Notwithstanding these fine Promifes, it foon appear'd that the Fears mention'd in Tyrconnel's "Anfwer, were but too well Grounded.

66

66

Be

1687.

Before Tyrconnel came to the Sword, forne of the Judges were turn'd out, (as Sir Standish Hartton, Bar. one of the Barons of the Exchequer, Sir Richard Reynolds, Bar. one of the Judges of the King's Bench, both fince Dead, and Johnson, one of the Judges of the Common Pleas) and a Confult was held in London, whether the reft fhould not be turn'd out before the Earl of Clarendon was remoy'd, to reprefent him Odious to the People, if he complied; or Difobedient to the King, if he feem'd unwilling in the Matter, as they believ'd he would. For they obferv'd that he and the Lord Chancellor, Sir Charles Porter began to Startle at the Commands from England, before they receiv'd any Account of their Removal, and Porter publickly declar'd, That he came not over to serve a Turn, nor would be act against his Confcience. For which Expreflions at his Return to London, he could not, without fome Difficulty, obtain the Favour of Kifing the King's Hand. To come to the Debate concerning the Judges, fome were for -making a clear Riddance, and to have the Reformation begin in the Courts of Judicature, urging that having the Military Part of the Government in their Hands, they might with greater Eafe fecure the Civil; but others did not think it fafe to turn them all out, nor any more of them, till the Government was vefted in a Roman Catholick. For fome of the Cabal were afraid of proceeding too faft in their Defign; efpecially the Earl of Powis, who for that Reafon was not entrusted with all their Secrets and blacker Projects; though in his Lady they repos'd an entire Confidence, as being thought the greatest Politician amongst 'em; and were not a little Proud, that the Earl of Shaftfbury in the Popish Plot had given her that Character. In fhort, the moderate Party prevail'd, and 'twas agreed that one Judge in a Court should be left, to colour the Actions of the reft. But that which ftuck with them was, that Sir William Davis, Lord Chief Juftice of the King's Bench, must not be mov'd, because he had been of the Duke's Party in the Time of the Popish Plot, and because

C his Marriage with the Countess of Clancarty, whofe 168. Son had married the Earl of Sunderland's Daughter. However, Sir William Davis, being a difeafed infirm Man, given over for fome Years, Judge Nugent, (the firft Popish Judge that was put in, and whofe Father had loft his Honour and Estate for being a principal Actor in the Rebellion and Maffacre of 1641.) had a Patent for his Place of Lord Chief Juftice in Reverfion. This being refolv'd, the 'reft were foon Chofen: Lord Chief Baron Hen made way for Rice, a Profligate Fellow, and in Rice's Room, Sir --- Linch Succeeded in the Common-Pleas. Sir Alexander Fitton, a Man notorious on Record, as convicted of Forgery both in Westminster-Hall, and at Chester, and fin'd for it by the Lords in Parliament, was taken out of the King's Bench-Prifon to Difcharge the Office of Lord High Chancellor, tho' he had no other Merit to Recommend him, but his being a Convert to the Popish Religion; and to him were added as Mafters in Chancery, one Stafford, a Romish Priest, and O-Neal, the Son of one of the moft butie and notorious Murderers in the Maffacre of 1641. But little Regard was to be had to the Man, fo long as he was fitted to that Intereft, which was then promoting: It being Remarkable, that of what Perfuafion foever they were, whom they Employ'd at this Time, they chofe Men of the moft branded Reputations, and whofe Principles were fuch as could over-rule the Dictates of their Consciences. The Three Proteftant Judges, (for Davis was Decreed to Die, and did foon after) had their feveral Capacities and Inclinations for their Service.. Keating, Lord Chief Juftice of the Common Pleas, had always been a Servant of the Duke of York's, was a Native of the Place, and fomewhat Popishly inclin'd; tho' a Perfon of more Sense than to purfue the Chace with greater Expedition than Safety. Lynden, Judge of the King's Bench, though no Friend to the Irish Government, yet lay under the Temptation of getting Riches to Support his numerous Family; and Worth, Baron of the Exchequer, was the Perfon the Papifts moft depended upon E

༡

1689. and indeed he was the first Man in the Exchequ that ftruck the fatal Blow in all Caufes, where the English were concern'd.

Dr. King,

The Supream Courts being thus fill'd up, it wa but reasonable all other Courts fhould keep pa: Bishop of with them. In the Year 1687, there was not London Proteftant Sheriff in the whole Kingdom, exce Derry, his one; and he put in by Mistake for another of the State of fame Name that was a Papift. Some few Proteftant Ireland un- were continued in the Commiffion of the Peac der King

James.

but they were rendred Ufelefs and Infignificant being overpower'd in every thing by the gre Number of Roman Catholicks join'd in Commill on with them; and thofe for the moft part of th very Scum of the People; and a great many whole Fathers had been Executed for Theft, Robbery and /Murder.

The great Barrier of the Peoples Liberties both in England and Ireland, being their Right to che their own Reprefentatives in Parliament, the Prot stants in Ireland finding a Neceffity of fecuring this Right in their own Hands, had procur'd many Corporations to be founded, and had Built m ny Corporate Towns at their own Charges; from all which the Papilts were by their Charters ex cluded. This Barrier was broken through, by diffolving all the Corporations in the Kingdom, which was effected either by Tyrconnel's Promile and Threats, and the Wheedling Infinuations of Ellis his Secretary, or where both fail'd, by the Infallible Means of Quo-Warrante's brought into the Exchequer Court; and that without the leaft Sha dow of Law. Hereupon new Charters were granted, and fill'd up chiefly with Papifts, and Men of Defperate or no Fortunes: And a Claufe was inferted in every one of them, which fubjected them to the abfolute Will of the King, by which it was put in the Power of the Chief Governour to turn out and put in whom he pleas'd.

The next Work was to agree upon a Model for the Men. This Debate was ftrongly canvas feveral ways; and that which chiefly puzzled them, was that the King would have nothing of

this tranfacted at Court, for fear of meeting with 1687. Oppofition there. This Exigency, of not being fuffer'd to receive Advice from England, expos'd them to great Difficulties; for they were utter Strangers to the Laws and Government of Corporations, having been converfant in nothing but Secret Plots, and Private Contrivances, how to unhinge all manner of Government; and as an Aggravation of their Misfortune, as they own'd it themselves, except Rice, Daly, and Neagle, there was not a Man in the Privy-Council that had common Senfe. Neceffity at laft fupplied the Place of Invention; and a Method was agreed upon which reduc'd Corporations to perfect Slavery, which was their prime and ultimate Aim; for as to Matter of Trade, or Improving of the Nation, these were Speculations of too refined a Nature for their Understandings, as was demonftrated in the firft Proclamation iffued forth by Tyrconnel and his Council, to break an Act of Parliament in taking off the Duty of Iron, and admitting it fo into the Kingdom, whereby they might encourage Merchants to bring in Pieces of Eight from Spain; and fo hafty were they to have the Honour of this admirable Contrivance, that without asking the King's Leave (which is ever done before any Proclamation, relating to the Revenue, pafs) they put it in Execution; but as foon as 'twas heard of in England, a Proclamation came from the King, forbidding this wife Act of those great Statesmen. And fo ill this prefumptuous Folly of theirs was interpreted, that the Lord Bellafis (wore in Council, that, That Fellow in Freland was Fool and Madman enough to ruin Ten Ringdoms; and Father Petre corrected him severely for this foul Mifcarriage.

And now the Irish Papifts being fupported by a Lord Lieutenant of their own Perfuafion, they carried all things before them; and the Proteftants were not only Opprefs'd, but rendred Infamous; for the Lord Chancellor Fitton did not tick to fay even upon the Bench, and at other Places; That the Proteftants were all Rogues; and that among Forty' Thoufand of them, there was not one that was not d

E 2