to declare that he would hear the matter thereof in council. And did order that a copy of the said representation be delivered to the earl of Anglesey, lord privy-seal, and that his lordship do attend his majesty in council on Friday next, at three of the clock in the afternoon at Whitehall, when his majesty hath appointed to take that business into further consideration.

JOHN NICHOLAS.

The earl of Anglesey, lord privy-seal, being by the said Order of his majesty in council, of June 17th, appointed to be at council at White-hall, June 23rd, being not able to stand by reason of the gout, yet got out of his bed, and was carried thither; where when the king came, he spake to his majesty (as I am well informed) to this effect.

Sir; I am in the first place to beg your majesty's pardon for my obedience to your order for appearing here this day, being in no condition of health to have left my bed, and altogether unfit for the presence of the king.

"And indeed I expected that the duke of Ormond would rather have complained and printed against the earl of Castlehaven his Memoirs; which aspersed and scandalized your royal father's government, and represented the Protestants of Ireland as rebels, and the confederate Irish papists as loyal subjects, than against me, who had vindicated his majesty's government, and his Protestant faithful subjects so effectually in my Letter to the said earl, that his lordship in an Epistle to the Reader which he after added to his Memoirs, confessed himself and the Irish confederates the rebels: And that all the water in the sea would no 'wash that rebellion off that nation,'

happy Restoration, or carried it on with more success in great dangers and difficulties, than his lordship. In conclusion the duke was ordered to charge the Lord Privy Seal by particulars in writing, that he might know what to answer, generals not being sufficient, and so that business was left at that time.

Now follows the Lord Privy Seal's Answer to the duke of Ormond's Representation of Complaint against him.

To the King's most Excellent Majesty. The Earl of Anglesey, Keeper of your Majesty's Privy Seal, (misled by an ill Precedent admitted) most humbly represents: That having this 18th day of June, received in bed, (where he had continued for above a month last past, very much afflicted with the gout, and deprived of the use of hands and legs, and by reason of pains and sicknesses getting little rest, which he hath reason to believe was well known to the duke of Ormond;) your majesty's order in council of the 17th, with a copy of the Representation of the said duke annexed, and command to attend your majesty in council on Friday next, at three o'clock in the afternoon at Whitehall, which he resolves by God's blessing to do if he shall be in a capacity of health and strength to be carried thither, without peril of his life; which he doth not believe that the duke himself thinks, after a year and a half concerning himself in this controversy, is to be adventured to gratify a hasty proposal, upon his changing his way of proceeding.

In the mean time, That your majesty may not be under the least prepossession by what the duke hath represented with heat, and sharpness against the said earl, he doth humbly offer to consideration, that though the duke appear be fore your majesty, as a representer, the said earl cannot but look upon him as a petitioner, the title by which all subjects that complain, address to your majesty, and for want of which he hath observed many suitors rejected with their you requests.

"This is the first quarrel I ever had with any man, and your majesty sees how it is brought upon me, and cannot but believe it very unwelcome to me from one who hath so many years professed friendship to me. But that which troubles me in it is, that it is pretended to be upon account of my failing in duty to his late majesty and yourself, whereas if I can pretend to merit any thing, it is for exemplary and considerable faithfulness and service to both.

"Sir, That I may not trouble you with much discourse, I have reduced the vindica. tion of my innocence to writing, which I present for my answer to the duke of Ormond's accusation, and to which I shall add no more but my desire, That though the duke of Ormond hath thought fit to attack me thus causelessly, all the contention hereafter between him and me may be who shall serve your majesty best, and cost you least."

And therefore your majesty is desired to be informed in the first place by a deduction, of all that hath passed between the duke and the earl in this affair, which is as followeth :

The Book complained of was written about two years ago by mere accident of the earl of Castlehaven's sending his printed Memiors, to the earl then at Blethington, in Oxfordshire, where having read the same, and conceiving the English, and Protestants to be unjustly dealt with therein, and the Irish foul cause proIn the next place all the papers written and fessedly justified, though the most execrable printed, that had passed between the duke and rebellion that ever was in the world; the earl the Lord Privy Seal, were read as they lay in could not digest the same, but upon a bare old order, and both the lords discoursed and ban-memory without help of writings or notes, im died the matter fully, which the king heard with great patience: The duke of Ormond notwithstanding doing right to the Lord Privy Seal, as to acknowledge that none had been more active and instrumental in his majesty's

mediately put pen to paper, and the 8th of July wrote a letter to the said earl of Castlehaven, which he believes his lordship hath yet to shew, though when it appeared afterwards in print, about October 1680, one was sent to his lord

knows not, till the duke gives more clear and particular occasion.

Whosoever shall take notice of what the duke asserts of his and the earl's free converse and friendship for above 20 years, and (which the earl adds, and the duke cannot forget) the real and adventurous friendship which the earl hath engaged in with and for the duke, he cannot but wonder as others do, that they are so easily cancelled and turned into rancour and ill returns, without demonstrating a change in the earl, which may satisfy inquiring men the duke hath a cause.

ship taking notice thereof, and asking him what he had done with the said letter, who then con fessed he had lent it to a friend, but he would recover it again. The letter being thus printed, the duke of Ormond had soon sight of it, for in his letter to the earl of Anglesey of November the 12th, 1681, he takes notice that he had seen it a year before, and writes his pleasure of fit so satirically, that the said earl returned his answer of the 7th of October following, which the said duke takes notice of in his said representation, though he never before acknowledged the receipt thereof, nor was pleased to make any reply to it, though it gave him sufficient occasion: thus, when the said earl expected a reply, things stood till the same Complaint made to your majesty, which he humbly submits whether it be fit to be received or proceeded upon in council, after so open a litigation thereof in print, wherein the said duke had appealed to the people, and accused the earl with as much acrimony as it was possible for the duke's sharp pen to do, it being as the said earl conceives, below the dignity of your majesty and the board, after the duke has proceeded so far in a private quarrel of his own making, without success, (and that those the duke had appealed to seemed generally satisfied that the earl had fully vindicated himself from the aspersions laid upon him by the duke's said letter) for your majesty to be addressed to so late, and in a cause so concluded; wherein the earl had justified himself in the method the duke himself led him, and is ready to proceed further so The duke complains further, that in the to do, if the duke shall please to reply in main-course of above 20 years free and friendly actenance of his printed charge. quaintance and correspondence with him, the earl never thought fit to give him any intimas tion of his intent to write a History of the wars of Ireland, and other transactions there.

However the earl not knowing what course in this affair will be pursued, or directed, saith that he doth not disown the Book mentioned in the duke's representation, so far as he hath acknowledged the same in a letter written by him to the said duke.

But denies that in the same book or letter, there are divers, or any passages and expressions which are not only untrue, but reflecting in a high degree upon his late majesty's government, and particularly in relation to the rebellion and war in Ireland, and to the several cessations and peaces made by his, and your majesty's authority and command, which the said earl hath formerly intimated in writing to the said duke in answer to a letter of his insinuating the same thing, and urging for particulars which the said earl could never yet

obtain.

The said earl is no further charged with maliciously calumniating and aspersing the said duke, and insinuating several particulars to that purpose, but the passages in the said books of that import are still reserved, and not thought fit by the said duke, to be expressed so as the earl may know what, or how to answer,

And the said earl is not ignorant that malicious calumny or scandal against so great a person as the duke of Ormond, is severely punishable by law,

What to say more herein the said earl

For else it seems wonderful and past belief to intelligent men, that the earl, who professeth that he bears malice to no person living, nor ever had quarrel with any man, that counts it his great misfortune in his old age, when he was preparing to go to his grave ir peace and in perfect charity with all men, he should be attacked by one who hath professed friendship to him above these twenty years, and as he finds by letters and otherwise was intimately a friend to his father: as it is miraculous to the same degree, that the earl in his circumstances should willingly be drawn into controversy with so great and fortunate a man, and so anci ent a friend as the duke of Ormond.

But since it hath been the duke's pleasure or humour so violently, and so many ways to assault the earl, he must not take it ill that he cannot bear wounds patiently, and without just resentment.

The said earl cannot recollect with certainty whether he did or no, but he very well rement bereth that many years ago he acquainted sir George Lane then the duke's secretary, and now viscount of Lanesborrow (and who told him he had the custody of all the duke's papers and writings of public affairs) with his intended History of Ireland, who promised him the assistance of them, but he could never yet obtain any from him: nor from the duke himself, since he made a free offer and promise of them by his letter of the 12th of November, threatening to appeal from the earl as a partially en gaged, and unfaithful historian if he accepted them not, he being as he wrote, more desirous to prevent than rectify errors and mistakes. The earl having this noble encouragement from so great a person, (and who was to make so great a part of it) to proceed in his History, by his letter of the 7th of October, acknowledged and accepted the duke's favour, expecting the performance thereof, but never heard since from the duke till by his representation to your majesty, wherein he seems to forget or retract all that had passed, though the earl had given him all the assurance a man of honour could do, that he would be exactly faithful and im partial in the History, and now shews that he

is unwilling any History should be written by the earl, whose candor and impartiality he will yet allow to be but pretended, and threfore proposeth that your majesty will prevent the credit which they, his great place, and supposed knowledge (especially in the affair of Ireland) may give to his writings in these and future times, never considering that himself hath greater places. Yet the earl doth not apprehend their giving credit to any thing the duke hath or shall write against the truth, which the earl is resolved to tie himself strictly and authentically to if he be suffered to go on, and not discouraged in his design with which he intended to close his labours in this life, for the good of England, and the safety of that poor kingdom of Ireland, harrassed by rebellions and massacres, and which must expect and undergo more (still preparing) unless prevented by wise councils here, upon the warnings that a true account of former times and failings may give

us.

And since the earl hath been versed above 40 years in public affairs, without blemish or dishonour, and intends by your majesty's permission, to dedicate his History to yourself, which sure he would not be so weak as to offer if any thing were to be in it of the nature the duke presageth, the earl therefore hopes the duke may at least trust your majesty's wisdom with the publishing of what you shall have the perusal of if you judge it worth your reading before it go to the press, being intended both for the honour of the late king and of your majesty, and not to gratify any private humour or party, or to disguise or cover the errors or miscarriages of any subject whatsoever.

As to the duke's reflection, that the earl chose rather to seek for information from the earl of Castlehaven than from him, the contrary doth appear ever since the earl had any hopes given him of the duke's assistance, with such authentic instruments and writings as may contribute to the History, which the earl cannot but yet expect, and he never desired other informations from the said earl of Castlehaven, than in the military actions wherein the duke employed him as a general, and never thought of making other use of them than as they concurred with, cleared and confirmed the true account the earl was possessed of in those affairs before.

As to the duke's insinuating (where he mentions the war of Ireland and other transactions there, wherein they had both a great part) that they were of opposite parties, since he accounts it serviceable to his design of aggravating to the utmost against the earl, the occasion is willingly embraced to give your majesty a brief and true information of the part the earl had both in Ireland and England, in the late unhappy time.

The earl was (under the authority his late majesty had entrusted both houses of parliament with, for ordering and governing the affairs in Ireland, after the horrid rebellion begun) instrumental there to preserve the British and

Protestant interest, countries and garrisons, from being swallowed up by Owen Oneill's barbarous army, or falling into the bloody Irish hands. He also held correspondence with and offered assistance to the then marquis of Ormond, to preserve the English and save the city of Dublin, and other English garrisons and quarters from the treacherous Irish, who broke all faith with the marquis.

He likewise sent to the marquis the late king's majesty's positive prohibition in writing against making any peace, or having at all further dealing with the Irish, and used hi most earnest persuasions herein, foreseeing it would be destructive to the English, and mis chievous to the late king; and still offered assistance to the marquis to encourage him in vigorous opposing the Irish, and to enable him to disappoint their treachery, and the conse quence of their faith-breaking.

The said earl after the peace notwithstanding made with the Irish confederate rebels, and their shameful and treacherous breach of it, with design and endeavour to surprize the mar quis and all the English garrisons in Leinster, and after they had so handled their business as to get the commissioners of parliament, (which were arrived at Dublin by the marquisses invitation, to receive the city of Dublin, and all other garrisons and strengths under his command, and secure them against the Irish, for which end they had brought forces, shipping, provisions, and ammunition of all sorts with them) to be rejected and sent away by the marquis.

He upon a second invitation of the marquis to the parliament, (upon the Irish rebels con tinued breaches and treacheries) went again for Ireland, after he had used all his interest to persuade them to send again, though they were very unwilling, and it was much opposed by reason of the former unexpected disappointment.

And was the chief employed in commission from the parliament with an army of horse and foot, furnished with all things necessary to deliver the marquis and English from the Irish treacheries and designs, and to receive the city of Dublin and other garrisons, into the parliament's custody, who were trusted, and able to preserve the same for the crown, if we could agree upon articles for that pur pose, which by the blessing of God the earl did to the marquis and the late lord chancellor Eustace, (whom the marquis chiefly trusted therein) to their great satisfaction, as well as his own and the English and protestants; and after he and the rest of the commissioners had received the city of Dublin and other garrisons and conveyed the marquis with the honour due to his quality, to the sea-side to take shipping for England, as the articles gave leave; and had spent some time to lay the foundations which after happily succeeded, for the total reduction of the Irish, and breaking their cursed confederacy and power for treachery, and final subduing them to the crown of Eng