Ireland; that this Bill had passed so far back as March 19, 1642; and that its operation was entirely and exclusively levelled against the Catholics. What then could be his motive, or that of the Bishops, in proposing a treaty with the regicides? Can any thing be discovered in his Bleeding Iphigenia, or in his Unkind Deserter, or in his Apology published by Massarius, and written in 1653, to unravel this mystery? are there no documents?

When Galway was, much to the surprise of the world, says Carte, compelled by Lord Clanricard to submit, in 1642, and without the least aid or supply, and almost without any countenance from the State, he found means to reduce one of the strongest and most important towns of the kingdom, the Lords Justices, instead of thanking him, disapproved of his granting any conditions, and sent him express orders to give no quarter, but to persecute all who adhered to the rebels, indiscriminately, with fire and sword!

They were informed that, by the terms of capitulation, a great quantity of con, arms,

ammunition, twenty-two pieces of ordnance, were secured, and the Protestant Bishops of Tuam, Clonfet, and Killala, with about 400 English, preserved from the fury of the popu lace; but they despised this intelligence, and issued an order that no submissions should be received; and "this was the constant tenor of "their orders, says Carte, though they well "knew that the soldiers, in executing them, "murdered all persons promiscuously, not "sparing the women, and, sometimes, not the "children." Such were French's allies!

155. What renders Bishop French still more inexcusable is, his knowledge that the first Irish Parliament that excluded Catholic Members, June 22, 1642, was a Puritanical Assembly, at which not half the Members of that House were present; that on the day before,

* I have before me their acknowledgment of the humanity they experienced from the Inhabitants; and knowing as I do, that it will be read by my Countrymen, with the generous feelings of Irishmen, I shall give it in the sequel.

↑ See their order of May 28, 1642, in Carte's Originals, C. 125, and his Ormond, v. 1, p. 327, &c. And their Letter of June 6, 1642, to the Commissioners for Irish affairs.

Ireland; that this Bill had passed so far back as March 19, 1642; and that its operation was entirely and exclusively levelled against the Catholics. What then could be his motive, or that of the Bishops, in proposing a treaty with the regicides? Can any thing be discovered in his Bleeding Iphigenia, or in his Unkind Deserter, or in his Apology published by Mar sarius, and written in 1653, to unravel this mystery? are there no documents?

When Galway was, much to the surprise of the world, says Carte, compelled by Lord Clanricard to submit, in 1642, and without the least aid or supply, and almost without any countenance from the State, he found means to reduce one of the strongest and most important towns of the kingdom, the Lords Jas tices, instead of thanking him, disapproved of his granting any conditions, and sent him express orders to give no quarter, but to persecute all who adhered to the rebels, indiscriminately, with fire and sword!

They were informed that, by the terms of capitulation, a great quantity of corn, arms,

431

ammunition, twenty-two pieces of ordnance,
were secured, and the Protestant Bishops of
Tuam, Clenfet, and Killala, with about 400
English, preserved from the fury of the popu
lace;* but they despised this intelligence, and
issued an order that simianions should be
received; and i was the omstant tenor of
“their orders, says Care, úngi áey well
* knew that the suiten, in seat.ng them,
murdered all persons promiscuiy ané
sparing the dromen, aut, amines at the
SUCL WERE Frack & flies?
"chiares.."

Léé. Vur. Tauer Exam Frag som
orde da se irg

inexcusine L N

Irisi. Patiament. hat.

WT

they had expelled forty-six Catholic Members without any trial; and now they ordered that no person should sit in the House, till he had first taken the oath of supremacy; an order, says Carte, by which a much greater number of Catholics, who were unexceptionable in other respects, were disqualified!

It was a new thing in Ireland, for the Commons to dictate Tests for the exclusion of persons, whom neither the original Constitution of Parliament, nor the law of the land had excluded; and it was the more extraordinary to do it in so thin a House.* They were sensible themselves, that they had need of a particular law, to warrant what they had thus arbitrarily done; and accordingly they drew up an ex-post-facto Bill to enforce it; a Bill trenching upon the royal prerogative; for the Kings of England had, of old, by their writs of summons, fixed the qualification of Members; and it was a cruel treatment of the King, to force him, either to authorize this encroach

* Carte's Orm. ib. p. 328.