XVIII.

CHAP. fo important fince to the British empire, was prevented not only by the abilities of Mountjoy and Carew, but also by the errors of the Spanish cabinet, whofe preparations were too late, and the place of invafion ill chofen, Munfter, a province then reduced to fubjection, and far diftant from the armies of Tyrconnel and Tyrone. Among the prudent measures of Irish adminiftration in these critical times, was mildnefs in religious matters; for, notwithstanding the affected complaints of mal-contents against heretical oppreffion, the laws enacted against recufants, perfons refufing to conform to the proteftant rites, or to take the oath of fupremacy, lay dormant in Ireland; and, notwithstanding the poison of bigotry, moft laboriously infused by facerdotal emiffaries from Rome and Spain, the armies of the queen were in great part compofed of catholics, whofe loyal conduct was honourable to themselves, and the religion which they profeffed, when unperverted for political ends. The reduction of this unfortunate ifland coft Elizabeth fix hundred thousand pounds in fix months in 1599, and almost three millions and a half in the last ten years; fums altoge ther enormous in that age, and in the then existing ftate of the English finances, when the ordinary revenue of the crown fell fhort of half a million yearly; and coft the country, which was the scene of war, perhaps the greater part of its population by fword, famine, and peftilence, the acCounts of whose ravages, tranfmitted by writers

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XVIII.

of undoubted veracity are horrible and appalling CHAP. to human feelings nor was this war unattended with rueful wafte of English blood in a country then unfriendly, from the dampnefs of its air, its woods, and fcanty culture, to English conftitutions,

CHAP.

XIX.

Acceffion of James the first. 1603.

CHA P. XIX.

Acceffion of Fames the firft-Religious disturbancesPolitical regulations-Religious oppofition-Flight of Tyrone and Tyrconnel――O ́Dogherty's rebellion— Plantation of Ulifter—Attention to the church-Religious difcontents-Petition of recufant lords-First national parliament-Altercations Convocation Extenfion of plantations-Saint John's adminiftration-State of the country-of the army and revenue -Spanifb recruiting-Oppreffions of plantationsCorruption of commiffioners-Grievances from dif coverers-Abuses of undertakers-Reflexions-Improvements-Customs-Scheme of plantation in Connaught-Death of James.

CHAP. To the great Elizabeth in the English throne fucceeded, under the title of James the firft, a defcendant of Henry the seventh by a female line, James Stuart, king of Scotland, who thus united under one monarch the three diftin&t kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Of much erudition, though of fo moderate an intellect as to defcend to pedantry, and fo weak in politics as to incur the contempt of European courts, James was fortunately fitted by his pacific talents for the task which had devolved on him in Ireland, the establishment of English polity throughout the whole country, and inftitutions for the reduction of its inhabitants into order and civilization. But the abilities of Mount

joy

XIX.

joy were still neceffary in the beginning of this reign CHAP. to prevent a renovation of troubles from religious fury, the inftigators of which affured the people, in fome places that James was a catholic, in others that he could not be a lawful king unless he had been established by the pope's authority, and had fworn to defend the catholic religion.

disturbances.

Seduced by fuch peftilent preachers, the inhabi- Religious tants of feveral cities in Leinfter, and of most in Munster, proceeded by their own authority to the reestablishment of the Romish worship in all its former pomp, ejecting the reformed minifters from their churches, and feizing the religious houfes which had been converted to civil ufes. The lord-deputy immediately marching fouthward to quell fuch feditious factions, and appearing before Waterford with his army, was refufed admittance by the citizens, who alleged that by a charter from king John they were exempt from the quartering of foldiers; and they alfo declared, by the mouths of two ecclefiaftics in the habits of their order, that they could not in confcience obey any fovereign who fhould perfecute catholics. Mountjoy, having condefcended to expose the falsehood of a quotation of these churchmen from Saint Auftin in fupport of their doctrine, threatened to cut in pieces the charter of John with the fword of James, to demolish the city and ftrew it with falt. Terrified by the well-known fpirit and abilities of this leader, the citizens immediately yielded and fwore allegiance; and their example was without oppofition followed by the inhabitants of Cafhel, Clonmel, and other cities. Thofe

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CHAP. of Cork, the most refractory, who had for fome time declined to proclaim the king, and been blockaded by the royal forces, not without fome bloodfhed, furrendered at difcretion on the arrival of the deputy, who, having executed fome of the inferior agitators, treated the reft with lenity, among whom was Mead the recorder, acquitted by the manifest partiality of his jury.

Political regulations.

3604.

Having published an act of oblivion and indemnity, to quiet the apprehenfions of multitudes, implicated in the late rebellion, and having by the fame authority received the whole body of the Irish peafantry into the immediate protection of the crown, who had been moftly before abandoned to the defpotifm of their chiefs, Mountjoy, created lord lieutenant, and conftituting Sir George Carew his deputy, returned to England accompanied by Hugh O'Nial earl of Tryone, and by Roderic O'Donnel, the latter of whom was created earl of Tyrconnel, the former confirmed in his honours and eftates. But this nobleman, who had fo long baffled the arms of Elizabeth, was held in fuch deteftation by the populace, on account of the deaths of fo many of their friends caused by his rebellion, that he could not fafely travel without a strong efcort.

In the fucceffive adminiftration of Carew and Sir Arthur Chichester fheriffs were appointed to the feveral counties, itinerant judges performed their circuits, and the native Irish, now admitted to all the privileges of English subjects, were taught to regard the fyftem of English polity in a favourable manner, when its execution was obferved to be impartial and

ftrict,