IRELAND. 



211 



T 



ed i 



r-.r-- **> 



.or., t Mb 



upon them ; and, in the distribution of lands, proper at- 

 tention was paid to the support of the church. Free 

 schools w i ! in the principal towns, and the 



university o! Dublin rci a -rants of land-. 



The I.n^'l -h government next turned its attention to 

 the colonization of the immense possessions which were 

 forfeited; nearly S'O.OOO acres were in this predica- 

 ment in the north <>f Ireland : and these it was resolved 

 to settle with such people, anci in such a manner, a* 

 might render the colonization beneficial both to the 

 settlers themselves and to the Irish. As this desire 

 ras sincere, and as the plan was thoroughly dJL 

 able and impartial nu-n, the object was accomplish- 

 in a much greater degree than might have been an- 

 ticipated. 



In 11)13, the first national parliament was held in 

 Ireland. Their fir-t i.r- eedings were tumultuous; but 

 afterward* they conducted themselves with more deco- 

 . D. Ic.13. punl( mn< j tne j f acu were wige >n j beneficial. O'Xeil, 



who had again embarked in treasonable designs, but 

 afterward* fled to the continent the Earl of Tyrcon- 

 nel, who had joined him and O'Dogherty, who had 

 been concerned in ait-in-urrection, were attainted; am- 

 nesty and pardon were granted to all others. The 

 measure' of the king to abolish the distinctions between 

 the English by birth, and the English by blood, and to 

 place the native Irish under tlie protection of the law, 

 were approved by the legislature ; and the session was 

 domed by a bill of subsidy. 



withstanding these judicious measures, and the 

 apparent tranquillity of Ireland, there still existed se- 

 rious causes of disaffection ; but the** had now ax*u- 

 med a religious character. The Reformation had made 

 little progress the great portion of the nobility, and 

 nearly all the lower orders, were still attached to the 

 Catholic religion ; and as they were cut off from the 

 possession of offices by their refusal to take the oath of 

 supremacy, there were thus implanted in them two 

 weighty reason* of discontent difference of religion, 

 and the disabilities which this occasioned. But, as they 

 were sensible of their own numbers and power, they 

 openly urged their claims and wishes, and opposed the 

 measure* of the Protestants. From this source had 

 arisen the tumultuous proceedings of the parliament 

 wlu-n it first opened ; an<l the disposition ili-pl , .id by 

 the recuaant* (a* they were called) to make demands 

 in r ligiou* matters, caii-cd its unexpected dissolution. 

 Tin p.pe naturally approved and supported the mea- 

 sures of the recuunts ; and, in order that they might 

 hold together, and act with decision, he ..: 

 regular hierarchy throughout the kingdom, all the mem- 

 ber* of whirh met with .1- much respect and obedience 

 a* they had received when the Catholic was the eta- 

 htl religion. 



h waa the state of Ireland when Charles I. a*. 

 MkniiiMtrs. muled the throne. In 1633. that monarch appointed 

 Uentworth lord-lieutenant. He entered upon 

 See with notions that were by no means calculatid to 



r him popular, or to benefit Inland ; for he car- 

 ried hi* idea* of tlie right ,t to the utmost ex- 



. ami acted on these ulej., U.th in Ins general 



iistration of the country, and in hi* trcauii, ; 



He 'reins, rn.wi--.er. m some respect* to 

 have benefited Irei.n ougb he discouraged the 



wiH.'li-ti m.,: ., ' . :,!,'. ii , :t n.i^l-.t mj -ire tli.it m.o u- 

 fCtU' -., lne 



establishment of a linen manutattuu in L'Uter. In I 

 Wentwurth left Ireland, to assist bis royal matter in the 

 VOL. 141. PART i. 



Jlr 7 I 



*..; .:< 



A. I). Jj3. 



difficulties and troubles in which he was involved, having ^ History. 

 previously, as he thought, proved and secured the loyal- """"Y"""*' 

 ty of the Irish parliament. As soon, however, as they 

 found that Charles was involved in a war with Scot- 

 land, and that the English parliament were rising in 

 their demands from him, they forgot their protestations 

 and promises, and directed a remonstrance to be sent 

 to the kin^ regarding the grievances they had suffered 

 from Wentworth. This remonstrance, instead of being 

 pre-enled to his m:.je>ty, was communicated to the 

 English House of Commons, who naturally fomented 

 and encouraged the discontents of the Irish. The king, 

 under these circumstances, was obliged to yield, and to 

 agree that most of the grievances complained of should tharlfs 

 be removed. This concession only stimulated to fresh First's coa- 

 demands ; and, to render these demands more irapera- cefcipnl - 

 live, the recusants and puritans, who formed the majo- 

 rity of the parliament, united. 



It is not to be supposed that the Irish chieftains were 

 inactive during this state of things ; on the contrary, 

 they used their utmost endeavours to persuade the peo- 

 ple, that the moment was arrived when they might 

 shake off the English yoke. The most active and en- Roger 

 terprising person on this occasion was Roger Moore : Moore's r*- 

 He was defended from a family once powerful, hut now bellion.. 

 reduced, in the Queen's county ; and though not of 

 native Irish descent, yet he contrived to ingratiate him- 

 self so thoroughly with the native Irish, that he was 

 jec-t ..t their most popular songs. His address 

 was insinuating his manners, when he chose, and 

 deemed it necessary or politic, highly polished and 

 hi- judgment cool and penetrating. With him were 

 associated several men, greatly his inferiors in every 

 respect, but whom he well knew how to employ as 

 useful intruments for his purposes. 



The levying of troops for the Spanish service had 

 been very injudiciously permitted in Ireland : These 

 troop* were kept in the country by the contrivance of 

 Moore and his associate*, whoul* increased llu-ir num- 

 bers. Upon there Moore mainly depetuUd tor -tttmg 

 the rebellion in motion ; and he trusted that hi.- mea- 

 sures were to well taken, that, when once set in mo- 

 tion, it would spread mpidly over the whole kingdom. 

 Their rirt ol.jert was tlie seizure of Dublin c.itle; Attempts to 

 and. tor tin- purpose, on the g'.'d of October 1641, he *' Dub - 

 nnd hi ..--.< i .it* assembled in the capital, witli an in- *!" n**i4i 



id. next day to attempt the seizure; but on the 

 |.r.-. i..i;- evening lU- pint was discovered to the lords 

 justice*. This part of the scheme of Moore was of 

 courte frustrated ; but hi* associates in Ulster rose in 

 such strength, and *o simultaneously, that in the course 

 of a vrry tew days they were in possession of nearly 

 the whole of tiii* part of Ireland. The Protestants, 

 alarmed, and completely taken by surprise, (led to their 

 strong place*. As soon, however, as they hud digest- 

 <r plans, and rccovrr. d lr. m their alarm, they 

 m in lied out against the insurgents, whom they defeated 

 and checked in many part*. This served only to en- 

 rage them, and the hostilities they carried on soon be- 

 gan to assume all the horrors of civil war, such a* it it 

 always waged where religious bigotry sharpens the 

 edge of political hatred, and wlun- they l>oth art on 

 savage and barbarous disposition*. ! In- IIIOM crut I and MMUCT-M 

 unheard of massacres were committed by tin n-..c U , by the r- 

 in. r was the c nduct of their opponent* uu>Unied by bcls 

 act* nearly a* atrocious. 



Charles waa totally unable to subdue the insurrec- 

 tion, and the English parliament did not deem it poll* 

 2 H 



