fied! They had been concerned with the Nuncio in offering him the Crown of Ireland, if he would turn Catholic, and hold it of the Holy See.* After the refusal of such an offer, made with the concurrence of the Court of Rome, and with hopes held out of support from all the Catholic States, at a time too when the Irish confederates were in the plenitude of their power, absolutely masters of the kingdom, with the exception of him alone, how could they, without the greatest iniquity, suggest, that he was now about to betray the kingdom to regicides, to sacrifice his Princely fortune, his friends, his Country, and his spotless loyalty to an Usurper, from whom he had nothing to expect but slavery and disgrace!

128. These aspersions however had the effect which the Bishops desired; and now finding their religious cry matured for their designs, they called their famous Synod of Jamestown, Aug. 6, 1650, from whence, on the 10th, they

* See this Address part 1, p. 185.

Compare Nuncio's Memoirs, f. 2984, 2987, with Carte, v. 2, p. 127, 136.

sent the Bishop of Dromore and Dr. C. Kelly Dean of Tuam, with a modest message to Ormond to quit the kingdom.*

I can fancy his indignation-but I will not

* The original is now before me in the Essex MS. already quoted, fol. 84, p. 168. It is dated Aug. 10, 1650; some of our writers have foolishly supposed that it was forwarded from Jamestown on the 13th; but, the date being very important, I give Ormond's reply, by which it is ascertained.

"The Letter of Credence of the 10th of August, from the Bishops mett at Jamestown, being delivered to us on the 12th of the same, by the Bishop of Dromore and Dr. C. Kelly Dean of Tuam, we desired them to reduce the substance of their message into writing, which, on the 13th of the said month, they accordingly did, which after wee had considered, and imparted to the Commissioners of Trust, wee found could not be soe well answered in writing, as wee hoped it might be by a free and personall conference with the said Prelates, which on the 26th of this month wee hoped might have been had, in which hope wee travelled hither, at a time when our presence towards the passages upon the Shannon, betwixt Killaloe and Limerick, was very necessary for the defence of that part of the kingdom, lying on this side that river. But finding now that the said Prelates have not found it convenient to be here, wee doe, according to your desire, returne our answere to the foresaid proposition by the Bishop of Corke and Clonfert, and soe we bid you heartily farewell. From Lochreach, 31st of Aug. 1650.

To the Archbishops and Bishops assembled at Jamestown."
Compare the Nuncio's Memoirs.

attempt to describe it; it vanishes in my own. From his answer, I find that, in hopes of bringing them to a better temper, he begged they would meet him on the 26th at Lochrea; and they allowed him to quit his station on the Shannon accordingly; but, instead of giving him that meeting, which their silence gave him reason to hope for, they sent the Bishops of Cork and Clonfert to demand his resignation!

I have now before me in the Essex MS. his immortal answer to this intolerable insolence; but the publication of it here, would necessarily lead to the publication of other documents connected with it, all of which explain and confirm one another, from page 171 to page 302 in folio, and this would occasion a prolixity, which I am endeavouring, as studiously as possible, to avoid.

129. The following extracts and collations of dates will invincibly shew that I exaggerate nothing; acting the part of a faithful and impartial Historian, I humbly pray that the chastisement which truth inflicts, may serve as a salutary lesson to those foreign-influenced Vicars

and Bishops, for whose instruction and advice it is principally designed.

Extract from Ormond's Reply to the Bishops.

"In their Letter to us dated August 2, 1650, says Ormond, they tell us that the end of their consultation was to doe what in them lay to amend all errours, &c. and, as if they had absolute power of Government, they write to us to send one or more persons to make proposals to them for the safety of the nation, &c. Wee leave it to be judged of, whether the most absolute Monarch in Christendom, could, after a more haughty manner, have required the advice of his subjects. Our answer to this said Letter, produced their Letter from Jamestown, dated the 10th of August." &c.

Here he gives their Letter of the 10th, with their message by the Bishop of Dromore and Dr. Kelly, desiring him to quit the Kingdom, folio 83, p. 166; and next their Declaration and Excommunication, dated the 11th and 12th, ib. p. 167, the very next day, after they had sent that Letter.

If wee could have guessed at their purposes, says he, by their deep protestations, wee should rather have expected their sentences would have been fulminated generally against all of their religion in this kingdom, that would not give us full obedience, and particularly against Limerick and Galway, if they persisted in the disobedience they were in, than that an excommunication should be published against any that should feede, helpe, or adhere unto us!-If this be a manifestation of the candor they profess in their said Letter, as

* Essex MS. folio 82, or page 164.

Christian Catholique Prelates, of their endeavours, with all earnestness, to take away from the hearts of the people all jealousies, wee are much to looke how to understand protestations premitted in the name of Christian Catholique Prelates."

The Jamestown Censures considered.

130. I would now leave it to the Bishops themselves to consider how necessary it is to erect legal barriers against spiritual pride, in order to confine Church Censures within the limits of Canon law.--But clamours have been raised in favour of the Jamestown excommunication! We have been told that it was provoked; that, prior to their excommunicating Ormond and his adherents, one of whom was no less a personage than the King, the Bishops had received intelligence that the King had subscribed the Covenant; and signed the Declaration at Drumfernling; engaging to exterminate Catholicity in all his dominions, and to break the peace of 1648 as impious, though confirmed by his father and by himself.*

* Curry's Hist. Mem. p. 131, 132.