СНАР. many XXXIV. form, exceeded his instructions so as to insert particulars in favour of the catholics, which had not been conceded. On the remonstrance of Ginckle, the honour of Sarsfield, conformable to his courage, corrected this obliquity, and reduced the articles to the original sense of the agreement. A proclamation had been prepared by the lords justices, offering terms more liberal still, but suppressed on intelligence of Ginckle's treaty, hence called jocosely the secret proclamation, as, though printed, it was never published. On the first of October these chief governors arrived in the camp at Limerick, and on the third the articles were finally adjusted and signed; the civil by the lords justices, Porter and Coningsby, the military by the general, and all afterwards ratified by their Majesties William and Mary. In a few days after the completion of the surrendry, a formidable fleet arrived from France in the Shannon, with troops, arms, ammunition, and provisions, for the relief of Limerick, which, if the capitulation had been so long delayed, must have caused a raising of the siege and a dangerous prolongation of the war. Yet the protestants of Ireland were enraged at the concessions made to the catholics, concessions necessary for the state of William's affairs, and probably agreeable to his idea of justice; since, in the contest between the two kings, the catholics, if they had even been indifferent, must have taken a part, and that they should in such a case adhere to a prince of their own religion was altogether natural. These catholics, who had before XXXIV. CHAP. submitted on less favourable terms, were mortified; and those who were so infatuated as to remain attached to the French interest, repented of their surrendry, on intelligence of the French fleet's arrival, which returned home, when the object of its destination was discovered to have been lost. Articles of The chief substance of these articles, on which Limerick, and all the other posts in possession of the Irish Jacobites, were surrendered to the new government, were that the catholics of Ireland should enjoy such privileges in the exercise of their religion as were consistent with law, or such as they had enjoyed in the reign of Charles the second; and that their Majesties, as soon as their affairs would permit, should summon a parliament, and endeavour to procure from it such further security as might preserve them from disturbance in this particular: that all the Irish in this kingdom, in the service of James, should receive their pardon, and exemption from all such actions of debt as might arise from acts committed by them, in plunder or otherwise, in the course of the war; and should be reinstated in their properties, real and personal, and in all their rights, titles, and privileges, on their taking of the oath of allegiance enjoined by an act of the English parliament in the first year of William's reign: that every lord and gentleman, included in the capitulation, should be allowed to carry arms for the defence of his house or person, or amusement in hunting: that the garrison should march away with all the honours of war; and that those, who might choose to XXXIV. remove from Ireland, should be permitted to retire CHAP. with their effects to any country except Great-Britain, in ships provided for that purpose at the expence of the English government. The civil articles amounted to thirteen, the military to twenty-nine. Fourteen thousand Irish, availing themselves of the permission to go beyond sea, bid a farewell for ever to their native country. Ginckle, whose services had been highly meritorious, and Rouvigny, another foreigner, by whom he had been powerfully seconded, were ennobled by William, the former under the titles of lord Aghrim and earl of Galway, the latter under that of lord Galway: but Mackay and Talmash, also of high merit, British officers, were invidiously observed to be neglected by their sovereign. CHAP. XXXV. СНАР. Authorities for Irish history-Leland-Reflexions FROM ROM the capitulation of Limerick I reluctantly XXXV. part with Doctor Leland, my faithful guide from Authorities the first arrival of the Stronbownian English to history. that event, whose history, so impartial as to offend for Irish the shallow and violent of every party, is compiled from a great number of original historians and other documents. Through his period of Irish transactions I have chiefly followed his compilation, more in the matter than the arrangement, comparing it with his authorities, sometimes using his words, as I took not the least pains either to avoid or adopt his ex pressions, XXXV. pressions, but indifferently availed myself of what- CHAP. ever terms readily occurred, and seemed fit for the purpose. Notwithstanding the supplies afforded me by gentlemen of liberal spirit, a few of the less important materials, from which this respectable writer has compiled, have been beyond my reach, particularly some manuscripts. Some had been communicated to the doctor by the famous Edmund Burke, who, from partiality to catholics, and violence in favour of whatever party he espoused, was highly offended, when he found that the historian was not seduced by his documents from the medium of rectitude. Such has been my own case when I wrote an account of the local rebellion in 1798. I was obligingly supplied with information by men of opposite parties, who were much disappointed when they perceived that my history was not composed in favour of either, but written from a comparison of different narratives with one another and my own experience. To clog my pages with quotations at bottom I have considered as unnecessary in this compilation, but have mentioned in the body of the work my principal authorities before the commencement of Leland's period. The references to his materials may be seen in the margin of his book ; and what tracts were extant relative to Irish history in the year 1723 are mostly registered in a treatise named Nicholson's Irish Historical Library, For the remaining part of this compilation, parliamentary records, and various undigested documents, must be ransacked. |