182 LIFE, TIMES. AND SCIENTIFIC LABOURS [1646-7. 



dom to provide a Lord Lieutenant. And it is a point 

 of no small importance to the present situation of 

 affairs, to begin with appointing to that post a Catholic, 

 so highly beloved by this kingdom and the King him 

 self. Besides it is to be considered, that the King s 

 inclination and pleasure concurs with this design ; for 

 though his Majesty has appointed the Earl by his lesser 

 seal only, yet that is sufficient for the Irish, since they 

 have just reason to consider that appointment as legal 

 and valid. Add to this, that as the Confederates of Ire 

 land have it in their view to transport the Holy Faith 

 into England by their arms, no person appears to be 

 more fit for the execution of such a purpose, than the 

 Earl, in whom two characters are united, that of a 

 faithful servant to the King, and a perfect Catholic ; 

 and who, the winter before, was ready to carry over to 

 the King from that country ten thousand men for the 

 same purposes. Some, and those but a few, oppose this 

 design, upon this single consideration, that the Earl 

 being both an Englishman and of a very mild temper, 

 will not be favourable enough to Ireland, nor exert the 

 firmness necessary in this case. But I believe no better 

 choice can now possibly be made, and that the ap 

 pointment of a Catholic Lord Lieutenant, who is in so 

 many respects attached to the Apostolical See, and 

 bound to it by oath and promises, which the Earl 

 has a hundred times repeated to me, is sufficient to 

 weigh down every other doubt.&quot; 



And about the 28th of the same month the Earl took 

 the following Oath* to the Nuncio : 



&quot; I, Edward Earl of Glamorgan, &c. faithfully 

 promise and swear, that I will do nothing of moment 



* See his previous Oath, page 159. 



