^. 4,m'. 4^* JtS^-^^mSffljiam JT A HISTORY OP THK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND, COMPRISEIG THE CIVIL HISTOET OF THE PROVINCE OF ULSTER, FROM THE ACCESSION OF JAMES THE FIRST: PEELIMINAEY SKETCH OF THE PEOG-EESS OF THB EBFOEMED KELIGION- IJJ lEELAND DUEING THB SIXTEENTH CENTURY. Jin ^T^pulun, tmmtxn^ sf ©riginal |3pri JAMES SEATON EEID, D.D,, M.K.I.A., PROFESSOR OF ECCLESIASTICAL AND CIVIL HISTORY IN THE UNIVEaSITV OF OLASGOW. " Though thy beginning waa small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase, For inquire, I pray thee, ofthe former i^e, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers ; — shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart i"—£oak of Job. VOL. II. SECOND EDITION. LONDON: WHITTAKEE AND 00. EDINBURGH : OLIVER & BOYD. GLASGOW : MAURICE OGLE & SON. BELFAST : HENRY GREER, DUBLIN : WM. CURRY & CO. MDCCCLIII. PRINTED BT ll'COIiMICK AND ROBIK, DONEGALL STREET, BELFAST. ADVEETISEMENT TO THE SECOND EDITION. In the Appendix to this volume, the reader wiU find several curious and important papers never before published. Dr. Eeid had intended to insert these documents in the First Edition of the Second Volume, but want of space obliged him to omit them. This volume also contains a considerable number of notes not to be found in the work as it originaUy appeared. These addi tional notes, some of which throw much new light upon the sub ject of this History, were left ready for publication by the lamented author. EXTRACT FROM THE PREFACE FIEST EDITION OF THE SECOND VOLUME, EXTENDING FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF CHAPTER X. TO THE TERMINATION OF CHAPTER XIX. This Second Volume, compUed diuring the few intervals of leisure which could be gleaned from the laborious duties of the ministry, is at length presented to the public ; but with consi derable anxiety, lest it should disappoint the expectations excited by the former one, the first edition of which has been long since exhausted. The civil and religious history of Ulster, duriQg the eventful period embraced in this volume, I have endeavoured to iUustrate with fidelity and exactness, confining my attention exclusively to the affairs of this province, and exhibiting with the utmost care the various sources whence I derived the information which is now for the flrst time published. Though my researches were necessarily limited, through want boA of sufficient time and of adequate pecuniary resources, I have succeeded in bringing to light many original documents connected with the civil and ecclesiastical affairs of the North of Ireland hitherto buried in obscurity ; while, from the invaluable treasures of the British Museum and the Advocates' Library, I have been enabled to add considerably to the history of Ulster during the civil war and vi PREFACE. the Protectorate, and to trace, more minutely than preceding writers had done, the rise and progress of that successful resist ance to the arbitrary government of James the Second by which the EBVOLtrTiON was consummated on the plains of Ulster. To Sir William Betham, Knt., Foreign Secretary to the Eoyal Irish Academy ; Sir Archibald Edmonstone, Bart., Kilsyth ; Alexander Macdonnell, Esq., Dublin Castle; the Eev. John Lee, D.D., F.E.8.E., principal clerk to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland ; David Laing, Esq., Edinburgh ; George Matthews, Esq., Dublin; and the Eev. William Bruce, D.D,, Belfast, my acknowledgments are due for favouring me with access to unpublished papers, and with other important facilities in the prosecution of my inquiries. Owing to the press of new and interesting matter, which I was unwilling to withhold and unable to condense, this volume has so far exceeded the limits I had calculated on, that I have been reluctantly compelled to close the narrative a few mouths earlier than I had intended, and to withdraw several documents which I had selected for publication in the Appendix.* To these volumes I purpose, "if the Lord wiU," to add a TRIED and concluding one, in which the narrative will be con tinued to the present time, and to which will be appended seve ral authentic tables and other documents, exhibiting the statistics and existing position and circumstances of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. CAEKiCKFEKGns, February 28, 1837. * See advertisement to this edition, prefixed. CONTENTS OF VOLUME SECOND. CHAPTEE XIL A.D. 1645-46. Greneral Assembly meet in Janu ary ... 1 Petitions sent by commissioners from Ulster ... 2 Proceedings of assembly thereon 3 Complaint against Thornton, mayor of Derry . 4 Assembly write to London on the subject .... 5 Procedure of the presbytery in relation to the Romanists . 8 Ordinations of Buttle and Fer guson .... 9 Congregations call Mr. Living- ston . . . ib. Discouragements and Labours of the presbytery . . .10 Arrival of the parliamentary commissioners . . .13 Complaint of tbe pretended pres bytery in the Route . .14 Commissioners support the army presbytery . . .15 Opposition of Dr. Colville . 17 English parliament favour tlio Independents . . .19. Their commissioners in Ulster demand possession of Belfast Charles joins the Soots Ormond concludes a treaty with the Irish confederates . Opposed by the Nuncio and O'Neill .... Monro defeated in the battle of Benburb Lord Montgomery taken prisoner Consequences of this defeat Presbytery cautious in receiving candidates for tbe ministry . Send commissioners to the Ge neral Assembly . Progress of ecclesiastical reform in England Ordinations of Adair, Hall, Cun ningham, and Shaw Of Anthony Kennedy Of Baird and Greg Difficulties in the settlement of Ker and O'Quin Ordinations of Peebles, Ramsay, and Gordon, Of Cunningham and Semple 20 23 ib.ib. 25 ib. 27 29 30 32 3639 41 42 43 CONTENTS. CHAPTEE XIIL A.D. 1646-49. Ormond blockaded in Dublin . His correspondence with the Scots in Ulster . Commissioners from the parlia ment arrive in Dublin They proceed to Ulster . , Dublin is surrendered to them . Monck and Coote appointed by parliament to the chief com mand in Ulster These appointments displeasing to the Scots The presbytery seek the concur rence of Monck and Coote . Who countenance and encourage them .... They petition for the release of Lord Montgomery Who is liberated The Scots army in England de liver up the king and- return ' to Scotland Unconstitutional proceedings of ' the English army The Scottish engagement Opposed by the Church State of parties in Scotland Commissioners sent to Ulster to bring over the Scottish army 52 63 66 ib. 62 Livingston despatched by tlie Church to oppose their le- moval .... Several regiments join the en gagement .... The presbytery publish a decla ration against it . Send a commissioner to the Ge neral Assembly . Who appoint ministers to visit Ulster .... Monck and Coote continue to favour the presbytery . Monck intrigues against Gener.il Monro .... Seizes Carrickfergus and Bel fast, and sends Monro pri soner to London The presbytery censure Sir 'Ro bert Adair for aiding Monck Coleraine taken Coote surprises Culmore and other castles Violent proceedings of the army in England Parliament purged by Pride The Rui]Bp Parliament try the king ib. Who is condemned and be headed . . . 79 07 ib. ib. 69 ib. 71 72 13 7516 ib. IS CHAPTEE XIV. A.D. 1649. Parties in Ulster at the death of The presbytery protest against Charles . . . .80 the murder of the king . 84 Political views of the Presbyte- Their Representation . . t6. nans . . . .81 TJ(ey write to Coote and Monck 91 CONTENTS. IX Royalists join them . . ib. Correspondence between the presbytery and Monck 92 Proceedings in the Lagan . 94 Negotiations between Monok and the council of the army . 96 Declaration of the army and country ... .98 Monck's queries . . . ib. The presbytery publish their vin dication .... 101 Presbyterians possess Ulster, with the exception of Derry . . 103 Which is held .by Coote . . ib. And besieged by the Lagan forces 104 Commencement of the siege . ib. Carried on by Sir R. Stewart and George Monro . .195 Dissensions among the besiegers 106 Case of Ker and O'Quin . 107 They refuse to read the Repre sentation . . . .108 Are suspended by the presbytery ib. PAGE Monro takes Coleraine . .110 Belfast seized by Lord Montgo mery, who joins Ormond against the Presbyterians . 112 Feelings of the presbytery at hia treachery .... ib- Their first letter to him . . 1 13 His answer .... 114 Their second letter . . .115 He takes Carrickfergus . .118 And publishes his declaration . 119 The presbytery publish a coun ter-declaration . . . ib. Ordinations of Maine, Richard son, and others . . .123 Alarm of the ministers . . 124 Several retire to Scotland . ib. Proceedings at the siege of Derry 125 Presbyterians refuse to serve un der Montgomery, and abandon the siege .... 127 He is compelled to withdraw from Derry . . . 128 Arrival of Cromwell in Ireland . ib. CHAPTEE XV. A.D. 1649-63. Cromwell takes the field ¦ Storming of Drogheda Venables sent into Ulster . Takes Lisburn and Belfast Death of Owen O'Connolly Antrim burned by Monro 129 ib. 130 ib. 131 132 Carrickfergus surrendered to Venables . . . . 133 Defeat of the royalists near Lid- burn ib. The republican party threaten the presbytery . . . ] 35 Progress of the Independents . 136 Military operations befween the Irish and the republicans . 139 The former defeated near Letter- kenny .... 142 The latter take Charlemont, and terminate the war in Ulster , 144 The 'engagement pressed . .146 Ministers imprisoned . . 1 46 Correspondence with Venables . 147 Coote 's declaration . . . 152 Parliamentary commissioners . 153 Death of Major Ellis . .164 Kbreased privations of the mi nisters . . . ' . .155 Many withdraw to Scotland . 156 Names of those remaining in the country . . . . ih. CONTENTS. Challenged by the Independents to a public discussion . Which takes place at Antrim . Fleetwood appointed a commis sioner .... High court of justice Notices of Baptist and Indepen dent preachers Ker and O'Quin restored to com munion Two ministers wait on Fleetwood 168 and the council in Dublin 171 159 Papers of the ministers seized They are summoned to appear at 173 164 Carrickfergus ib. ib. Are threatened to be removed out ofthe country 171 16,5 But dismissed with unexpected favour . 175 170 CHAPTEE XVL A.D. 1663-60. Cromwell dissolves the parlia Livingston visits Ireland 208 ment ..... 176 H. Cromwell jealous ofthe Pres Plan for transporting the Scots byterians 212 out of Ulster 177 They refuse to observe his pub Cromwell proclaimed Protector 182 lic fasts ib. Visit of his son Henry to Dublin ib. Two ministers wait on him in Its favourable effects 183 Dublin . . . . 213 Several ministers return to their The Presbyterians narrowly charges .... 184 watched 214 Dissensions in the Church of Instances of this vigilance 215 Scotland 187 H. Cromwell appointed lord-de Prevented from extending to puty . . . . 216 Ulster 189 Becomes more favourable to the Act of Bangor . 190 Scots . . . . 217 The presbytery subdivided 193 State of ministerial maintenance 218 Increase of ministers 196 Meeting of ministers in Dublin . 219 Their maintenance . ib. Independents discontented 221 Sir John Clotworthy interferes Death of Oliver Cromwell *. in their behalf 197 General presbytery at Bally- Endowments granted by the Irish mena 222 council 200 Political changes in England 223 Fleetwood recalled . 201 Henry Cromwell resigns . 224 Henry Cromwell made com Presbyterians first propose to re mander of the army ib. cal the king 225 Rise of the Quakers in Ulster 205 Subsequent proceedings . ib. Proceedings of W. Edmundson . ib. Charles II. restored . 227 CONTENTS. CHAPTEE XVIL A.D. 1660-62. Council of officers assume the government of Ireland . . 228 Presbyterians promote the Res toration . . . 229 Convention meets in Dublin . 230 Countenances the Presbyterians ib. Afterwards favours the bishops . 234 Charles II. proclaimed . . 235 The presbytery depute two mi nisters to wait on him in Lon don . . . , Their address And interview with the king His determination to restore pre lacy , . . . • State of the Church in Ulster New bishops appointed Gentry of Ulster oppose the Presbyterians Proclamation against meetings of presbytery Interview between the ministers and the Irish privy-council . 244 Jeremy Taylor summons the Presbyterian ministers . . 246 237 238 230 ib. 241 242 243 Conference with him at Hillsbo rough 247 He ejects them from their churches . . . 240 Their subsequent privations . 250 Names of ministers deposed in Ulster ... 263 Notices of those who conformed . 256 Meeting of the Irish parliament 257 Declaration of conformity . . 258 Solemn League and Covenant burned . . . .259 Imprudent proceedings of some young ministers . . .262 Proclamation against nonconfor mists ..... 266 Duke of Ormond made lord-lieu tenant . ; . ib. The ministers send a deputation to Dublin . . . .263 Who present a petition to Or mond . . . . . ib. Its reception in the privy-coun cil . . . 289 Ministers not molested . .271 CHAPTEE XVIIL A.D. 1663-84. Blood's plot . . . 272 Scots disarmed . . 279 Unsuccessful attempt to engage Examination of Stewart and the Presbyterians in it . . 274 Greg 280 Conspirators apprehended . . 275 Four of the conspirators exe- 'I'hree ministers summoned to cuted 281 Dublin . . . .276 Ulster ministers forced to leave The ministers of Down and An- the kingdom . . 283 trim imprisoned . . . 278 A few permitted to remain . ib. contents; Bishop Leslie imprisons fpur mi nisters during six years . . 287 Various attempts to procure their liberation . . . ib. Gradual improvement in the condition of the Church in Ulster 289 Ministers return by degrees . 290 Causes of this favourable change ib. Lord Robarts, the lord-lieutenant, favours the Presbyterians . 294 A general committee established in lieu of a synod . . . 296 Its first acta . . . .297 Sends contributions to the Scot tish exiles in Holland . . ib. jealousy of the Episcopal clergy 299 Boyle, bishop of Down, summons twelve ministers to his court . 300 Sir Arthur Forbes interferes in their behalf . Deaths of several ministers in Down and Antrim Bishop Boyle prohibited by the primate from proceeding against the mini.. 1681 494 Xn. List of the Presbyterian miniatera in Ireland, March 1689 .511 XIII. Minutes of the Londonderry corporation relative to the case of Alderman Moncrieff . . . . .514 HISTORY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND. CHAPTER XII. A.D. 1645-1646. General Assembly meet in January — Petitions sent by Commissioners from. Ulster — Proceedings of Assembly thereon — Complaint against Thornton, inayor of Derry — Assembly write to London on the subject — Procedure of the Presbytery in relation to the Romanists — Ordinations of Buttle and Ferguson — Congregations call Mr. Livingston — Discowragements and labours of ihe Presbytery — Arrival of ihe Pa/rliamentary Com,mis- sioners — Complaint of the pretended Presbytery in ihe Route — Commis sioners support the Army Presbytery — Opposition of Dr. Colville — Eng lish Parliament favour the Independents — Their Com,missioners in Ulster demand possession of Belfast — Charles joins the Scots — Ormond con cludes a treaty with the Irish confederates — Opposed by the Nuncio and O'Neill — Monro defeated in the battle of Benburb — Lord Montgomery taken prisoner — Consequences of this defeat — Presbytery cautious in re ceiving candidates for the ministry — Send Commissioners to the General Assembly — Progress of ecclesiastical reform in England — Ordinations of Adair, Hall, Cunningham, and Shaw — of Anthony Kennedy — of Baird and Greg — Difficulties in the settlement of Ker and O'Quin— Ordina tions of Peebles, Ramsay, and Gordon — of Cunningham, and Semple. The General Assembly, to which the Eev. John Drysdale, minis ter of Portaferry, and Captain James Wallace of Argyle's regi ment, were sent as commissioners, had been appointed to meet at the usual period in the month of May, but the pressing exi gencies of the ecclesiastical affairs of the empire rendered an earlier meeting indispensable. The Westminster Assembly hav ing completed the Directory for Pubhc Worship, and having, af ter lengthened debates, also drawn up certain "Propositions VOL. II. A -2 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xii. concerning Church government and ordination of ministers," ' embodying the general principles of Presbyterial government ; and both these measures having been approved by the parlia ment, the Scottish commissioners in London recommended a spe cial meeting of the General Assembly to be called, for the pur pose of giving their assent to these important steps towards the covenanted uniformity in religion. This meeting accordingly took place at Edinburgh on the 22d of January 1645. The Presbyterians of Ulster, having received timely notice of this assembly, drew up petitions in different parts of the province, and forwarded them by their commissioners. Among these ap plications were, not only the customary general petition from " The distressed Christians in Ulster for a further supply of minis ters," but also one from General Monro, desiring the assembly to send a suitable minister to ofiiciate to his regiment at Carrickfer gus, and several other petitions from the city of Londonderry, and the surrounding districts of Derry and Donegal, requesting that some ministers might be specially sent to visit that populous Presbyterian settlement. In answer to the first of these appheations — all of which re ceived the most kind and ready attention — ^the assembly, for the FOURTH time, issued the usual " Commission for ministers to go to Ireland," which was to take effect so soon as the brethren appointed by the preceding assembly should have completed their term of service ; " And therefore," say the assembly in this commission, " we do hereby authorise and give commission to the persons following, to wit, Mr. Alexander Blair, minister of G-al- ston, and Mr. Eobert Hamilton, minister of BaUantrae, for the first three months, beginning upon the first day of July, and to continue tiU the last day of September ; Mr. Samuel Eow, minis ter at Kirkmabrick, and Mr. Alexander Livingston, minister at Carmichael, for the next three months, beginning the first day of October, and to continue tUl the last day of December ; Mr. Henry Colwart, minister at Paisley, and Mr. Henry Semple, 1 These " Propositions" are given at length in the Appendix to Noal's " History ofthe Puritans," No. 9, under the title of " The Form of Presby terial Church Government." A.D, 1645, CHURCH IN IRELAND. .'i minister at Killearne, for the last three months, beginning tlio first day of January 1646, and to continue till the last day of March in the said year ; to repair unto the North of Ireland, and there to visit, comfort, instruct, and encourage the scattered flocks of Christ, according to the direction of Jesus Christ, and accord ing to the doctrine and discipline of this Church in all things." To meet General Monro's appKcation for a chaplain, the fol lowing provision was made : — " The assembly desire Messrs. David Dickson, Andrew Cant, Eobert Blair, and John Living ston, to consider of an able, well-qualified young man fit to be minister to General-Major Monroe and his regiment, which being now the head-quarters, and lying in an eminent place [Carrick fergus], the key of these northern parts in Ireland, doth, for these and many other reasons, require an able man." They also wrote a letter to the general himself, expressing their sympathy with the army in their privations, and assuring him that they had warmly recommended his case to the Scottish parliament then sitting, and that they duly appreciated his services on behalf of the Church. "It was," say they, "most refreshing unto us, when we heard, as from those who were sent from your presby tery, so from some of our commissioners who were sent from us for to labour for a season in the Lord's work there, of your for wardness and zeal in advancing that work, and resolute assist ance ye gave unto the presbytery. We pray the Lord to bless you, and entreat you to go on without fainting, as you would have the Lord to countenance you in your employment, and others to be mindful of you." Nor was their care for the due religious instruction of the army in Ireland confined to the general's regiment. At the as sembly in 1643, the Viscount Ards, or, as he was more generally styled, the Lord Montgomery, had also applied for a chaplain to be sent over to his regiment,^ and the commission of the Church had subsequently nominated a minister to that charge ; but the present meeting, finding he had not yet complied with that ap pointment, urged his immediate departure in terms of the follow ing minute : — " The General Assembly, understanding that Mr. 2 See vol. i. p. 378. 4 iHISTORY OF TUE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xii. James Nasmith was appointed by the commissioners of the late assembly to attend the Lord Montgomerie's regiment, and having heard the said Mr. James, personally present, finds that he hath been too slow in repairing to that regiment, and therefore ordains him to go unto the said regiment presently without any delay." The petitions from Derry and its vicinity were next taken into consideration ; and though the assembly had already appointed the usual number of their brethren to visit the North of Ireland generally, yet feding the strong claims of that extensive district for a fecial supply of ministers, they made the following addi tional appointment : — " The General Assembly, having consi dered the petitions presented unto them in behalf of the counties near Londonderry for ministers, do appoint Mr. Hugh Kennedy for the first time, Mr. Andrew Lauder for the second, Mr. George Hutchinson for the third time, to repair thither for per forming ministerial duties, each of them for the space of three months, the first of them beginning the 1st of July next." The interference of the assembly was solicited in another mat ter connected with that part of the country, arising out of the intolerant conduct of Thornton, the mayor of Derry, whose hos tility to the Scots has been already noticed. It appears that, in accordance with the directions of a previous assembly, the com mission of the Church had, in 1644, sent over several brethren to Derry, to supply the churches in that city and surrounding district ; ^ and that Thornton, the bigoted abettor of prelacy, had violently opposed these ministers, and endeavoured to thwart their efforts for supplying the Presbyterians in that quarter with the preachmg of the Gospel. In particular, it seems that he had, io public and ofiicial letters, maliciously slandered and otherwise injured one of these ministers, the Eev. Mr. John Burne. Com plaint was accordingly made to the present assembly, both by the calumniated minister himself, as well as by the Presbyterians of that neighbourhood, who commissioned the Eev. Robert Cun ningham, formerly a Conformist minister, but now a preacher at St. Johnston, near Derry, to lay their petitions before the assem bly, and, if necessary, to repair to the parliament in London to ' See vol. i. p. 381. A.D. 1645. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 5> obtain redress, and to urge them to take the steps requisite for' extending to Ulster the ecclesiastical reforms which they had al ready effected in England. The assembly, conceiving the- Church of Scotland to be insulted in the person of their commissioner,. readily took cognisance of the case, and, in the customary form- of procedure, remitted it to the consideration of their committee of bills. On the Sth of February, the following report, contain ing all the information which can now be obtained respecting- this case, was submitted to the assembly : — " The committee of bills and overtures having read and considered all the papers remitted to them by the General Assembly in the matter of Mr. Thornton, mayor of Londonderry, his slandering of Mr. John Burne ; these are to say, a very invective letter direct to the said Mr. John, subscribed by the aforesaid mayor Ms own hand, together with a more invective one entitled, ' The justification of his letter to Burne,' a copy whereof was presented to the said committee by Captain Wallace, asserting upon his honesty the same to be veram copiam, and obliging, if it should be found necessary, to produce the principal, together also with the several petitions subscribed by many in and about Londonderry, where in are largely and feelingly regretted the manifold abuses the said Mr. John, with his colleagues, sustained of the disaffected there ; wherein also the said brethren their good carriage and godly behaviour, much tending to the promoting of the Lord's work during their abode in Ireland, is largely to their commen dation expressed; the said committee, having seriously considered the premises, finds the said Mr. John very much wronged, and the Kirk of Scotland through him, and earnestly recommends the same to the assembly, that they, ia their wisdom, may think on the best way to take order with the same." The assembly immediately approved of this report, and re solved that the case should be laid, not only before the Scottish parliament, then sitting, but also before the English parliament, through the medium of their commissioners attending the West minster Assembly. The following is the letter which the as sembly wrote on this occasion to their commissioners in London, which it is necessary to insert, as it shows that the opposition of " HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xii. Thornton, at the head of the royalist faction, was designed to obstruct altogether the revival of Presbyterianism in that part of the province, and that therefore the interference of the assembly was both justifiable and necessary : — " Eight honourable, reverend, and loving brethren, "Whereas the bearer hereof, Mr. Eobert Cunningham, preacher of God his Word, hath commission from diverse parts of the North of Ireland to supplicate to the parliament of England for advanc ing and setting forward the work of reformation in that land, already begun, but through the means of some malignant com manders and ministers much interrupted, by having the lawful form of government and the Directory of Worship now agreed upon, set up and established by due authority of the said parlia ment, and all malicious opposers of the said work duly censured and punished. Now, for the better furtherance of the said bearer in that which he hath to do -vvith the said parhament, we do se riously recommend him to your care and assistance; and especially for obtaining redress of the notable injuries done to Mr. John Burne, and our other brethren sent to that kingdom to minister spiritual comfort to the distressed people there upon their earnest suite.* So, commending you to the Lord's grace, we continue your loving brethren, " The Ministers and Elders met in this General Assembly." * I li.iTO not been able to ascertain the issue of this application to parlia ment. Other complaints were subsequently preferred against Thornton, who came to London, in the beginning ofthe year 1647, to obtain a settlement of his accounts with the parliament. But enormous errors being detected there in, he fled hastily from town, and returned to Ireland ; upon which the com mons, on the 26th of January, ordered him to be arrested and brought over to answer for an overcharge in his accounts to the amount of no less than £27,624, 13s. lOd. (Journ. v. 62.) He did not, however, long survive, as, from the following notice of his peculations, he appears to have died before the end of that year :— "Monday, March 13, 1647-8. The committee of accompts made certificite to the House of Commons of the true state ofthe business prosecuted by Alexander Goring against Robert Thornton late mayor of Londonderry, deceased, desiring a course might be taken for sc curing of the estate ofthe said Robert Thornton, towards the satisfaction of A.D. 1645. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 7 The assembly was not content with this formal recognition of the petitions of the Ulster Presbyterians for a uniformity in re ligion with the sister kingdoms. In their public and ofiicial letter, written at the close of their meeting to their commis sioners in London, they again express their anxiety that the Directory for Worship and the propositions respecting govern ment, which they had just approved and adopted, should be speedily transmitted to Ireland by the parliament, who alone had authority or jurisdiction in that kingdom. They thus conclude that letter : — " It is earnestly desired that the Directorie for Worship be sent to Ireland ; and that you recommend to the honourable houses of the parliament to think upon the best way for the establishment and practice of it in that kingdom; and that the like course may be taken with the government and other parts of the uniformity so soon as they shall be agreed upon."^ The assembly, haviag thus carefully attended to all the desires of their brethren in Ulster expressed in their several petitions, dismissed Mr. Drysdale and Captain Wallace -with the following commendatory letter, addressed " To ihe Reoerend Brethren of the Presbytery unto the Army in Ireland. " Seeing those of your members who were sent from you to us, having carefully attended in everything that was committed to them for their despatch from this assembly, are now to return; we think fit to write with them unto you, hearing from them of your diligence and care in promoving of the great work of the Lord, notwithstanding of manifold oppositions, that you might be encouraged without fainting to go on unto the utmost of your power to set forward that work as watchmen entrusted by God, so that you may be, in these difiicult times, not only a comfort the sum of £26,000 and upwards, wherewith the said Mr. Goring charged hiin for provisions for relief of the poor distressed Protestants in Londonderry, and other public monies which the said Mr. Thornton had no ways satisfied or discounted for before hi.s death." Rushworth, vii. 1024, 1025. Com mons' Journals, v. 492. ' Printed acts, ut supra, p. 209. 8 HISTORY OF TUE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xii. of that army whereof you have the charge ; but that you may also be for the strengthening and encouragement of that poor land wherein for the time ye are. There is ane ' Warning' sent out from this assembly to the whole kingdom, and to the armies within and without the kingdom, which we earnestly recommend to you, that you would be careful to have it read in your several stations." We commend you and the work in your hands to the Lord, and rest in him, your loving brethren, " The Ministers and Elders convened in this Assembly." "^ Encouraged by these proceedings of the assembly, the pres bytery prosecuted -with renewed diligence the work of evan gelising Ulster. One of their first measures, after the return of their commissioners, was to take steps for the instruction and conversion of the Eoman Catholic population to whom they had access. But this laudable attempt, which, it is pleasing to no tice, was, in accol-dance with the intolerant spirit of that age, from which even the Presbyterians were not exempt, to be fol lowed by the infiiction of civU penalties on those who adhered to their errors. The proceedings of the presbytery are thus nar rated by Adair : — " About this time, AprU 1645, the presbytery flnding the Irish Papists, partly who had not been in rebellion, partly who had come in under protection, to grow numerous in the country, and considering their numbers might thereafterprove dan gerous to the Protestant religion, and that by the treaty between Scotland and England no toleration is to be given Papists ; and also pitying their souls in their ignorant and hardened condition, made an act that they should be dealt with by the several minis ters to convince them of their idolatry and errors, and bring them 8 This paper is entitled, "A Solemn and Seasonable Warning to the Noble men, Barons, Gentlemen, Burrows, Ministers, and Commons of Scotland ; as also to our armies without and within this kingdom." ' The account which I have given in the text of the varied and important proceedings of this assembly in relation to Ulster, with the several letters &c,, is taken from the the records ofthe Churchof Scotland, jsenes the Rev. Dr. Lee. A.D. 1645. CHURCH IN IRELAND, 0 to own the truth; or otherwise to enter into process against them in order to excommunication. And they appointed some of their number to speak to the general-major, that he use that authority he hath for forcing them out of this part, and wholly out of the army if they remain obstinate. This act of the pres bytery was publickly intimated in the several parish churches." During these proceedings, the last two ministers appointed by the previous assembly in 1644 arrived and joined the presbytery. One of these was the Eev. John Livingston, who now, for the third time since the EebeUion, visited Ulster, the seat of his early labours. He had the satisfaction, during his stay, of assisting at the settlement of two ministers in important charges in the county of Antrim. In the month of April, the Eev. David Buttle was called to be their pastor by the Presbyterians of Ballymena and its vicinity, encouraged by Sir Eobert Adair, who frequently sat as elder with the presbytery ; ^ and, about the same time, the Eev. Archibald Ferguson was called to An- trim,8 the people of which to-wn had some time before, with the concurrence of Sir John Clotworthy, endeavoured, but without success, to obtain for their pastor Mr. Livingston, whose praise was throughout aU the churches. A similar attempt was now made by the people of two other places. " The parishes of New- townards and Killileagh supplicated the presbytery to concur for a call to Mr. John Livingston (being then present at the presby tery, and formerly a minister in Ireland), to their parishes, each * The Rev. Mr. Buttle, or Buthel, continued to be minister at Ballymena for above twenty years. He was imprisoned by the republican party in Car rickfergus in 1650. .-Vt a visitation presbytery, held in Ballymena in June 1655, I find it stated that Mr. Buttle had his stipend of £40 per annum se cured by the bond of Sir Robert Adair, but that he had neither glebe nor manse. In 1662 he was deposed, with the rest of his brethren, by Jeremy Taylor, the new bishop of Down and Connor. He neverthelesa continued to officiate privately among his people till his death, the precise period of which I have not been able to ascertain ; but I find another minister in this congre gation in the year 1670, who had been probably ordained there a year or two previously. 9 The Rev. Mr. Ferguson continued in Antrim till his death in the end of tlic year 1654. 10 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN cuap. xii. of them endeavouring to have him. Mr. Livingston entered a protestation that these calls be not prejudicial to the interest of Stranraer, his parish and people in Scotland. This motion, how ever, had no success. For though the parish of Killinchy did many years after that, in the year 1655 or thereabout, call Mr. Livingston, and he came to Ireland then for a visit upon their call, and Mr. Hamilton was also invited to BaUy waiter ; yet these motions for bringing back these worthy men to Ireland did not succeed. They had been driven out of this country, and were necessitated and clearly called to settle in Scotland thereafter, and became singularly useful there, and subject to the assembly of the Church of Scotland and other Church jurisdictions, who would not part with them. However, about this time Providence supplied the defect, partly by sending over a new supply of able ministers from Scotland one year after another by turns ; and thereafter by sending over divers young men near together in 1645 and 1646, besides Mr. Ferguson and Mr. Buttle." The reflections in which the historian of these events indidges at this period of his " Narrative" are too just and striking to be omitted. " And here it were sinful to pass by and not to mark God's wonderful providence in ordering the beginning and foundation of a church here; first raised out of the ruin and ashes into which it had been formerly brought through the prosecution of the pre lates first, and then by a bloody rebellion and massacre by the barbarous Irish Papists; by which ruins it was brought very low, having before been but as an embyro. Then the first -visible relief was by the Scotch army sent from Scotland against the Irish rebels ; these generally consisting of officers who had no in clination towards religion, except in so far as the times and state who employed them seemed to favour it ; only their chief com mander General-Major Monroe was no unfriend, but a counte- nancer of these beginnings. However, the ofiicers generally were profane, and the bulk of the soldiers, yea, haters of the purity and power of religion. There was no visible encourage ment in the country for planting a ministry in congregations. For the inhabitants were but few, and these much oppressed and a.d. 1645. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 11 burdened through the maintaining of the army, wliich was much neglected at this time in their pay through mistakes between the parhament of England and some officers of the army sent thither : or, rather, the indiscreet management of the army's officers, by their commissioner George Monroe. Besides, there was a stock of old Conformist ministers in the country, who had for their own ends gone along with the covenant, and yet returned to their former disposition. They were labouring to carry a faction in the country and army for their way, and had many to back them, especially men of most note both in army and country, and in whose eyes the little beginning of a presbytery was despicable ; consisting at first only of a few in the army, and two new planted in the country. Insomuch that divers of them did refuse to ap pear before the presbytery ; and others who did appear denied their authority, having then no shadow of establishment by king or parhament, and thereafter, when times seemed better, very little countenance from authority. It was also the wonderful hand of God to bring men from Scotland at this time (for from England none could be had of sound principles, having then some encouragement at home, and ha-ving antipathy to come to Ireland) ; considering that Scotland had then use for hopeful young men to plant among themselves. And almost none came hither who had not calls from congregations to stay there in their own native country, among their friends, having proportion of settled maintenance. Whereas, coming here, they came to a place unsettled, where was a mixture of three divers na tions, their maintenance neither competent nor what was pro mised secured to them, and coming moreover during the time of a bloody war, when nothing was settled in the country. That these few young men should have hazarded themselves in such a ease was the Lord's hand overruling them ; and it was more his hand that they were, in any tolerable measure, helped in their so difficult and discouraging a work ; considering they were but young, not attained to maturity of judgment, nor having had any experience ia the government of the Church, especiaUy in the midst of difficulties, and none of the old stock, who had been there before, were settled among them. Yet God helped these 12 HISTORY OP THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xii. young men into a diUgent foUowing of their duty, not only in their own congregations where they did reside, but in watering desolate congregations in the country, and in keeping presby terial meetings. Insomuch, that sometimes they were necessi tated to be as often abroad in other congregations in the country for supply, and for stirring up the people for their own supply, as in their own ; and tliis by the appointment of the presbyterial meetings, upon petition from these desolate places. These young men then minding their work, and delighting therein, mutuaUy comforting themselves in the company of one another at their meetings in the presbytery, and not considering their present toil but -with a kind of honest deUght, not foreseeing the hazard they were in through the unsettledness of the times and many adversaries ; whieh also they felt thereafter. And, indeed, want of that sort of sagacity and anxiousness was their mercy; for, had they foreseen but the half of what they after did meet with, their young raw spirits, not experienced in affliction, could not have digested it."" During the summer of this year, the ministers appointed by the last General Assembly -visited by turns the several vacant congregations, and no event occurred to interrupt the growing prosperity and extension of the Church. The confusion into which Scotland was now plunged, by the rapid and overwhelm ing successes of Montrose, was advantageous to the Scottish in terest in Ulster. That gaUant and enterprising, though cruel and vindictive nobleman, had taken up arms for Charles, and had placed himself at the head of several Highland clans, reinforced by fifteen hundred Irish sent from Ulster by the Earl of Antrim — the same who, under Alaster Macdonnell, as already related, had captured Messrs. Weir and HamUton on their return to Scot land. By a succession of victories, followed with plunder and devastation to a fearful extent, Montrose spread consternation and terror throughout the whole of Scotland. His briUiant career of victory was, on the 15th of August, crowned by the decisive battle of Kilsythe, in which the forces of the Covenanters i» Adair's MS. A.D. 1645. CHURCH IN IRELAND. were routed ; and no quarter being given, they were ah nihUated by the savage and unrelenting fury with which they were massacred in their ffight. For a time the cause of Charles appeared to be triumphant throughout Scotland ; and the more prominent leaders of the popular party, with many others desir ous of escaping the evils of civU war, were compelled to retire from the kingdom. Ulster, which was now in comparative tran quiUity, afforded tliem a favourable and convenient asylum ; hither, therefore, numbers fled, who, being ultimately induced to settle in the country, tended considerably to increase the Pres byterian population. " Many families," says Adair, " fled from Scotland to Ireland for shelter from the Earl of Montrose, who against six divers armies carried all before him, having overcome them in six battles ; and these families not of the worst affected. And though persons of quality returned to Scotland again, yet many of the more common sort of people staid in the country, and added to the new plantation here."'' The Presbyterian interest in Ulster was stUl more effectuaUy strengthened by the presence and countenance of the commis sioners from the EngUsh parUament, who came over, as already stated, in the latter end of October. Their appointment to the office of " governors of the province of Ulster" had taken place in the month of September, but the difficulty of providing the suppUes which had been promised to be forwarded along with them retarded their departure.^^ The representations made to parliament by the Scottish commissioners, in conformity with the assembly's letter, together with the influence of the agent from Derry, the Eev. Mr. Cunningham, then in London, no doubt contributed to secure the appointment of these commissioners.^^ " Adair's MS. Cook's " Church of Scotland," iii. 109. '2 Commons' Journals, Sept. 16th, 23d, and 26th, vol. iv. 276, 284, and 286. 's The petition with whioh Mr. Cunningham was entrusted from the North of Ireland was read in the commons on the 16th of April, by whom it was specially recommended to the Westminster Assembly of Divines, " to con sider how the desires of the petitioners, to be furnished with some able, learned, religious, preaching ministers, may be effectually granted to the relief and comfort of their souls." Sir John Clotworthy, the steady friend 14 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xii. They were accompanied to Ireland by a chaplain, the Eev. Mr. Warr, and on their arrival they fixed their stated residence at Belfast. It Was not long before an incident occurred which caUed for their interference on behalf of the presbytery. Their conduct on this occasion, and the general course of their policy towards the Presbyterian Church, are thus narrated by Adair : — "Toward the end of this year, 1645, the ministers of the Eoute formerly mentioned, and others, take hold of a seeming opportunity to interfere -svith the presbytery. The parUament of England having, in October, sent over the commissioners to Ulster, to rule the affairs of this country, viz., Mr. Annesley, af terwards the Earl of Anglesey, Sir Eobert King, and Colonel Beale ; these ministers, viz., Messrs. FuUerton, Watson, Vesey, and M'NeUl, applied to them, accusing the presbytery of bring ing a foreign jurisdiction against the laws of Ireland, that the presbytery take on them to exercise authority over them, &c. Of which the commissioners gave notice to the presbytery, send ing them a copy of the said Ubel. And they met with these commissioners at Belfast by translating the presbytery thither, when they sent some of their members to the commissioners, to give them satisfaction as to these accusations and refiections. Which they ha-ring done, the commissioners were satisfied. But withal the presbytery told the commissioners they did not appear before them in answering the libel, as their proper judges in mat- of the Presbyterians of Ulster, was appointed to take charge of this matter. (Journ. iv. 113.) Accordingly, on the 13th of M.ay, the joint committee of lords and commons for the affairs of Ireland were directed to advise with the Assembly of Divines respecting the providing of proper ministers, and suitable raeans for their encouragement ; and it was further voted by the commons, " That all such ministers as shall be willing, and be approved of to go into Ireland, shall have, for their present subsistence and maintenance, one hun dred pounds per annum, each of them." (Journ. iv. 644.) The next notice 1 find of this subject is on the 4th of January 1647, when the commons ap pointed a committee to prepare an ordinance for establishing and settling, the s.ime form of Church government in the kingdom of Ireland as is or shall be established in the kingdom of England : they are further to consider of some fit ways and means forthe advancing and maintaining a preacliing ministry in tho kingdom of Ireland. Journ. v. 40. A.D. 1645. CHURCH IN IRELAND. li"" ters ecclesiastical ; but as persons in the quality and station they were now in, as they were bound to do to aU men, and especially to those in civU authority. Here the commissioners sat in pres bytery, the presbytery was encouraged and countenanced, and the other dismissed without satisfaction. The commissioners also did give order, at the presbytery's desire, that the covenant should be tendered to such as had not taken it at Carrickfergus, Belfast, Lisnegarvey, &c., which was done accordingly. They also did give a right of the tythe of parishes to as many of the new intrants as did apply to them ; and did add the civU sanc tion to the presbytery, and gave commission to cognosce upon the Uves and abiUties of scandalous ministers in the Lagan, en couraging the presbytery if they found cause to pass censure on them, which accordingly was done. Some said this gratifying the presbytery was a piece of emulation and state ppUcy, they find ing General-Major Monroe and the army had a great stroke in this country and in Ulster, partly through countenancing these courses. Therefore they would not be behind them in giving aU countenance to the presbytery. However, this did much daunt these sorts of ministers at that time, and did strengthen the hands of the few new beginners. For at this time there were none settled of the country ministers but two, [Mr. Drysdale and Mr. Baty in Down] ; and in Antrim but other two, Mr. Buttle and Mr. Ferguson ; and the other party were many in all parts of the country. It is true some unfriends did reflect at this time as if the presbytery had taken commission from the magis trate to exercise their authority, and some friends did scruple at the flrst offer made by the commissioners ; because then the Erastian spirit much prevaUed in the parUament of England. But the commissioners at the very first assured them it was not to make the presbytery or their discipUne subordinate to the ma gistrate ; but only an accumulative power which they intended, and which accordingly they did give them by their commission or warrant. Upon this, the appointed ministers and elders went tp the Lagan, preached daily, erected sessions, took depositions against scandalous ministers, and made way for caUing ministers to congregations. And there the people of the country did ac- 16 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xii. cuse divers of these ministers, and brought in witnesses, making evident their lewd Uves and unministerial carriage. Upon which they were first suspended by the commissioners, and then de posed by the presbytery. And the people thereafter petitioned the presbyterjf by Captain Hamilton and Captain Kennedy, for supply of ministers by turns, the whole of the country being then void of ministers except one, Mr. Eobert Cunningham, who had been a Conformist, and then seemed to be serious in the profes sion of the truth, and was then at Taboin, aUas St. Johnston. Upon which the presbytery did send them ministers, the com missioners also concurring with the desire, by turns, as they be came able and in any measure furnished ; and continued the supply tiU the Lagan got some Uttle stock of ministers amongst themselves. " At this time, the Lord helped the very smaU number of mi nisters in the presbytery to diUgence in stirring up the parishes in the country, that were then all generally desolate, to seek after ministers and consider some way of maintaining them. For which end they appointed one minister and four or five of the most knowing elders, who had weight in these parts, to the prin cipal parishes which wanted. And this was not without fruit : for the parishes set about means for that end, as they were in a capacity, which was the means of hastening divers young men out of Scotland, as was before related. The fewness and weak ness of the presbytery at this time was supported by God's spe cial countenance, by the honesty of the men, and by the good ness of their cause and intentions ; as well as that the commander of the Scotch army did in his own person usuaUy sit with them at Carrickfergus, besides divers other officers who were elders of other regiments. And thereafter it was a great encouragement that the commissioners of the parUament of England did own the actings of the presbytery. So that, though God did not build his temple here by might nor by power, yet so much of the coun tenance of these in power and authority as was necessary for the day of smaU things was not wanting in the beginning." The efforts of this smaU band of faithful and resolute ministers to supply the Presbyterian population with the preaching of the A.D. 1645, CHURCH IN IRELAND. 17 Gospel were, in several quai-ters, stiU thwarted by the Conformist clergy. Mr. Buttle of BaUymena was, in particular, opposed by the Eev. Dr. ColviUe, an eager and intolerant prelatist, although a Scotchman, who was then resident on his estate in that neigh bourhood. He had been one of the few clergymen who joined in the petition to Strafford to impose the black oath on his countrymen in Ulster ; and he now raUed against the Presby terian ministers, as intruders, not only into the ministry, but into the province. He possessed considerable property in the county ; yet, notwithstanding his wealth and influence, and his contempt of their authority, the presbytery determined to proceed against him. Their process, however, was suspended, in consequence of the interference of the EngUsh commissioners, who were anxious to bring over a person of his weight to the side ofthe parUament. Their proceedings against this formidable opponent are thus re corded in the artless narrative of Adair : — " The presbytery at this time and a whUe before did use great diUgence to convince Doctor ColviUe of divers unsuitable car riages, both in private discourse -with some of their number, and by summoning him before the presbytery ; and had -witnesses to prove these aUegations agaiast him. But he never appeared, except one time before the commissioners at Belfast; at whicli time he would not direct his speech to the moderator, but to the commissioners. He had also beforehand appUed to the commis sioners, -vindicating himself and insinuating on them. Upon this they desired the presbytery to deal with him as favourably as they could, in regard they had use for the doctor in reference to their affairs in the country ; he being a man knowing that way. The presbytery had gone so far before the commissioners came over, that he was pubUckly prayed for in order to excom munication. Yet thereafter they found it not convenient to proceed further ; and some knowing friends thought it had been greater prudence to have let him alone ; since he now owned subordination and did not preach.^* However, his wife and son 1* Mr. Alexander Colville was, on the 6th of September 1626, admitted vicar of Coole, or Carnmoney, on the presentation of Edward, Lord- Viscount Chichester; in which parish he succeeded Mr. Glendinning on his removal to VOL. II. B 18 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xii. did take the covenant administered to them by Mr. David But tle, and that by order of the presbytery in a public -way : for the presbytery received none into the covenant but before the con gregation. Yea, when the commissioners from the parliament begun to receive some to the covenant privately, the presbytery, hearing of it, sent to them and admonished them ; whereupon they promised to forbear that way of administering it, and allow that those should take it again publickly." While the parliamentary commissioners were thus favouring the Presbyterian interest in Ulster, they were not inattentive to the other and not less urgent part of their commission — that of organising a party in Ulster prepared, when caUed on, to support the parUament in opposition to the Scots. Mutual jealousies be tween these confederated aUies had already ripened into pubUe alienation, which not long after terminated in open hostUity. The Independents, by means of the self-denying ordinance and the new elections, were rapidly gaining the preponderance both in the army and in the House of Commons. The Presbyterians, though supported by the city of London and an influential mi nority in parUament, as well as by the decided majority of the sober and inteUigent part of the population, yet at this period rested chiefly upon the assistance of the Scots to enable them to Oldatone, or Muckamore. (See vol. i. p. 95.) Two years afterwards, on the presentation of Charles I., Mr. Colville was made precentor of Connor, and rector of Ballymoney. He was doctor of divinity in 1636, when he waa present at the funeral of the first Viscount Montgomery of the Ards. (Mont. MSS. p. 112.) He enjoyed several other Church preferments, and resided on his property at Galgorm, afterwards called Mount-Colville, in the neigh bourhood of Ballymena. His son. Sir Robert Colville, Knight, about the year 1675, purchased from the second Earl of Mount Alexander the estate of Newtownai'ds, where he and his descendants chiefly resided, until it was sold in 1744, by Robert Colville, Esq., to Alexander Stewart, father of the first Marquia of Londonderry. Sir Robert's grand-daughter and heir married the flrst Lord Mountcashel, by whose family the estate at Galgorm was, until lately, possessed. The reader will find a curious character of Sir Robert who was active at the Revolution, in Henry, Lord Clarendon's " State Let ters," vol. i. pp. 70, 71. See " Stat. Account oi Irvine," for reference to Dr. Colville (Colvin) and his witchcraft. The Galgorm estate is now the property ofa Presbyterian, William Young, Esq., M.D. A.D. 1645. - CHURCH IN IRELAND. 19 secure that full measure of ecclesiastical reform to which all parties stood solemnly pledged by the covenant. The Indepen dents, though unable to withstand the almost universal desire of the people for the setting up of the Presbyterian govern ment, had determined so to mutUate and cripple the new estab Ushment as to render it obnoxious to its friends, and favourable to their own faction. With this view the commons, by their celebrated vote of the 13th of May, afterwards embodied in their ordinance of the subsequent month of March, resolved to impose upon the Presbyterian Church in England the same Erastian yoke which had oppressed the Prelatical Church, and to perpe tuate the same abuse which stiU vitiates and nullifies its discip line — the right of appeal, in matters purely spiritual, from the ecclesiastical to the ci-vU courts. The parliament sought to take away from sessions and presbyteries the power of suspension from the Lord's table ; or, at all events, to subject it to the con trol of the state. They appointed lay commissioners, -with power to modify or reverse ecclesiastical censures ; to every unworthy person excluded from communion they gave the right of appeal to these commissioners ; and the parUament itself was constituted the last resort in aU disputed cases of discipUne ! As might be expected, the Scots and the Presbyterian party warmly opposed these measures. The Westminster Assembly, in particular, " felt the greatest repugnance to the interference of the civU power in the question of disqualifications to participate in reUgious ordi nances, and petitioned the two houses accordingly. They went so far in their petition as to say, that, if the ministers and elders were not sufficiently authorised to keep aw^ aU wicked and scandalous persons from the sacrament, they foresaw that not only they, but many of their godly brethren, must be put to the hard choice, either to forsake their stations in the Church, or to partake in the sins which must result ; and they added that, in that alternative, they were resolved with God's grace to choose affliction rather than iniquity." ^^ This collision on the subject of religion was succeeded by jea lousies respecting the Scottish army in the North ..of England. " Godwin, ii. 67. "20 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xii. The presence of this force gave increased confidence and weight to the Presbyterian party in the city and in the parUament, which they would not otherwise have possessed ; the poUcy of their op ponents, therefore, ob-viously was to excite such suspicions of the sincerity of these forces, and such complaints of their inactivity and of the burden of their support, as to lead to their speedy re moval out of the kingdom. With this -view the majority in the parUament, during the month of October, pubUshed several de clarations of a hostile nature. "They resolved that the continu ance of the Scots army in the northern parts was not only un serviceable, but prejudicial to the ends for which their assistance had been desired, and destructive to those parts of the kingdom; and that their laying contributions and raising money upon the subjects of this kingdom was contrary to the treaty. The two houses further declared that the inhabitants were free from any obligation to pay these impositions, and once again demanded that the Scottish garrisons should be removed from CarUsle, Newcastle, and the other fortresses in the North which they at present held."!^ In pursuance of the same Une of policy, the parUament, on the 13th of November, voted that the garrison of Belfast should be surrendered by the Scottish forces to their commissioners in Ulster on or before the llth of January.!' Letters to this effect were accordingly despatched to the Scottish parUament, then sit ting at Edinburgh, which were received in the end of December; and about the same time possession of the town was formaUy de manded from Colonel Home, commander of the garrison, who refused to comply without instructions from the estates of Scot land. Monro accordkigly, on the 26th of December, wrote to " Godwin, ii. 69. Journals, Oct. 14 and 21, 1646. " I find that on the 13th of December letters were received by the "com mittee of both kingdoms," then at Edinburgh, from Ireland, "anent the poaturo of afiairs in that kingdome ; and deayring that commiasioners from Scotland with speed may be aent to Ireland, for the joynt managing of the warre ther." (Balf. iii. 332.) It doea not appear, however, that these were sent over ; forj on the 16th of June 1646, the commons gave their own com-- missioners power to act alone. Journals, iv. 678 and 689. A.D. 1646. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 21' the Scottish parUament, informing them of this unexpected de mand, and requesting directions how to proceed ; at the same time expressing his decided opinion, " if that they condescendit to the EngUsche to pairt with the toune of Belfast, that they might lykwayes pairt with all their interest in Ireland." ^^ This letter was received and read in the parUament on the 15th of January, and referred to the " Committee of Dispatches," who repUed to Monro ; but what the tenor of their reply was cannot be ascertained. No formal surrender, however, of the town took place ; i^ and soon after a circumstance occurred which caused a change in the poUcy of the parUament, and rendered it inexpe dient for them, at this crisis, to repeat the ungracious demand, or to come to an open rupture -with the Scots. This circumstance was — ^the unexpected arrival of Charles in the quarters of the Scottish forces at Newark. The king had never been able to recover from the loss which he sustained in the fatal battle of Naseby. During the remain der of the campaign, his forces were whoUy unable to resist those of the parUament, his miUtary resources were exhausted, and the defeat of Montrose in Scotland extinguished the hope which he once confidently entertained of retrieving the fortune of his arms. 18 Balfour, iii. 338, 357. '' The vote of the parliament for the surrender of Belfast was grounded on this plea, that the original treaty between England and Scotland did not war rant the troops of the latter to possess any garrison save Carrickfergus and Coleraine. (Com. Journ. iv. 340.) The commons persisted in this demand (see Journals, iv. 353, 443, 544, 678, and particularly 608) ; but the lords, who were more favourable to the Presbyterian party, appear to have been reluctant to concur in it, as it was not till after repeated messages from the other house that they agreed to it on the last day of July 1646. (Com. Journ. iv. 622, 625, 631 .) During the negotiations with the Scots through out the remainder of the year, the subject was not resumed ; but the mo ment that the latter had evacuated England, and the parliament had gained possession of the king, one of their first stepa was, on the 4th of Feb. 1647, to .ippoint commissioners to repair to the Scottish estates at Edinburgh, with instructions to renew the demand for the surrender of Belfast, in the following urgent terms : — "You are to press with all the instance that you can, the present delivery of the said town and the castle there, it being a thing so much concerning the forces in that kingdom." Com. Journ. v. 74. 22 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xii. His only alternative was intrigue and negotiation. Fully ap prised of the dissensions which had lately sprung up between the two great parties among his opponents, the Independents and Presbyterians, he now endeavoured to profit by their jealousies ; and, by a secret correspondence with both, he sought to induce either the one or the other to adopt him as their ally against their rivals. " I am not without hope," he writes, in March 1646, to one of his confidential friends, "that I shaU be able so to draw either the Presbyterians or Independents to side with me for extirpating the one the other, so that I shaU be really king again." 20 " To the Independents he urged the tyranny of the Presbyterians, and the necessity of combining with him for their own security. To the Presbyterians he represented that the Independents were averse to monarchical government, and would sacrifice the interest of Scotland to their leveUing princi ples, and that, therefore, their only chance of safety lay in join ing with him, in order to subdue the Independents." ^^ These negotiations, however, were ineffectual ; both parties had too many proofs of his hypocrisy to trust to his professions ; and the Scots, though more favourable to his cause than the Indepen dents, wholly refused to co-operate with him, except on the con ditions which they had originally proffered, and to which they steadfastly adhered — ^his subscribing the covenant, and concur ring in estabUshing presbytery in England as he had done in Scotland. These concessions Charles was resolved not to make ; but the urgency of his situation at Oxford, surrounded and al most blockaded by the parliamentary forces under the dreaded Fairfax, his victor at Naseby, rendered further negotiations im practicable. He therefore resolved, as his only hope, to join the Scottish forces without any previous agreement, and to try what effect might be produced in his favour by the sight of his present humiliation, the remembrance of his former dignity, the possible revival of their hereditary attachment to the ancient Une of their kings, and his own subtle arts of intrigue and dissimulation. Accordingly, in the latter end of AprU, he left Oxford at mid- "> Carte, iii. 452. 21 Brodie, iv. 60. A.D. 1646. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 23 night, disguised as a servant to Ashburnham, one of his own at tendants, and carrying a portmanteau behind him on his horse. He was accompanied by a clergyman well acquainted with the cross roads of the adjoining counties ; and, after several narrow escapes, on the morning of the 5th of May — the ninth day after his departure from Oxford — he arrived at the Scottish camp before Newark. This unexpected event terminated the first civil war, after it had continued for four years, and gave the Scots and the Presbyterian party, now in possession of the king, a tempo rary ascendency over the parUament and the Independents.^^ The effect of this suspension of hostUities was felt in Ireland. The EngUsh commissioners reUnquished, for the present, their design of obtaining exclusive possession of Belfast. They were content to reside there, though garrisoned by the Scots, with whom they cordially co-operated against the Irish, now united with Ormond on behalf of the king. In the month of March a treaty of peace had, notwithstanding the violent opposition of the Papal nuncio, been at length concluded by that nobleman with the supreme councU of the confederates at KUkenny. This peace, however, instead of aUaying, only increased the commotions in Ireland. It raised up a third, or extreme CathoUc party, headed by the nuncio, in opposition to the more moderate, or confederate Eo- manists, who had joined Ormond. The former, being destitute of mUitary strength, paid court to Owen Eoe O'NeUl and the Ulster Irish, and persuaded that experienced general to join their standard, and declare against the peace. One of the first effects of this coalition was the reinforcement of O'NeUl's army, and his descent upon Ulster, with nearly five thousand foot and five hun dred horse. In the meantime, Monro and the EngUsh commis sioners had previously resolved to take the field. Having col lected about four thousand foot, -with eleven troops of horse and six field-pieces, and having despatched a messenger to Colonel George Munro at Coleraine with directions to meet them on their march, they proceeded, on the 2d of Jime, towards Armagh. The Marquis of Argyle's regiment, having returned only two -- Godwin, ii. 204. 24 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xii. days before from Scotland, after the defeat and dispersion of Montrose's forces, could not be prepared in time to join the army. They were, therefore, left under the command of Campbell of Auchinbreck, to protect the quarters at Carrickfergus. The EngUsh commissioners accompanied Monro as far as Dromore, whence they returned to Belfast. On the 4th, Monro despatched a party of horse, under his lieutenant, Daniel Monro, to proceed by way of Benburb to meet Colonel Monro, who was advancing by Dungannon with above two hundred infantry and three troops of horse, and to direct him to rendezvous at Glasslough on the following day. This smaU party unexpectedly encountered the Irish vanguard near Armagh ; and, by means of a prisoner whom they took, Monro was informed that the enemy, to the number of five thousand, with twelve troops of horse, were on their march from Glass lough, with the -view of taking up a position at Benburb and Charlemont. The general accordingly recaUed his party under Lieutenant Monro, and marched that night to HamUton's Bawn. Early on the morning of Friday, the 5th of June, he advanced towards Armagh, purposely in sight of O'NeUl's camp, to deter him from detaching any part of his force to intercept Colonel Monro. He did not succeed, however, in this manoeuvre ; a party was sent to attack the colonel, but the latter drove them back. Finding the enemy in possession of the pass and bridge at Benburb, and strongly entrenched, Monro proceeded to cross the river Blackwater further up, at Kinnard or Caledon, which he effected -without molestation. Both parties, being now on the same side of the river, prepared for battle. O'NeUl, observing the approach of the Scots, despatched Colonel Eichard O'Ferral to occupy a pass on their march ; but Lieutenant-Colonel Cun ningham, supported by the artUlery, soon compeUed O'Ferral to retire, and cleared the way for the advance of the cavalry, who, in the absence of Colonel George Monro, were commanded by Lord Montgomery of the Ards. The detachment from O'NeUl's army, which had been repulsed by Colonel Monro, now rejoined the main body of the Irish, although the colonel was unable to effect a junction with the Scots. The latter were not only a.d. 1646. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 25 weakened by the want of this expected reinforcement, but they were much jaded and fatigued, having been on their march for above twelve hours, and consequently fought under considerable disadvantage. About sis o'clock in the afternoon, both armies engaged ; and soon after O'NeUl, finding he had the advantage in numbers as weU as in position, ordered his troops to advance to the assault. " His orders were weU executed ; the EngUsh regiment, commanded by Lord Blaney, maintained their ground tUl he and most of his men were cut off. But O'NeUl's cavalry soon broke into the Scots' horse, who being pushed and falUng foul on their foot, disordered the whole body, and a general rout ensued. Su' James Montgomery's regiment was the only one which retired in a body ; aU the others fled in the utmost confu sion, and most of the infantry were cut in pieces. Colonel Con way, after having two horses shot under him, made his escape almost miraculously to the Ne-wyy, with Captain Burke and about forty horse. Lord Montgomery was taken prisoner -with about twenty-one officers and one hundred and fifty common soldiers. There were found 3243 slain on the field of battle, and others were kUled the next day in the pursuit. O'NeUl had only about seventy kUled and two hundred wounded ; he took aU the Scots' artUlery, being four field-pieces, with most of their arms, thirty- two colours, their tents and baggage. The booty was very great ; fifteen hundred draught horses being taken, and two months' provisions for the Scots' army ; enough to serve the Ulster Irish (an hardy people, used to Uve on potatoes and butter, and con tent generaUy with only mUk and shoes) double the time. Monroe fled without his wig and coat to Lisnegarvey, and imme diately burnt Dundrum, deserted Portadown, Clare, Glena-vy, Downpatrick, and other places ; sent for the Lagan forces to his assistance, and ordered the country to rise, every household being to furnish two musketeers. This caused a general consternation; great numbers fled into Scotland ; and the counties of Down and Antrim would have been lost, in a great measure, if either by ac cident or by any adventurous poUcy, aU Monroe's ammunition had not been blown up when the battle was lost ; and if the nun cio, who received the news of the victory on June 13th at Lime- 26 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xii. rick, had not despatched an express to O'NeUl to congratulate his victory, and to desire him to march with his forces to support him in his opposition to the peace. The messengers overtook O'NeiU at Tandragee as he was ready to fall into the Scots quar ters ; yet to show his obedience to the nuncio, he resolved to march -with his whole army towards KUkenny. He accordingly quitted the opportunity of conquests in Ulster, and marched into Leinster ; his soldiers making horrible depredations in the coun try." 23 23 Carte, i. 576, 577. The account of this battle given in the text is taken from O'Neill's journal, which is printed at length in Des. Cur. Hib. ii. 341- 47, and 602-6 ; and though the victory was a most decided one, yet the loss of the Scots is considerably exiiggerated by the Irish general. I subjoin Monro's version of the concluding part of the engagement, and ofthe cause of his defeat, taken from his letter to the English parliament, dated at Car rickfergus on the llth of June, six days after the battle : — "About sunset I perceived the enemy making ready for a general assault, first with his foot, and his horse coming up behind his foot to second them. I had given order to a squadron of our horse to break througli them before they should advance to our foot ; that squadron of horse, consisting for the most part of Irish riders, although under the English command, did not charge, out retreated disorderly through our foot, making the enemies horse for to follow them, at least one squadrbn. Notwithstanding thereof, our foot stood to it, and re ceived the enemies battalions, body to body, with push of pike ; till at last our second squadron of horse charged the enemies horse, and fell pell-mell amongst our foot ; who, being hurried into disorder, had no way of retreat but to wade the Blackwater when it was scarce fordable, and by that means, and the darknesse of the night, many of our foot escaped, with the losse of some few officers, six field-pieces, and some colours. So that by all appearance the Irish under the Lisnegarvey horsemen b.id a purpose to betray the army by their running away, leaving the foot to be cut down, who were also deserted by the rest of the horse, after retiring from their last charge : the enemy falling on our baggage, the baggage-horses being all gone, they loved the spoyle better then to prosecute the victory. So that we lost ofthe foote, at the nearest conjecture, five or six hundred, and twenty officers were taken prisoners, the Lord of Ardes being one. We lost also many armes by reason the souldiers had above fifty miles to retire. And notwithstanding of all our losses, the enemy, aa yet (praised be God), hath not attempted to prosecute his victory within our quarters ; and Colonel Monro, with his party, miraculously retreated home from the enemy, who viewed them, with out the loss of a man. And now we are making up our forces again, having not lost of our horsemen above thirty, and one cornet who was killed." A.D. 1646. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 27 The effect which this unexpected reverse of fortune produced is thus related by Adair : — " The British and Scotch armies re ceived a sad blow at Benburb, near the Blackwater ; they were whoUy routed, and many slain, and some taken prisoners, among whom was the Lord of Ards, then a youth. This rout sadly alarmed the country, as well as the army, who were called to gether in divers companies to march to the borders of the coun try, for defence of it against the enemy if he should pursue his victory, together -with the scattered forces who had escaped the slaughter at the Blackwater. But the Lord restrained the re mainder of the enemy's wrath ; their general, being a bred sol dier and a wary man, imagined the army and country would be as bears robbed of their whelps, and in a readiness to fight : whereas indeed they were but faint-hearted, and in a very evil case to encounter an enemy. But God saw the affliction of his people in the country at that time, and would not destroy the new bud of his own work, which was but begmning to spring up ; and therefore he did withhold the barbarous Irish from further pursuing, which they might easUy have done. Yet it is observ able that, a whUe after this, when Sir Phelim O'NeUl sent parties to prey upon the country, and drive the cows of such as they could, the places where the Gospel was planted, though lying near these quarters where the rebels came, were preserved from plunder. " Yet it is not to be forgotten that this stroke came by the righteous hand of God, especiaUy upon the Scotch army. For many of the soldiers were prodigiously profane and wicked in their Uves, and set themselves to prey upon the poor country scarce crept from under the ashes of a horrid rebelUon ; being The Lord Blaney who waa slain, was Henry, the second lord, who rescued the fort at Monaghan from the rebels shortly after the Rebellion, and held possesaionof it with hia company till this fatal battle. (Lodge, vi. 311.) Lord Montgomery of the Ards was carried by the Irish to the castle of Clough- outer, in Cavan, the same prison to whioh Bishop Bedell had been committed, where he continued closely confined for nearly two years. (Montg. MSS. p. 197.) Among the slain was Captain James Hamilton, son of William of Newcastle, in the county of Down, brother to Lord Claneboy. There is a monument to his memory in the parish church of Clonfeokle, at Benburb. 28 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xii. secure, and without any apprehension of fear from the enemy, and so went to the fields for a prey rather than expecting any encounter, only fearing not to see the enemy, being so fuU of confidence in their own valour and the enemy's cowardice. Therefore Providence so ordered that they were not together in a body when they met the enemy. Colonel George Monroe, son-in-law to the general-major, a proud self-wUled man, having divided a considerable number of the forces and led them another way from Coleraine to meet the general-major before they should encounter the enemy. And the general-major on his march, finding the enemy almost between him and that party, did over- march the body of the army that very day on purpose to meet with Colonel Monroe's party, and prevent the enemy meeting them alone. So that when they came to the view of the enemy the soldiery were tired and faint, as well as discouraged to see a very considerable force, and they without their expected aid. Besides, it was said the general-major at that time did not so manage the business as it might have been, and had not that spirit of command and conduct which usually he had ; the Lord making aU these things to concur for bringing a stroke upon a guUty proud party. The presbytery, after this blow and danger in the country, ordered a day of pubUc humiUation for the sins procuring it, and in a great measure yet remaining." 2* Though for a wliUe the presbytery were perplexed and alarmed by this sudden calamity, their labours in spreading the Gospel were not interrupted. The ministers appointed by the last Gene ral Assembly had terminated their period of ser-vice in the month of March. But soon afterwards the Eev. Mr. Hutchinson of Col- monel -visited Ulster, and the Eev. John Livingston again came 2' The English commons, on the 20th of June, also "Ordered, that the ministers of the several parishes in and about London, do earnestly recom mend in their prayers the languishing condition of the remainder of the poor Protestants in Ireland, ready to be overrun and wholly destroyed through tho fury ofthe bloody rebels there; who, taking the advantage of their late suc cess in Ulster, use their utmost endeavours totally to root them out of that kingdom, and do exercise very great cruelties upon them." (Journ. iv. 683.) Such were the exaggerated reports of the proceedings of the Irish in Ulater so busily circulated and so readily believed ! a.d. 1646, CHURCH IN IRELAND. 29 over, in company with commissioners, consisting of the Mar quis of Argyle,25 Macdougal of Garthland, and John Kennedy, provost of Ayr, who were sent by the estates of Scotland to con fer -with the English commissioners respecting the settlement of affairs in Ireland. During the stay of those experienced minis ters, the presbytery had appUcations on behalf of several young men from Scotland, to receive them on trial -with a view to their settlement in Ulster. But they wisely resolved to proceed with caution, and to receive or ordain those only who were adequately recommended, as weU as acceptable to the people of the vacant parishes. " The presbytery at this time, when expectants were coming from Scotland, made an act that the young men who came over should have sufficient testimonials, should converse 2' The mai-quis paid only a hurried visit to Ulster on this occasion. He was suddenly recalled by the Scottish estates, in order to proceed in their name to London, to urge the English parliament to conclude a peace with tho king, then with the Scots at Newcastle. In a speech which the marquis made before a committee of both houses on the 25th of June, he thus de scribes the privations to which the Scottish army in Ulster were subject: — " As for the army in Ireland, I have been an eyewitness to their sufiering.i, and so many apeak of it likewise upon certain knowledge, that never men have suffered greater hardships who might have been provided. For they have lived many times upon a few beans measured out to them by number, and never had any other drink bnt water ; and when they were in some better condition they had but an Irish peck of rough oats for a whole week. And now, at their best condition, when they are quartered upon the country (which ia able' to entertain them only for a very short time), they have only an Irish peck of oatmeal, or a shilling in ten days both for meat and drink." (See a small pamphlet, entitled, " The Lord Marques of Argyle's Speech to a Grand Committee of both Houses of Parliament," " When Fleetwood carae to Ireland in August 1652, he was accompanied by Mr. Christopher Blackwood, another Baptist preacher, and one of his ffi'st acts was to displace Dr. Winter from the office of state-preacher to make way for Patient, who was now chaplain to Jones, one of the commissioners.^^ At the same time Mr. Patient was placed as minister in Christ Church, that during his abode in those parts all due encouragement and countenance may be afforded to him." MS. ext. from council books, ut supra. « " Murcot'a Life, " ut supra, pp. 18-21. Dr. Edward Worth had been dean of Cork before the Rebellion, but he now acted with the sectaries, and re nounced the worship and government of the Established Church. Like the other Episcopalian ministers in the North, as well as in the South, he re-con formed at the Restoration ; he ultimately died Bishop of Killaloe. It is curious to observe that not a word ia said in Harria's Ware of his tergiversa tion in professing himself an Independent during the protectorate. Afterthe disputation mentioned in the text, he published a small work, printed at Cork in 1653, entitled, " Scripture Evidences for baptising of infants of Cove nanters.'' Ware's "Writers," p. 169. See Appendix. 5» Ivimey'a "History of the English B.iptists," i. pp. 240, 241. From the list of ministers endowed by the commonwealth in 1654, it appears that Mr. John Read, the Baptist preacher here referred to, resided statedly at Belturbet, and received a salary of £120 per annum. " Brooke's " Puritans," iii. 425, 168 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xv. in room of Mr. Eogers, who, annoyed by the favour shown to these sectaries, had removed to London.^^ Blackwood resided for a short time at KUkenny, but was afterwards " fixed with the congregation at Dublin, and Mr. Patient appointed as an evan- geUst to preach up and down the country." ^^ Another of Fleet wood's favourites, Mr. Claudius Gilbert, was settled as pastor of the church at Lunerick. Influenced by these violent preachers, who denounced in the strongest terms the tenets of the Presby terians, the new deputy and commissioners resolved to make another attempt to sUence the ramisters in Ulster, stUl opposed to the authority of the commonwealth ; or to remove them, if obstinate, out of the country, to make way for the predominance of their favourite sect. They appointed certain persons, styled commissioners of the revenue, to risit this province, and carry their intentions into effect. With this view, a correspondence was opened in the month of October with the members of the presbytery, whose number had been augmented, as abeady stated, by the return of several brethren from Scotland. " Immediately after Mr. Stewart's coming over to Donagha dee, which was in the latter end of summer 1652, there were letters sent to the several brethren, and to him also, froiA those who governed the country at that time, caUed the commissioners of the parUament, that they desired a meeting and conference vrith them on the 21st of October at Belfast, to advise how the Gospel may be preached without disturbing the peace of the '2 At Mr. Rogers' departure he received from the council of state the fol lowing certificate, preserved in the council books : — " Dublin Castle, 22d March 1651-[2]. Whereas Mr. John Rogers, minister of the Gospel, was sent over and recommended to us by divers worthy members of the council of state for preaching the Word of God in Ireland, where he hath continued for the space of months, and being now desirous to return for England, we thought fit to certify whom it may concern that the said Mr. Rogers during his residence here hath been painfull and industrious in the work of the minis try ; and we shall be glad that such laborious faithful instruments may receive encouragement to repair to this land for the refreshment of poor souls, and for the propagating and carrying on the interest of Jesus Christ there." MS. extract from council hooka, tit supra. ''¦> Thurloe, iv. 90. *-D. 1(152, CHURCH IN IRELAND. 169 commonwealth, wliich they were uiformed some nunisters stiU continued to do, as weU as for begetting a greater unity and better understanding. Tliis was subscribed by Colonel Venables, Arthur Eawdon, and Tobias Norris, at Belfast, October the 16th, 1652. The brethren, on receipt of these letters, inunediately acquainted one another, and appointed a meeting amongst thera selves at Comber the day before then- appearance at Belfast ; where they easUy supposed a new trouble was coming thefr way in order to their cai-riage to the present government. Therefore they seriously ad-rised and debated what length they ought to go in pleasing their governors, in order for Uberty for preacliing the Gospel ; and drew up a paper somewhat to that purpose, declar ing that, though they coidd not own the government as lawful, nor bind themselves by any oath or subscription to it, yet their only calling and aim was to preach the Gospel to tiieir congre gations ; and that, for their part, they were upon no intention of insurrection or disturbing the peace, and they were confident the rulers had no ground to apprehend any such tiling of them. "After they had agreed among themselves what to stick to, they came next day to Belfast ; and were immediately sent for (Mr. Taylor, &c., being messengers) by the commissioners, before whom they appeared [Thursday], October the 21st. After the coraraissioners had discoursed a Uttie to them according to the contents of their letter, the brethren, being demanded what they would do, gave in the paper they had di-avra up. Tins being immediately before dinner, they again appeared before the com missioners after dinner ; and having appointed one of their num ber to speak the mind of the rest of the commissioners, they feU upon the debate of that paper they had given in — ^riz., whether they would take the Engagement, or at least the negative pai-t of it, which was to act nothing against the commonwealth of Eng land, as now established, without king or House of Lords. Upon this they debated for five or sis hours -without intermission. The commissioners received no satisfaction from what the ministers could condescend unto ; and next morning appearing agaui they could do no further. At this the commissioners were rauch offended, and some of them spoke bitterly to the brethren, and 170 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xv. particularly to the brother [Mr. Adair] who had been mouth for the rest. Yet at that tune they thought it not fit to use severity ; and therefore they dismissed them to their places with a com mand to appear again -within six weeks, and in the meantime to make no insurrection in the country. The brethren waived this, but promised the former. They also deUvered to them a draught differing in words from the engagement, which they desired the brethren to adrise upon ; but it was found ensnaring. " They were thus let go. On Monday [October 25th] they appointed a private meeting in a barn, and there Mr. Andrew Stewart is appointed by the brethren to return to Scotland, and inform their brethren, vrith the reverend and experienced minis ters there, how it stood with them in Ireland; and requiring their adrice how to carry themselves. They also sent over a copy of the paper they had given in to the commissioners, -with a relation of their carriage : in all which they were approven by the worthy and reverend brethren that Mr. Stewart spoke with, such as Messrs. Blair, Dickson, Wood, &c. They [in Scotland] did not choose to give a draught, but rather thought the ministers might profess to them that they did not purpose to raise people in arms, but to Uve as a godly people ; and to inform and prepare the people for sufferings in the maintenance of the Gospel, if God caUed them to it. " At this time also Mr. James Ker, who had formerly faUen off from the presbytery, and had continued in great charity toward the sectarian party for a considerable time, now desired to be re admitted to his former society vrith his brethren, and gave great testimonies of his ingenuously loathing his former course. The brethren at this time gave hira a favourable hearing; yet delayed his fuU reception untU they acquainted theu- brethren, being the greatest numb^r of the presbytery, now in Scotland. For that purpose, they gave commission to Mr. Stewart to acquaint them, and have their mind on it. Upon this, the brethren in Scotland did readUy assent, and so Mr. Ker was received into the feUow- ship of his brethren upon his declared repentance : as thereafter also were Mr. O'Quin and Mr. Vesey. " WhUe Mr. Stewart was in Scotland, the winds continuing JLD. 1652. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 171 contrary so that he could not return before the prescribed six weeks were completed, the brethren were again necessitated to appear before the commissioners, but stiU remained the same. So at length, the commissioners being weary of them, and they still more weary, the commissioners proposed to the brethren, that they shoidd send one or two of their number to DubUn, to jee if they could satisfy the Lord-General Fleetwood and the coundl of officers there, wherewith they should be satisfied. The brethren, though they expected not much good from this essay, yet saw not how they eould shun it, being thus proposed to them. They therefore chose Mr. Archibald Ferguson and Mr. Patrick Adair for this purpose. They gave them injunctions to make thar appUcation to Fleetwood, yet restricted them from giving them any tities which seemed to approve their present power. They were also instructed to declare that they had no mind of insurrection, but only desired to preach the Gospel to a poor afflicted people, themselves being als^^ in poverty, having their maiatenanc© sequestered; and that they only desired Uberty to preach without impositions. '"' These two brethren haring a pass fiom Venables, ^rith a let ter in their &Tour, as to their persons, to Fleetwood, they went [in January 16-5.3] and met -with much civility fiom him, and fitHu divers of the officers, especially Colonel Sankey and Colonel Hewson, beins men of gc>od tempers and lovers of good men. They also met with much bitterness irom others. However, they obtained nothing to thdr purpose, Fleetwood, though in great power, took Uttle upon him. The Anabaptist &ction carried most sway : and he, after divers appUcations to him, referred the brethren to a meeting of oiScers, who met in the eastie of Dub lin, of all sorts and sizes of them. The brethren, appearing be fore them, were questioned why they and their brethren would not take the engagement, nor give security to live quietly, &0, Mr. Ferguson answered, as he was enjoined, that they intended not insurrections, kc It was aggre-iged with many absurdities that the ministers should expect protection within the common wealth, and not promise fideUty. Mr. Ferguson repUed, it might be dangerous to permit men in the commonwealth in such a case 172 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xv. who, upon worldly and political considerations, refused; but that they were to be looked upon as refusing upon no such grounds, but merely in conscience ; and that withal they were men insig nificant for insurrections, and not dangerous. One Allen, an Anabaptist, repUed, ' a Papist would and might say as much for themselves, and pretend conscience as weU as they.' Mr. Adair answered, ' Sir, under favour, it's a mistake to compare our con sciences with Papists ; for Papists' consciences could digest to kUl Protestant kings, but so would not ours, to wluch our principles are contrary.' This harsh expression, reflecting on many there who had a hand in the king's murder, procured a great sUence ; some drawing their hats down on their faces who were in heart haters of that wickedness, and others were angry. So there was no more discourse at that time, neither were the brethren caUed again. But within a day or two they went to Fleetwood, who fairly dismissed them ; and so they returned home with no more security than they went. " Though the commissioners of the revenue did not own them, yet they with their brethren continued as formerly for the mat ter of six weeks more ; at which time there were commissioners sent from DubUn to offer the engagement to the whole country. These were Dr. Henry Jones, afterwards bishop of Meath, Colo nel Arthur HiU, Colonel Venables, and Major Morgan, after wards Sir Anthony Morgan. They remained at Carrickfergus.^* They flrst sent parties of soldiers to each minister's house, there being but seven in the country then as already mentioned, all at the one time, who were to search all papers and letters in their houses, and bring them along from the ministers. They being »• From their letter to the commissioners of state in Dublin, dated from Carrickfergus on the 9th of April, it appears that they arrived at Belfast on the 1st of that month, where they were joined by Colonel Hill ; and on that day issued proclamations summoning all who had borne arms against the par liament to appear before them at Carriekfergus, on Wednesday, the 13th of April, to render an account of their affection and fidelity to the present go vernment." They had already determined to ' ' transplant all popular Scotts" to some other part of Ireland ; but they apply in this letter for the necessary powers and directions, and conclude by intimating their intention to proceed, due course, to Derry. MSS. Trin. Coll. Dub., F. 3, 18, p. 636. in A.D. 1653. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 173 suspicious that tliese few ministers, who so boldly owned tho king's interest upon divers occasions before themselves, must have some secret correspondence with the king's party in Scot land, though now subdued, and under that party of.the common wealth. The soldiers narrowly searched aU, but found papers with none but Mr. Adair. They took from him every paper though to never so Uttle purpose, for they could not distinguish papers ; there being none among sixteen soldiers and a sergeant, who took the papers, that could read. Among the papers they took, there was one bundle which contained the presbytery's Ee presentation against the sectaries and that party ; and another declaring the horridness of their murdering the king, vrith other papers much reflecting on their party. This bundle they took away with them in a cloak-bag among others, though Mr. Adair had used aU means to preserve it, knowing they raight take much occasion against the brethren upon the sight of these papers. However they took it along in one of the cloak-bags which were full of papers. That night the sergeant kept one of the cloali- bags in the chamber where he lay, about two miles from Mr. Adair's house, and in this was that bundle. The maid of the house, hearing a report that these were Mr. Adair's papers, re solved to restore some of them to him again. And so she went in the night, when the sergeant and soldiers were asleep, and quietly brought a bundle of papers out of the cloak-bag, not knowing what papers they were. This bundle was that which Mr. Adair only cared for ; and she sent it to him next morning. " Next week after this the commissioners gave summons to the whole country of both counties [of Do-wn and Antrim] to ap pear at Carrickfergus, and assigned every barony or great parish their day of appearance ; in each of which they pitched on cer tain persons to return all the naraes of masters of famUies in a list to the commissioners, to be caUed in order. Accordingly, the whole country generally appeared on thefr days assigned ; and thefr names being returned, they put the names of the mi nisters flrst on the roll, purposely that each of them might have occasion to debate the engagement, being first called ; and the people where each minister dwelt being present, this gave occa- 174 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xv. sion to most of them to debate the engagement with the cora raissioners. This was to the ministers' hazard, yet a special means to confirm the people in their duty to the king and cove nant, and guard them against it. For it feU so out that the people, who came along with the ministers, and were present at thefr disputing -with the commissioners, whoUy refused the en gagement. This did much frritate the coraraissioners against the ralnisters. However they dismissed them for that week, and commanded thera to return the next. " Accordingly the ministers came, and the coraraissioners gave order that they should not go out of town [Carrickfergus] with out thefr liberty; this being about the middle of May 1653. The guards at the posts were charged to watch to that purpose. The ministers were dealt with to give some security for their peaceable carriage in the country ; and never to own any other power or oppose this. They would, however, raake no promises to this purpose. They were kept till Saturday [May 14th], in the evening, attending the commissioners' pleasure ; and they were informed, by some who were thefr friends and yet who kept intercourse with the commissioners, that there was a frigate ready to receive them to be transported to England. It is cer tain that there was a frigate then attending for some service known to none but themselves. Notwithstanding this, they stood constant ; and being caUed unto the commissioners they thought to receive a sad sentence, considering what had been their bitter expressions to them before, and considering what they had heard of the commissioners' design and resolution that day. But, unexpectedly, they were entertained with much seem ing favour and respect. The commissioners did a Uttle resent their so plain disputing against their power. They especiaUy de clared their dissatisfaction with Mr. Ker, who had been, as they thought, thefr own so long ; and now haring been called to take the engagement with the people of that parish [Bal lymoney] did not enter fairly to debate the business, but feU downright upon thera, declaring how he had been deceived with the pretences of that party at first, for which he justly had been suspended by his brethren ; and now whereas he thought A.I.. 1650. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 175 they would favour the people of God, he saw the greatest ma Ugnants in tiie country were most iu thefr favour, because they coiUd turn any way for thefr own ends. This they did resent in Mr. James Ker more than in the carriage of any of the rest. However, they did much insinuate on the ministers, and desfred they would yet resolve to Uve peaceably, and preach the Gospel to the people, without refiecting on thefr powers ; and so desfred them to go to thefr charges. " The brethren, being surprised vrith this kind entertain ment, did very joyfully accept of it ; and the more cheerfuUy that no engagement was sought from them, as always before. And now, wondering at God's merciful providence unto them after so long tossing, they hasted home that night, though very late, and kept the next day, the Sabbath, vrith their congregations in more than ordinary zeal ; blessing God for that unexpected de Uverance from thefr straits and troubles. Yet they knew not what was the particular occasion which moved these commissioners to such a change in their carriage to them. But of this, very shortly after, they had notice. It carae not from any good-wUl in them to the ministers ; but there was a sovereign Euler order ing aU things even in that confused and reeling time."^^ This change of conduct towards the presbytery resulted from important alterations in the constitution of the commonwealth, which had, in the meantime, unexpectedly occurred at the seat of government in London. " .\dair's MS 176 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvi. CHAPTER XVI. A.D. 1653-1660. Cromwell dissolves the parliament— Plan for transporting the Scots out of Ulster— Cromwell proclaimed Protector — Visit of his son Henry to Dub Un — Its favourable effects — Several ministers return to their charges — Dissensions in the Church of Scotland — Prevented from extending to Ulster — Act of Bangor — The presbytery subdivided — Increase of ministers — Their maintenance — Sir John Clotworthy interferes in tlieir behalf — Endowments granted by ihe Irish council — Fleetwood recalled — Henry Cromwell made commander of the army — Rise of the Quakers in Ulster — Proceedings of W. Edmundson — Livingston visits Ireland — H. Crom well jealous of the Presbyterians — They refuse to observe Jiis public fasts — Two ministers wait on him in Dublin — The Presbyterians nar rowly watched — Instances of this vigilance — H. Cromwell appointed lord- deputy — Becomes more favourable to the Scots — State of ministerial maintenance — Meeting of ministers in Dublin— Independents discontented — Death of Oliver Cromwell — General presbytery at Ballymena — Politi cal changes in England— Henry Cromwell resigns — Presbyterians first propose to recal the King — Subsequent proceedings — Charles the Second The ambition of CromweU could Ul brook the controUing autho rity of the parliament. By the decisive battle of Worcester in 1651, which compeUed Charles the Second to abandon the king dom and seek safety on the Continent, his popularity and in fluence became almost unbounded. Supported by a devoted and hitherto inrincible army, residing -vrith his^ faraUy in one of the royal palaces, and enjoying even more than royal patronage, courted by the arabassadors of foreign powers, and his protection humbly craved by the royalist nobUity, it is not surprising he should aspfre to the actual possession of uncontrolled power, and disdain the superiority of the few speculative poUticians who now constituted the parUament of England. His flrst object was to effect, if possible, the peaceable dissolution of this once formidable assembly, which had sat without intermission from November A.D. 1653. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 177 1640. Through the agency of his ofiicers, many of whom were members, and aU of whom he studiously inflamed against the other members as indolent, thankless, and corrupt statesmen, he endeavoured to obtain a vote of the parUament for its own im mediate dissolution. Disappointed, however, in this attempt, he proceeded to the house on Wednesday, the 20th of AprU, and, after mingUng for some time with apparent composure in the de bate respecting the act for dissolving the parUament, which it was apparent would not be carried agreeably to his wishes, he at length gave the appointed signal, and a party of miUtary enter ing the house, the members by his orders were forcibly expeUed, the mace removed, and the doors locked. In the afternoon, with simUar violence he dispersed the council of state ; and having thus wholly aboUshed both the legislative and executive institu tions of the infant repubUc, he vested the supreme power of the commonwealth in nine officers and four, ciriUans, associated with himself in a new councU of state. The news of this unexpected revolution reached Carrickfergus on the day on which the members of the presbytery appeared before the commissioners. The intelligence entirely discon certed thefr plans, the power from which they derived their au thority being at an end. No other alternative reraained than to exhort the ministers to a peaceable conduct, and dismiss them to their parishes without delay. The commissioners in DubUn, however, having cheerfuUy submitted to the new councU of state, and the commissions of the subordinate courts having been re newed throughout the kingdom, the original design of removing " all the popular Scotts" out of Ulster was iraraediately resuraed. A proclamation was pubUshed by " the commissioners for the settUng and securing the province of Ulster," specifying the conditions on which it was proposed to transplant the leading Presbyterians in the counties of Down and Antrira to certain districts in Mun ster. This proclaraatlon was accorapanied with a Ust of two hundred and sixty persons — including all those who, by their known attachment to monarchical and Presbyterian principles, and by thefr station and influence, were raost obnoxious to the reigning faction — who were required, within a specified time and VOL. II. M 178 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvi. under certain penalties, to erabrace the terms now offered. The proposals of the commissioners for effecting this extensive revo lution in the population and property of a great part of Ulster having been hitherto unrecorded, no apology will be necessary for embodying them in the history of the province to which they refer.i " Whereas the right honourable the commissioners of the com monwealth of England have commissioned us, for the settling and securing of these parts from those disturbances which the councU of state did intimate unto them were Uke to arise here through the designs of the neighbouring Highlanders in Scotland, and whereas, many persons here have (to our grief) too much con firmed those fears ; in discharge of that trust reposed in us, that the good people here of the English and Scottish nation, who have manifested their good affection towards the present govern raent, raight receive all due protection and encourageraent ; we have thought fit, as the most probable expedient for the peace and settlement of this prorince, to transplant a certain number of such persons as we judge (by reason of their interest and dis affection) to be therein most dangerous, into the provinces of Leinster and Munster. And that we raight show our tenderness towards thera (notwithstanding their present temper), and that we have no other end in this action, next to preservation of the peace in these parts, than their good and welfare ; We do hereby declare, that the ensuing conditions or articles shaU, God wUling, be made good to the respective persons who shall be so trans- jjlanted : — " First, — Valuable consideration in land, computed as the same was worth in the year 1640, shall be aUowed for the land, leases, ' A copy of this proclamation, signed by Robert Venables, Arthur Hill, William Allen, Henry Jone-s, and Anthony Morgan, and printed on a broad side by "William Bladen, Dublin, Anno Domini, 1663," I was fortunate enough to meet with in the British Museum. In the Appendix, I have inserted the list of persons annexed to it, forming a very curious and valuable document, from its exhibiting the names of the more noted and in fluential Preabyterians then residing in the respective districts of Down and Antrim. "¦1'. 1653. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 179 and houses of such as shaU be so transplanted, valued as afore said, according to their respective interests, and the quaUfications under which they do faU in the printed act for settleraent of August 1652, entitled ' An Act for the settluig of Ireland.' And to that end, persons of judgment and known integrity shall be, with aU convenient speed, appointed surveyors upon oath of the value of the said land, leases, and houses of such as shall be re moved as aforesaid, according unto such answerable satisfaction as sliaU be given as aforesaid. And whilst the said surveys are making, the said persons now removing shaU be possessed of such land by an estimate according to the rule and proportion afore said. And the places whereunto they shall be transplanted, shall be the parts of the counties Kilkennie, Typerarie, and Water ford, the barony of the Decies in the countie of Waterford bor dering upon the sea, and such other parts of that countie near the city of Waterford, where they raay with security inhabit, in such places as the coraraissioners of the revenue or other persons authorised within those precincts shall appoint. " Secondly, — The said persons shaU hold such lands, if the lands unto which they be transplanted be now waste, and shall pay no contribution thereout, till November come twelveraonth : after which tirae they are to pay proportionable taxes with the rest of thefr neighbours. " Thirdly, — The said persons shaU be aUowed what wood is necessary either for the building of new or repairing of old houses on the said lands ; and the same shall be appointed out of the commonwealth's woods. " Fourthly, — The said persons shall and may enjoy by their agents the profits of their lands they now possess tUl November next ensuing the date hereof. And notwithstanding that it is the custom of the country that all removers pay a year's contri bution after removal in the places frora whence they remove ; yet for the further encouragement of the persons so removing, it is condescended that they shall pay the contribution charged on the lands they now possess in Ulster only during the time of their holding the said lands by their said agents, and not after the 1st of November next. 180 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap xvi. " Fifthly, — The state shall, if the said persons desire it, take off all their corn now upon the ground, being made into meal, and delivered into the public stores at a market-price, and shall pay the raoney so due to thera for it at what place they shall desire in Ireland. " Sixthly, — Convoys shall be aUowed for the persons and goods of such as shall be so reraoved. " Seventhly, — The said persons shaU and raay enjoy the free dora of their religion, and choose their own ministers ; provided they shall be such as shall be peaceable-minded men towards the authority they Uve under, and not scandalous : and such minis ters shall be allowed a competence for their subsistence, suitable with others in their condition. " Eighthly, — Such of the said persons who have no title to land shall have leases, of so rauch as they can stock, at a valuable rent and contribution free, if it be waste when they enter upon it, till Noveraber next corae tvvelvemonth. " And we do further declare, that aU those who have signified their wiUingness to remove on the conditions tendered, as also any of the"rest that yet shall, by the — day of June next, sig nify their willingness to the commissioners of tho revenue of the precinct of Belfast, and give in sufficient security to remove as aforesaid, shaU have these conditions fuUy raade good to thera in as araple manner as they are here tendered : And for any other of these numbers who shall not, by the day aforesaid, so declare their intentions, and give security for performance as aforesaid, we shall, in order to the pubUc safety, enforce them to remove into such places, with abatement in the conditions, where they raay not be capable of doing that raischief which they give us rauch cause to beUeve they only want power and opportunity to prac tise in the places where they now are. And because such per sons may not pretend ignorance of what is herein declared, we have inserted their names at the bottom of this declaration, with the names of such other persons as we find necessary to be re moved for the ends aforesaid : Further requiring the commis sioners of applotment in each respective quarter to make known to all and every of the said persons undernamed what is herein A.u. 1653. CHURCH IN ICELAND. 181 declared, who are to render an account to the said commissioners of the revenue of their proceedings herein, with the names of such as are, or shall not be wUUng to accept of the said proposals ; to the end that such farther proceedings may be made therein, as shaU be suitable to the purposes aforesaid. Which we do hereby authorise and requfre aU officers and persons concerned herein to execute : Dated at Carriclcfergus, the 23d of May 1653." Immediately after the pubUcation of this proclamation, Sir Eobert Adafr of BaUymena, Mr. Shaw of BaUygeUy, and other leading Presbyterians, were sent to Munster to examine the allotted lands, and other preUmiaary steps were taken during the summer towards effecting the proposed ^transplantation. " But matters in England being in a continual unsettledness through CromweU's driving on his design for his own advance ment to the supreme government, and the opposition of many in the army whoUy against the government's being settled in one single person ; this motion of the governors here in Ireland had no bottom to rest upon, therefore thefr project of transplanting the Scotch to Tipperary, &c., did evanish within a little time ; and the ministers and people in this country began to have a great calm for all the former storms which they had endured. For OUver, coining to the suprerae ordering of affafrs, used other methods and took other measures than the rabble rump parUa ment. He did not force any engageraent or promise upon people contrary to their conscience ; knovring that forced obUgations of that kind wUl bind no man. For men who are not ruled by conscience can easily break these, and shake off these obligations whenever opportunity offers : and men of conscience if they should be constrained and tempted to them, they wUl find them selves under a necessity to repent. Thus ministers in the country began to enjoy great Uberty for their ministry ; and thefr bre thren in Scotland began to return in peace to their parishes without molestation." 2 The riolent dissolution of the Long Parliament was but one 3 Adair's MS. 182 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvi. step in CromweU's advance to supreme power. Not long after that event, he suramoned certain persons to raeet at Whitehall in the beginning of July, to whora he gave the name of a parlia ment, and who, he hoped, would serve as a cloak for his own ambitious projects. But the raajority of the members proved to be violent and fanatical Anabaptists, and he soon found them'in- disposed to defer to his advice. But by a dexterous manoeuvre of his friends, this assembly, styled in history, from the droll name of one of its members,' Barebone's parliament, was peace ably dissolved. They resigned their power into the hands of CromweU, who immediately after proclaimed himself Lord Pro tector of the commonwealth, and, on the 16th of December, was solemnly instaUed in this new office, with even more than regal state. At this restoration of the monarchy in the person of Cromwell, Fleetwood and the other Baptists composing the Irish council were highly incensed. With great difficulty they were induced to proclaim hira as Lord Protector, though, at the sarae time, they took Uttle pains to conceal their disappointment or repress their indignation. In the beginning of March 1654, OUver took the precaution of sending over his son Henry, a prudent and excel lent young man, of whom frequent mention wUl be subsequently made, to ascertain the state of parties in Ireland, and especially the feeUngs of the army then under the coraraand of Ludlow, a resolute and consistent republican. He was received in DubUn, on Saturday, the 4th of March, with every raark of respect, by the councU of state, the judges, the civic authorities, and the citizens who were not Baptists.* He found the councU unpo pular and inactive ; " doing very little," as he writes in one of his letters, " unless it be to raake orders to give away the public lands, of which they have given large proportions to each of ' See Godwin'a " Commonwealth," iii. 524; and Foster's "Cromwell," ii. 144. See " Gentleman's Magazine" for 1848, part ii. p. 35. From the records of the Leathersellers — " Praysgod Barbon admitted a freeman, January 20, 1623; — a warden of the yeomanry, July 6, 1630:— a liveryman of the com pany, Pr.iisegod Barbono." Similar entries go on to the 2d of May 1661. ' Thurloe's "State Papers," ii. 162, 163. A.u. 1654. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 18.3 themselves." With respect to the army, he states, they are " abundantly satisfied and well pleased with the present govern ment in England, unless it be some few inconsiderable persons of the Anabaptist judgment, whoe are aUs«e quiett, though not verry weU contented." And with regard to the country gene rally, he adds — " sober men (not Anabaptists) are overjoyed with hopes that the time is now come of their deliverance from that bondage and subjection which they were in to the [council] of which I have hade large and indeed sade complaynts from all handes, and am confirmed in it upon my owne observation : the uttmost that is desired is, that all may be uppon ane equall ac count as to encouragement and countenance -"^ — an obvious principle of good government, though, even yet, not carried into full operation in Ireland. During his residence in Dublin, Henry visited the coUege, " where he was entertained with copies of verses, speeches, and disputation ;" and, after a fortnight's stay, he returned to England. This risit tended much to abate the violent sectarianism of the Baptist faction, and to induce the council to act with greater moderation and impartiality. It re concUed many parties to the domination of Cromwell ; and con gratulatory addresses from the officers of the army in Ireland,^ and from several Independent congregations — including one from Patient's church in Dublin, signed by one hundred and twenty names — were soon after forwarded to him, under th'e style and title of " His highness the lord Protector of the common-wealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland."' » Thurloe, ii. 149. ^ NiekoU's " State Papers,'' j)p. 144, 146. This address is signed by 110 officers, and is without date ; bui it was evidently drawn upon this occ.isioii, when there was a general council of officers assembled in Dublin during Henry Cromwell's stay. See Thurloe, ii. 150, and 213. ' The address from the Church at Limerick under Gilbert, signed by him self and eighteen others, and dated, "12th month, 25th day, 1653." i.e., the 25th of March 1654, may be found in Thurloe ii. 117, 118. Tliat from the " Church of the baptised Christians in Dublin" under Patient, the most prominent of the Baptist teachers, may be found in Nickoll's, pp. 148, 110. The observable change in the temper and proceedings of the council, conse quent upon H. CromweU's visit, had its effect in thinning the B.aptist con- 184 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvi. The beneficial effects of this visit extended also to Ulster. AU atterapts to extort an oath of fidelity, or to punish those who had refused the engagement, were abandoned. The Presbyterian ministers in the country were permitted to officiate without any restraint, and those who had either fled to Scotland, or been transported thither by Venables, successively returned. Adair thus notices the gradual ameUoration, which now so providentially occurred, in the circumstances and prospects of the Church : — " The first beginning and day -break of liberty to this poor Church of Ireland seemed to be the dispute at Antrim afready mentioned. After this, the few ministers were not prohibited preaching, though vexed with their appearances for a while before the commissioners of revenue. Thereafter the Lady Clotworthy, a noble and reli gious matron, did intercede with Colonel Venables, for Uberty to her rainister, Mr. Ferguson, to return to his church ; which being granted, Mr. Andrew Stewart at Donaghadee did also hazard a gregations, and moderating the violence of their teachers. It is stated in a letter from Dublin of the 5th of April, only a few weeks after his departure, that the opposition of the Anah.aptists was at an end, and that " a stranger would never believe there had been any difi'erence ; unless upon the Sabbath a congregation maybe discerned, of which Mr. Patience is pastor, from whose church those in profitable employment daily do decline." (Thurloe, ii. 213.) Perhaps it may not be unacceptable to subjoin, from the same letter, an ac count of the hardships and difiiculties incurred in planting the lands in the southern province. " Aa to the nature of a plantation it thus remaines as neere aa I can diacerne; every planter runnes two hazards, of his owne losses and of other men's, his neighbours; and I think I shall now unfould an enigma to you; for certainly noe man's industry can so secure him but that the ill husbandry of his neighbour may undoe him ; for admitt a proportion be taxed uppon a whole hundred, if any prove unable to pay, theyr goods are seized and their persons imprisoned, and the entire tax continued uppon the rest, and soe to the last in.an without any distinction of persons or nation. I talkt with a gentleman within these few hours, lately a captain in the army, who m.arried and entered uppon a farme rented of the state (such lands not being exempted from tax unless excepted in the lease); his stock being a hundred head of great cattle was in a, year and halfe, meerly by tax, reduct to six cowes; which also at last were taken and he imprisoned, and hardly gott leave, by pawning his debentures, to come up to Dublin to sue for relief. This is a case so much resembling a romance, that it is not to be related but between friend and friend." Ibid. A.D. 1654. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 185 visit to his congregation, though without Ucence, and upon that account was not checked by the commissioners. He returned [to Scotland] after a while, and staid tUl the rest of the brethren came over ; having a commission from his brethren in Ireland to consult vrith the gravest ministers in Scotland anent thefr present case, and have thefr judgments upon divers questions as to their carriage under present circumstances — especiaUy as to thefr car riage towards usurping powers. Unto all this, after a time, they had satisfying answers, very Uttle differing from the way they had been led in before. " After this, the rest of the brethren returned from Scotland with passes from the EngUsh government there ; and when they returned, they presented themselves to Venables. Some of them also going up to DubUn, procured a present maintenance to them selves without any conditions asked or given, but that they had the free exercise of thefr ministry. For Cromwell then being at the helm, and his son-in-law, Fleetwood, being deputy of Ireland, he did labour to ingratiate all sorts of persons and parties. Be sides, Fleetwood, though inclining to Anabaptist courses, was no enemy to the Presbyterian party, and a raan of much charity to aU who had profession of godUness. Upon this favourable recep tion by those in power for the time, the brethren thought it their duty to faU about the duty of meeting together presbyteriaUy, as they had formerly done : which they did pubUckly and frequently without any restraint from the powers, sometimes in one place and sometimes in another ; and for a whUe only in the houses of one another, where all the rest met, and brought their elders, who were fit and wilUng, always along with thera. They met at Teraplepatrick, Cafrncastle, Comber, Bangor, &c., for a whUe, tUl at last they settled their meetings as before. This was in the year 1654, when this poor Church had a new sunshine of Uberty of aU ordinances, and much of the blessing and countenance of God concurring therewith in those congregations where ministers had been planted. " Yet as it is usual in Uke cases that God's goodness to His people generaUy enrages His enemies on all hands, there was in the country not only a standing power of the sectarian party, 186 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvi. Anabaptist, &c., but the old Episcopal party who now, when the power was out of their own hands to afflict the presbytery, di insinuate on those who had power, as they did now with the sec taries, to incense thera against that liberty the ministers had, as also against their discipline and public solemnities at communions, &c., and besides, suggesting that these their raeetings were dan gerous to the state, and that they had therein their consultations for strengthening their own faction. This so wrought with an Anabaptist governor. Colonel Barrow, then in the county of Down, that he became highly incensed and jealous of these meet ings, and resolved to use his endeavours to obtain an order for suppressing them. 'It fell out that at a coraraunion in Portaferry, there was an EngUsh gentleman from King's County, an Inde pendent in his opimons, waiting there for a passage to England ; and though it was not his principle to join with Presbyterians in their pubUo worship, yet, being there, he wished to see the fashion. Being present at the whole work, he was so taken with it, and saw so much of the power and presence of God with his servants and people, that he, on his return to Colonel Barrow, his acquaintance, professed he never saw raore of God in an assembly of people — yea, he questioned if God was so much araong any people as among these Presbyterians in this country. Colonel Barrow, being a man pretending to much piety, and, though of Anabaptist principles yet not of a maUcious disposition, from this time had more respect to the ministers, and used not his interest to suppress their liberty in the country. Besides, he thereby got a better character of the maUgnant informers. Thus this poor Church, being in a great raeasure restored to former freedom, and enjoying their ministers who had been banished, the Lord so countenanced their labours that many other congregations, in places of the country that had not been planted before, began to seek for ministers to be settled among them. In general, these raotions frora new places were weU accepted by the presbytery, who resolved to concur vvith the people. But, in the entrance, there feU in sorae difficulties upon occasion of their different opinions in Scotland, raost young men there siding with the one party or the other." A.u. 1654. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 187 The two parties into which the Church of Scotland was now divided were bitterly opposed to each other, and by their dis sensions almost every synod and presbytery was distracted. This lamentable schism originated in certain resolutions adopted by the commission of the Church in December 1650 and in March 1651, and subsequently approved by two General Assemblies, by which the Church unhappily sanctioned the adraission of royalist, and other enemies to the reUgious rights of the kingdora, into places of civil and miUtary trust, in order, as it was plausibly urged, to unite aU classes in support of the claims of their covenanted sovereign, Charles the Second. This sacrifice of principle to a temporary expediency, by entrusting the defence of their dearly- bought liberties to the bigoted upholders of despotic measures, both in Church and State, was highly offensive to a large portion of the more zealous ministers and elders, who protested against the constitution and proceedings of the superior courts that had sanctioned the obnoxious resolutions. These two parties, distinguished by the names of resolutioners and protestors, carried thefr disputes to a deplorable extreme. They refused to hold communion with one another, and each denounced the highest censures against thefr opponents. This distracting controversy was at its height when the Irish ministers were obUged to fiy to Scotland ; and, had it not been for their singular prudence and forbearance, under Dirine guidance, the same unhappy schism would undoubtedly have been introduced into Ulster, " alienat ing the hearts of the godly one from another, and marring the work of God in it." Adair thus narrates the judicious proceed ings of the brethren at this critical conjuncture : — " The Irish ministers, being settlers in divers presbyteries [in Scotland] of divers judgments as to this controversy, did incline to those opimons of which their respective presbyteries were ; and thus they became divided among themselves, insomuch, that those of the protesting opinions joined with the presbytery where they were, in emitting protestations and testimonies against the pubhc actings of the commission of the Church in Scotland and other judicatories of that Church. Upon this, the commission of the Church, in their pubUc papers, refiected on the whole exiled 188 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvi. ministers of Ireland as meddUng with things which did not belong unto them. These pubUc reflections on the ministers from Ire land, by the standing judicatories of the Church of Scotland, did put these brethren upon unanimous thoughts of meeting amongst theraselves from the divers places where they were ; that upon mutual conferring they might, if possible, agree among them selves, and walk orderly and harmoniously as became strangers in a divided Church. They first met at Ayr, where their former acquaintance and heart-warming they had in Ireland did revive. After long and serious communication araong themselves, they found the hazard of thefr present divisions among themselves, not only as rendering them more obnoxious to exceptions and reflec tions where they at present were, but being also hazardous that if, through God's mercy, they should return to thefr charges in Ireland, they might carry as rauch of a strange flre in their skirts as might kindle division in that Uttle Church, and make irrepar able rents among themselves. Whereupon they entered upon a conclusion which had afterwards good infiuence on their ap pearance after thefr return to Ireland, that, whatever were their different apprehensions as to these differences in Scotland, yet aU of them should forbear practically engaging in these divisions, but keep themselves free from divisive fasts, paper-subscriptions in either party, and from synods or presbyteries which divided among themselves and had gone to different parties ; which was the im mediate consequence of these sad difi'erences at that time. After this conclusion thus unanUnously adopted among themselves, they kept correspondence thereafter ; and for keeping it up, they re solved to meet once a month at Maybole that they might have a good understanding of one another ; and confer not only of thefr own carriage in thefr exUed condition, but in order to the case of Ireland and their own return, as God should offer opportunity. These meetings of the brethren at Maybole did continue tUl thefr return to Ireland, not without rautual refreshment and good fruit." 8 8 Adair's MS. One of these meetings, held November 2, 1653, is noticed in " Presbyterian Loyalty, " p. 302. It was attended by the Rev. John Greg, Thomas Hall, Fergus Alexander, Anthony Sb.iw, and William Richardson. A.D. 1654. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 189 When the favourable measures of CromweU's government opened a door for the return of the exiled ministers, the utmost prudence and vigilance were necessary to guard the Church in Ulster from the introduction of the same ruinous schism. " For sorae brethren," as Adafr relates, " who had lately corae over being of the protestors' opinion, had invited one or two young raen of the same opinion to come over, and had employed them in preaching without acquainting their brethren of the presbytery. The most of the brethren here, not being of these opinions and hearing of this, did resent the practice as disorderly anddangerous ; especiaUy there being the whole country of the Lagan to be planted, except the two brethren, Mr. Hugh Cunningham and Mr. WUUam Semple, who had been in Scotland and favoured the protestors, and other two who had lurked in the country and were easUy drawn to their opinion. The presbytery apprehended they might plant that country and the Eout -vrith persons so fixed in the protesting way as to found a division between minis ters of that part of the country and the rest of the brethren ; and to provoke ministers who were of the other opinion to deal as rigorously for men of their own opinions. Upon these conside rations the body of the presbytery declared to those brethren their disorderliness, and told them that such practices could not be borne with. " However, another meeting was appointed at Bangor, where all the brethren met ; and before thefr sitting down, some jea lousies and animosities began to appear between these two par ties of brethren who came from Scotland ; notwithstandfrig that before thefr coming over they had come to a good understanding one with another, and resolved to continue so. The few who had been left in the country were unconcerned in the difference; therefore the brethren coming together to the place of meeting, whicll was the church of Bangor, one of these brethren, whom neither party did mistrust, was by comraon consent chosen mode rator. Immediately he, having been made acquainted with the present case by some of the brethren of both parties, proposed a committee to be chosen of more experienced brethren to bring in overtures to the presbytery, in order to establish unity among 190 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN cn.ip. xvi. themselves and for planting new congregations. This being as sented to, the moderator, according to custom, made a list equally of both parties, viz., Mr. Drysdale, Mr. Cunningham, and Mr. Scrapie, who were aU of the protesting opinions ; and Mr. Greg, Mr. Stewart, and another of the other side, who were also ap proved by the rest. They, together with the moderator, were to meet for preparing these overtures. This accordingly they did ; the rest of the brethren going through other business in the presbytery in the meantime. The brethren did calmly consult of their present case and hazard of division among themselves, and what miscliievous consequences it might bring to this Church ; as well as of the dangerous consequences of bringing over young men frora Scotland and settUng them miiusters, who were flxed on contrary parties and factions, which raight lay the foundation of a constant rupture in this Church, which the Lord in raercy had hitherto kept entire and in great unity and uniforraity in affection, principles, and practices. They therefore agreed upon some overtures to be presented to the rest of the brethren, and -which were readUy assented to, and presbyteriaUy concluded by them [on Wednesday, the 2d of August.] " The first overture, caUed the Act op Bangor, was that as to the brethren present, though some differed in opinion from the rest, yet there should be no rautual contestings about the diffe rences in Scotland araong themselves, nor any owning of them on either side in pubUc preaching or prayer, nor in conference among the people, as siding with one party more than another. But whatever mention might indirectly be made of these divi sions, it should be in order to heaUng them in Scotland, and praying for that end, and for preventing them among us, among whom there was not even an imaginary ground for such divisions. " The second related to the planting the Church vrith men froiri Scotland. On this subject the presbytery resolved ; first, to endeavour for men of abUities for gifts of learning and pru dence, knowing that there are raany eneraies and observers of ministers of our persuasion in this country, so that raen need abUities to answer eneraies on aU hands, and a walk so as to con vince gainsayers, and bring a good report from them who live A.D. 1654. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 191 without. Secondly, that they should be pious ; knowing that other qualifications without this are not usually blessed in the ministry, and that raen, Uring in this country among so many troubles, and where there is no discipline, had need to be fixed on godUness, and have some savouriness in their carriage in order to a bond on people's consciences, though they have no external power. Thirdly, that they should be peaceable, that is, not rio lent in either of those ways now debated in Scotland ; but, what ever were their private thoughts, they should be of that teraper as to be submissive to thefr brethren, and not trouble this Church with thefr opinions. " The third related to the sending and applying for such learned and godly men to Scotland. In order to this, the pres bytery ordered : First, that no congregation should send to Scot land for a minister without acquainting thera. Secondly, that the presbytery should appoint sorae brethren to write to the gravest ministers of both judgments that they would give the persons commissioned from their respective parishes their advice, in order to obtaining pious and peaceable young men. Thfrdly, that none should be received here but such as had the recom- raendation of worthy ministers of both sides. Fourthly, and that thereafter none should be admitted but such as, after trial and approbation otherwise, should engage and subscribe to this peace able deportment called the Act of Bangor. " The presbytery also determined that not only the young men from Scotland should have sufficient testimonials from learned and godly men there ; but they resolved to take special trial of them themselves before they allowed any parish to give them a call, flrst by private conference with some brethren appointed for that purpose, to know what they had read and what stock of learning they had, not only in those points taught in the philo sophy colleges in Scotland, but also how they had improved their time after that, whether in coUeges of divinity, or, if they had not that opportunity, how they unproved their time otherwise as to grounding themselves in positive dirinity, and studying common places in controversial dirinity and Church history, and what acquaintance they had with the Bible. They were furthermore 192 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvi. appointed to preach not only in that congregation which might have an eye to thera, but in congregations near the sarae bounds, in order that both ministers and the more knowing of the people might have some taste of their gifts. This narrow scrutiny seemed then necessary, considering so raany congregations were now caUing for ministers, and that some young men came over of thefr own accord, though not without some testimonials and recommendations from worthy ministers in whose bounds they had resided, yet not altogether in the order the presbytery ap pointed. Besides the more that were to be admitted, there was the greater need of narrow searching lest new places should be planted with insufficient men, whereby people, who were but coraing in to the Gospel and not confirraed in it, might have been at first entry stumbled, and the Lord's work in these places hazarded. It is true sorae did come over according to the order, and yet proved not sound hereafter, as appeared when the troubles came. When young men had thus come over and passed their private sorts of trials, then the brethren being satisfied with them did concur with the parishes who called them, and put them upon ordinary pubUc trials in order to ordination and settling them in that particular place, according to the common method and order ; unto which was usually added, at the tirae of their ordination and before irapositlon of hands, that they declared thefr adhering to the Solemn League and Covenant, and that they were put to subscribe the Act of Bangor, which was kept on record.^ " The Lord blessed these endeavours of the presbytery very » The following is a copy of this Act which I found in the minutes of the Lagan presbytery, and which all their eandidates signed, in common with those of the other meetings: — " The presbytery ordains that as we have unanimously resolved not to foment the present differencea in Scotland in this Church, but to forbear the very discourse of them which may tend to alter cation, and to discountenance the same in others; so also, that intrants shall oblige themselves to the aame orderly walk in thia respect; and that here upon none that ahall be found to be sober, godly, .and able, shall be opposed in his entry, whatever be his judgment in relation to these differences." To it there is appended the following note; — " The manner of the obligation is found in the presbytery-book to be by registrating their consent therein.'' A.D. 1654. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 193 signally. For many young men were brought from Scotland by degrees, aU of them with the testimonials required, and profess ing their wUUngness to Uve peaceably without owning the diffe rences in Scotland. Yea, both the brethren who had been here before and those coming over of late had a merciful harmony in everytliing, and no noise among the people of any differences which so dirided the Church of Scotland, but to regret them. And it is observable, that the most grave, experienced, and godly ministers in Scotland of both sides, did much approve this way that the presbytery took to prevent their own divisions ; as all of them testified to the brethren of Ireland who occasionaUy went to Scotland about these times, not one of them disapproving their prudent measures. " The number of ministers in planted congregations growing and considerably spreading unto all parts of the North of Ireland, it was found that the presbytery eould not all raeet together in one place where forraerly they had done from the first beginning of church discipline in these parts. Therefore the presbytery found it necessary that there should be three different meetings in different parts of the country, for the better and more speedy carrying on the work of God in divers counties, and taking order vrith scandals in these parts, and concurring in matters of disci pUne as particular congregations should require thefr help. And vrithal that these distinct raeetings should take trials of entrance within thefr particular bounds, upon their finding the caUs clear to congregations. These Meetings were not constituted into presbyteries strictly so caUed, as acting by power in themselves. But they acted by commission of the whole presbytery met toge ther ; thefr commission being drawn and subscribed by the clerk of the presbytery for what they did. These committee-meetings had power only to visit empty congregations ; to dissuade people from hearing hfrelings ; to erect and give advice to sessions anent scandalous persons and thefr repentance ; to try what duties ministers and elders performed in their charges ; to see what care congregations took to raaintain ministers ; to inspect expectants' testimonials coming from Scotland ; and, if approven, to license them to preach till the presbytery met, but not in relation to VOL. II. N 194 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvi. trial; to preach and censure doctrine at their raeetings ; to take account of one another's diUgence ; and to diride the controver sies of the times araong theraselves. But, on the other hand, they were not to enter expectants upon trial in reference to congrega tions till the presbytery was satisfied with their testiraonials ; nor were these young men to be ordained till the presbytery should have report and satisfaction concerning their abilities after trials were passed. Thus the work of the presbytery was facUitated by these meetings commissioned by them. They were called the meetings of Down, Antrim, and Eoute with Lagan. " It may be here remarked, that in 1657 a further subdivision of the presbytery took place. The meeting of Eoute suppUcated the presbytery to be disjoined from Lagan. This was for the sake of convenience accordingly done ; and shortly after another pieeting was formed in Tyrone, so that there were five meetings.^* 1° These five meetings or presbyteries continued without any change until the year 1702, when nine presbyteries were formed, whioh have been subse quently augmented to twenty-four, the number at present constituting the General Synod of Ulster. I have examined a small volume containing the minutes of the meeting of Antrim, from October 1654, probably the period when they first met aa a aeparate body distinct from the general presbytery, until May 1658. The first meeting was held at Ballyoarry, and is entitled, "The visitation of the kirk of Braidyland, kept October llth 1654.'' Great complaints were made of the difficulty of securing the maintenance of Mr. Cunningham, and of the other ministers whose p,irishes were visited in suc cession. Mr. Ferguson of Antrim died in December 1654, and Mr. Somer ville, minister of Ballyclare, a short time previously. The first ordination waa that of the Rev. Gilbert Simpson, at Ballyclare, on the 9th of August 1655, "on bonds securing him £40 for the flrst year, £50 yearly thereafter during the sequestration [of tlie tithes], and £60 yearly after the removing of the sequestration; with £4 yearly in lieu of a glebe and £20 in hand for building a manse." On the 15th of the same month, the Rev. John Douglas was ordained at Broughshane, and, on the 28th, the Rev. Thomas Crawford at Donegore, where Captain James Adair and Lieutenant Robert Ferguson had previously satisfied the presbytery as to the amount of his maintenance, which was much the same as that secured to Mr. Simpson. In 1665, the vacant congregations were Antrim, Carnmoney, Islandmagee, Glenarm, Connor, Drumaul, Ahoghill, Clough, and Loughgeel. There were no Pres byterian ministers permitted to reside at Lisburn, Belfast, or Carrickfergus, ihese being the army quarters, and served by Baptist and Independent teachers. A.D. 1655. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 195 " Besides, the Gospel spread into divers counties and places of the North of Ireland, where the purity and power of ordinances had never been Icnown before ; such as Arraagh, Fermanagh, Tyrone, Monaghan, and Cavan, beside a further enlargement of the Gospel in Londonderry. Though there was not above twenty- four ministers planted belonging to the presbytery in the year 1653, yet they had multipUed to near eighty within a few years thereafter ; even in the sight and to the angering of their adver saries on aU hands, riz., the old Episcopal party who then cora pUed with the prevailing party, and the Anabaptists and other sectaries who then had special infiuence upon all affairs. This was the hand of God covering a table to his people in the sight of thefr enemies, and making his wonderful work to appear and prosper in the hands of a few despised and hated raen, even under the feet of those who lately before had been their persecutors, driving the most of them out of the country and the few that were left into corners. And it ought never to be forgotten how in this poor Church from the beginning of planting the Gospel in it, that, though the sovereign wise God thought fit to let loose the enemies of the power and purity of the Gospel, so far against its servants and people as to persecute and drive them out of the country, for a testimony and sealing of the truth with their suf ferings ; yet the same faithful and wise God did shortly after take up the possession of the land with great advantage. Thus it was in the prelates' times ; thus it was in the sectaries' tiraes, as appears by this narrative ; aU which we are only to ascribe to God's goodness, and tenderness to His work, and people, and poor servants. " Meantirae the ralnisters had no settled maintenance. Those On the 21st of May 1656, the Rev. John Couthart (or Cathcart) w.is ordained at Drumaul, and, in July 1657, the Rev. James Shaw at Carnmoney; and at the period when these minutes close, Mr. James Fleming was on trials for Glenarm, on bonds for £60 a year, with a manse and glebe, Mr. John Shaw for Ahoghill, and Mr. Robert Dewart for Connor, all of whom were or dained during the year 1658. The Rev. Robert Rowan was soon after settled at Clough, and the Rev. .\ndrew Rowan iit Loughgeel, or Armoy. There were seventeen congregations under care of this presbytery. 196 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvi. who after a whUe's suffering and want here had been banished to Scotland, were, during thefr abode there, prorided for with the legal maintenance of the parishes there in which they suppUed. Those few who were left in Ireland, beside their hazard from thefr persecutors and many other inconveniences, had nothing allowed them now for fuU five years [frora 1649 to 1654] except what the people under the burdens and oppressions of strangers could out of their poverty spare thera. And though for new in trants the presbytery obtained some better conditions from the parishes that caUed them, than they got for themselves who had been caUed before ; yet the conditions were but small, and in raost places scarcely able to afford any corafortable subsistence. In this case Proridence ordered that Sir John Clotworthy carae from England into these parts to risit his mother, and to order the estate and things for the famUy whora he was to bring over shortly after. Mr. Adair haring occasion to discourse with him in order to providing a minister for Antrim, Mr. Ferguson being now dead. Sir John inquired how the ministers in this country were maintained in this juncture of affairs. Mr. Adair ia reply gave the account just related. Upon which that worthy gentle man did rauch regret the case of the rainisters, and proposed to Mr. Adafr that, if the brethren would send one or two of their number to Dublin along -with him, whither he was shortly to re turn on his way to London, together vrith some frora the country to represent the case of rainisters to Fleetwood and the councU there, he would use his endeavours to obtain maintenance for ministers who were known to be worthy. Upon Mr. Adair's acquainting his own meeting and that of Down with this motion, Down chose Mr. Stewart frora the ministers, and Captain James Moor from the country, to repair to Dublin for this end ; and Antrim chose Mr. Adair from the ministers, and desired Captain Langford from the country, that they might attend Sir John Clotworthy, and be advised by him. Accordingly they aU went except Captain Langford.^' " I find it stated in the "minutes of the meeting of the brethren of Antrim," at Ballyclare, on Wednesday, the4th of April 1665, that " Mr. Adair A.D. 1655. CHURCH IN IREL.VND- 197 " In this negotiation Sfr John first applied to Fleetwood with out thefr counsel, and to sorae other members of his acquaintance, from whom he had fair promises of their concurrence with his desfres. The motion was from the country and not from the ministers themselves ; and the only desire was to take off the se questration that now had been of ministers' maintenance for these five last years. Thereafter the motion was brought before the councU. In it there were men of divers complexions, some of Anabaptist opinions who carried much at that time, and were no good friends to Presbyterians. Others were poUticians designing to bring ministers under an undue dependency on the state for thefr Uvelihood. Therefore they proposed to give the ministers a competent maintenance out ofthe treasury, and that quarterly.i^ was absent at Dublin on public concernments," which corroborates the text, and fixes the date of this transaction. ^ A iew months before this meeting, Fleetwood had thus communicated to Secretary Thurloe his views on the subject of tithes and the maintenance of ministers: — " The other business which I shall mention is about tythes, which I understand is endeavoured by some to be continued in the old way. And though in my owne judgment I little scruple the payment thereof, yet knowing that it hath bine a bone of contention, I oould wish it might be otherwise settled heere — besides, if it should be oontinued as formerly, it wil be a meanes to keep in many a wicked man in severall parishes who must, where the tythes are but small, (as before, ) keepe an ale-houae. But if wee may have libertie to collect the tythea and bring them into one tresurye, aa now wee doe, we shall be able to maintane a gospel ministry in Ireland; and by this meanes they having dependance on the state for their maintenance, we shall be able to restraine some troublesome spirits, whioh may bee too apt to give disturbances to the publique peace, of which there have bine sad experience in the North; and 'tis doubted that most of them continue their old bitter spirits." (Thurloe, ii. 733.) And again, within a few weeks of the interview with Sir John Clotworthy, he says — " I understand that there is endeavours to settle the business of tythes in statu quo, which if so, what betwixt the Scotch clergie and other ignorant and unable ministers, will quickly returne thia nation into ita former condition of ignorance." March 28, 1665. (Thurloe, iii. 305.) The tithes, however, continued to be paid into the treasury, as appears from the annual accounts of the Pro tector's government among the records of the Irish exchequer, which I have examined in the Record Office, Dublin. The tithes payable into the treasury for the year ending November 1, 1654, out ofthe county of Antrim, amounted 198 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvi. This being considered by the ministers, who did not appear be fore the council, but waited for what raight concern thera in this affair, they decUned such a way of raaintenance, but desired they might have their legal maintenance belonging to thefr respective parishes ; though almost none of these raaintenances were of near equal value to what the councU proposed. They gave into the council's hands the reasons of thefr so pleading ; which sorae of their nuraber, haring first seen in private, did rauch approve of. They were not however sustained by Fleet wood and the councU. Sir John, being present before the coun cU, pleaded for the ministers' paper, and conducted it with much affection to the ministers, and magnanimous zeal to have them prorided; vrith some express reflections on the present course of of that time, where unlettered mechanics and inferior officers of the army, being Anabaptists, were largely provided for out ofthe public treasury for their ignorant preaching and seducing the people. But they had such a reverence for hira that they over looked what he said, and yet stuck to their own point. They returned the rainisters this answer, that they would not allow them any other way of maintenance than by salary, according as some of thefr profession in the Lagan and the Eoute had already.i^ to £1625, 12s., and out of Down to £1272 ; while the bishops' rents for half a year, at the aame period, amounted in Antrim to £61, 6s. 8d., and in Down to £40, 7s. 6d. The sum paid to mini!.ter3 and schoolmasters in the counties of Down and Antrim, for six months, from the 25th of March to the 25th of September 1654, was £863, 6s. 8d.. or about £1700 per annum. 13 It is surprising how little is known of the administration of Irish affairs during the protectorate. The inquirer who consults the ordinary histories of the kingdom for information on the subject, in reference either to the civil, military, commercial, or ecclesiastical branches ofthe government, will be woefully disappointed. In relation to the last of these, the ecclesiastical, with which alone I have to do, I have endeavoured to obtain as ample and authentic information as my limited opportunities of research permitted. I was particularly anxious to ascertain the nature and extent of the state en dowments to the clergy, and, if possible, the names and salaries of the several ministers, and in this inquiry I happily succeeded. I have in my possession two lists, one for the year 1654, the other for 1655, containing the names of all the ministers throughout Ireland who received salaries from the state, with the sums payable to each. The former list I owe to the kindness of Sir William Betham ; to the latter I had access among the state papers in A.D. 1655. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 199 For these brethren, haring been of the opinion of tlie protestors in Scotland, had obtained this way of maintenance previous to this motion of Sfr John Clotworthy, and before the brethren of Down and Antrim had moved for themselves.'* " After the ministers had waited a considerable time, and wore wearied with attendance, not only on persons in power but whom tliey could not own as lawful powers, and in pursuit of a desire Dublin Castle, and, .as it is the fuller and more complete list, I have inserted it in the Appendix, with a few additions from that for the previous year. I find in these lists the names of only six ministers known to be Presbyterians — viz., two in the Route, Jlessrs. Ker and O'Quin, who had formerly joined the sectaries, and four in the Lagan, Messrs. Cunningham, Drummond, Semple, and Wills or Wooll. This fact strikingly corroborates the state ment of Adair in the text. Tbe list given in the Appendix contains the names and residences of above one hundred and fifty ministers ; and the sums payable to them for that year amount to nearly £13,000, the whole charge ofthe civil establishment being only £29,000. " Here Adair digresses to give a sketch of the personal history of Sir John Clotworthy, from the time of Str.ifford to his imprisonment by the Rump Parliament in 1649, which I deemed unnecessary to insert in the text, the principal incidents having been related as they occurred in the preceding part of this work. It is right, however, to subjoin the reason why Sir John, the uniform opponent of the sectaries, was respected by the council, and permitted to speak so openly and faithfully. This privilege, it appears, was owing not only to their knowledge of him as an able statesman, and a peace able, upright, and religious man, but also to his personal acqu.iintance with the Protector. " Cromwell," says Adair, who doubtless derived his informa tion from Sir John himself, "had a great respect for him, not only on ac count of his parts and noble qualities, but also for particular obligations. For before Cromwell came to the preferment of being a captain of horse, being a man of parts and great profession of religion, and a gentleman by birth, Sir John had been instrumental in hia advancement and command in the army, not preaaging that thereafter he would come to that height as to detain him his prisoner for adhering to that cause whieh they at first under took. However, we owe that respect to Sir John to look on him, in his way with that party, as a person of great magnanimity and honesty, not stooping to them ; aud yet of that prudence as to improve that respect they had for him towards promoting the good of the Church and people of God where he was." I have not succeeded in discovering the precise date of Sir John's discharge from prison ; he was probably liberated, either at the passing ofthe Act of Oblivion in February 1652, or when Cromwell had dissolved tho- parliainent and usurped the supreme power in April 1653. 200 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvi. so contrary to the designs of those in authority, they returned and communicated their endeavours and answers to their bre thren : who, though they saw it inconvenient to pass from their legal way of maintenance, and it was much contrary to thefr in clination to have any dependence on an usurping power, yet they considered it necessary that ministers be maintained. Their legal raaintenance had been taken into the treasury, the tithes being then farmed by commissioners for that purpose ; and had been thus riolently sequestered by powers then uncontrollable. They considered too that what they got from the treasury was but getting their own again, and that it was stiU a raaintenance out of the tithes that were due to rainisters. The people too, under so much oppression, were not able to bear further burdens, both lying under the weight of an army and paying tithes to the commissioners. To which was added this induceraent that there was no proposal of any terms or conditions made to them upon which they should have this maintenance ; but being a free gift, without any shadow of a snare in the raanner of receiving it. Upon aU these considerations they concluded to accept of that proposal, and were accordingly paid for two years by the trea sury at Carrickfergus, and none excluded who sued for it. There was stUl a considerable nuraber that received not this salary ; because being then but new corae in to the country and entered upon their trials, this way of maintenance was changed before they were settled.'''^ Not long after this temporary arrangement had been concluded with the Irish councU, Henry CromweU was again sent by the Protector to reside at DubUn, ostensibly to coraraand the array, " It appears from the Montgomery MSS. (p. 235), and from Appendix, that several Irish bishops also, who were in the country, received salaries from the treasury out of the rents of the bishops' lands. Dr. Maxwell, bishop of Kilmore, who twenty years before had libelled the Presbyterians in his latin verses (see vol. i., p. 194), complimented Henry CromweU, when lord-deputy, for his liberality, in an ode commencing in this fulsome strain : — " Deliciiie humani generis, mitissime Prorex !" The Leslies of Raphoe and Down accepted pensions of £120 per annum each from CromweU" A.D. 1655. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 201 in which he had formerly served under his father, but in reality to watch the motions of Fleetwood, and to control the selfishness and bigotry of the Baptists, who still composed the majority of the councU. Though continued in the office of lord-deputy, Fleetwood was soon after recaUed, and left DubUn with his wife and family in the beginning of September. i^ " He was too much an Anabaptist to carry on CromweU's designs, now when he was aspfring to settle the supreme government in himself and posterity after him. For the Anabaptist principle was against a single person ; and Fleetwood, being more addicted to his opinions than to his poUtics, could not homologate with his father-in-law in these designs ; on which CromweU called him a mUksop. The truth is, that, except his delusion with these Ana baptist principles which then bore sway in the army, he seeraed to be a person of great candour and of good inclinations in the main. He was much given to secret prayer, of a meek conde scending disposition, especially to those who were supposed to be godly ; and so much of a seeming self-deniedness that he ap peared not fit for the government, especially of an army so diffi cult to rule, and of a whole kingdom in such reeling times. These, his good quaUties," adds Adair, with becoming candour, " I have borne witness of from some experience of them ; and, besides I have the same from the testiraony of other judicious persons who knew him better." Henry CroraweU arrived in Dublin, as " major-general of the army in Ireland," in the beginning of July 1655, and was ac companied by his chaplain, Mr. Francis Eoberts, an Independent. To counteract the influence of Patient and the Baptist preachers, he brought over several other Independent ministers, whom he settled, either as feUows iu Trinity CoUege, or as preachers in the city churches.''^ Of these, the more eminent were Dr. >6 Thurloe, iii. 728. " Of these churches Dr. Winter, the provost of the college, occupied that of St. Nicholas, and Mr. Robert Chambers that of St. Patrick. Some time .ifter the settlement ofthe ministers mentioned in the text, the Rev. Edward Baynes was placed aa preacher in St. John's, and tho Rev. Samuel Cox, a Presbyterian, officiated in St. Catharine's. See Calamy'a Cent. i. p. 83, 84. 202 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN cuap. xvi. Thomas Harrison, who officiated in the cathedral of Christ Church ; Stephen Charnock, author of the valuable work on the " Divine Attributes," who became a fellow of the coUege and a preacher in St. Werburgh's Church ; and Mr. Samuel Mather, who was also a feUow, and, in the folio whig year, was ordained as coUeague to Dr. Winter in St. Nicholas' Church.i^ The In dependent teachers in the other parts of the kingdom warmly congratulated Henry on his arrival. Taylor of Carrickfergus, in particular, wrote a very flattering letter to him " in the name of the Church of Grod which is at Carrickfergus, with other godly and sober-spirited men in these parts," in which he alludes to the overbearing conduct of the Baptists, headed by thefr evan- geUst Patient, and rejoices in the prospect of their insolences being checked. " We account it," he writes, " a special mercie that God hath taken of your father's spirit and put it upon you ; and sent your honour as a healer of the breaches in this dirided nation ; wherein the overfiowing interest of those that endea voured (what in them lay) to nuU aU churches, ordinances, and ministers (not to say magistrates also) which were not baptised into the same spfrit and way with themselves, had almost, like a land-flood, carried all before it. In this heaUng worke your lordship can hardly deal with soe tender a hand but the impa tience of your Patients may expose your honour to misrepresen tations and reproaches; but bee of good courage, my lord, for your worke is with the Lord and your reward with your God."^' 18 Mr. Mather w.is ordained by Dr. Winter, Mr. Taylor of Carrickfergus, and Mr. Jenner of Drogheda, on the 6th of December 1656. He was the teacher, and Winter the pastor, of the church. (Com. Journ., vii. 695.) Besides the Independent ministers formerly noticed as settled at Waterford, Cork, and Limerick, I find a Mr. Cuthbert Harrison, preacher at Lurgan, from 1653 ; and in " Baxter's Life, " by Sylvester, (folio, book i. p. 169), there ia a letter to Baxter, in the name of the associated churches in Ireland, dated from Dublin, July 5, 1656, and signed by Winter, Gilbert of Water ford, Ed. Reynolds, J. Warren, aud Thomas Osmonton, ministers, but their places of residence are not given . From Appendix, it appears that Mr. Reynolds was settled at Kilmallock, and Mr. Osmonton (or Osmington) at Ross. 19 Thurloo, iv. 286, 287. The church at Wexford, under Robe Hobbs, A.D. 1656. CHURCH IN IREL.\ND. 20.'^ In the same proportion as Henry was flattered by the Inde pendents, his mind was fiUed with jealousies of the Presbyterians. In the November after his arrival in Dublin, apprehending oppo sition to the government both from the leadiag Scots in Ulster and the disappointed and mortified Baptists,^'' he wrote for direc tions how to deal vrith these parties. His father, in reply, ob- pastor, also addressed Henry Cromwell to the same effect. Ibid, pp. 270, 271. "" Various complaints of the hostility and disaffection of the Baptists dur ing the latter part of this year occur in Thurloe's " State Papers" (iv. 197, 314, 327, and especially 348.) The following extract from a letter by Mr. Thomas Harrison, the Independent minister who had come with Henry Cromwell from England, and had accomp.inied him in a visit which he paid after his arrival to the South of Ireland, will illustrate the religious dissen sions then prevailing between the Baptists and Independenta, and the great weight which the former party had acquired in tho army : — " Being at Kil kenny with my lord [H. Cromwell] the 18th of last month [September], Mr. Brewster, Mr. Wood, Mr. WeUs [all Independent ministers] and myself went solemnly to Mr. Blackwood, the oracle of the Anabaptists in Ireland, com plaining of their totall withdrawings from ua in public worship. He alleadged the cause thereof to be our not observing the order of the apostles by bap tism ; nevertheless they could most of them sometimes joyne with ns pro vided, first, that iu a day of prayer they may speak last, that if anything be apoken against God or Christ or the truth, they might have an opportunity to bear witnesse against it, and the like liberty they desired at lectures, &c. Ac. Secondly, that singing of psalmes be wholly forborne, speciall manner) bee gives to all the godly ministers of the Gospel. And wee doe also declare, 208 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvi. and Presbyterians pursued their respective objects in peace. Shortly after his arrival all parties cordiaUy concurred in sending contributions, amounting to nearly eleven hundred pounds, to the Protestants of Savoy, then crueUy persecuted by their Eoman CathoUc sovereign.2' During this season of repose and reUgious- prosperity, when " the churches had rest throughout aU the land, and increased in nuraber daUy," the indefatigable John Livingston once more, and for the last time, visited Ireland. During theiprerious vrinter he had been earnestly pressed to reraove to Ulster. " The parish of KiUinchy, in Ireland," he states in his life, " where I had forraerly been, sent a commissioner once and again with a call to me to return to them.^* If I could have obtained fair loosing, my mind incUned somewhat to have gone, because of the present distractions in Scotland, and because that I thought Ireland had more need and more appearance of success. The synod of Merse and Teriotdale refused to loose me, and five or six ministers in and that upon good ground, that generally all the sober-minded Christians throughout thia whole land, are of the same mind with us herein. " This ad dress is signed by Samuel Winter, pastor, with D. Hutchinson and Thomas Hooke, elders, both mentioned in the next note, and forty-one members of the church, among whom are John Price and Gamaliel Marsden, at that time fellows ofthe college. NickoUs' " State Papers," pp. 137, 138. ^ In the "Distinct and faithful account of all the receipts, &e., of moneys collected in England, Wales, and Ireland, for the relief of tbe poor distressed Protestants in the valleys of Piedmont," dsc, printed by order of Cromwell, in 1658, is the following entry, the only one relating to Ireland: — " 1666-56, Jan. 29. Received of Thomas Hooke, late mayor of the city of Dublin, in Ireland, and of Daniel Hutchinson and John Preston, aldermen of the said city, and treasurers appointed for the receiving all moneys collected in the realm of Ireland, for the distressed Protestants of Savoy, returned by bill of exchange, £1097, 6s. 3d." The collection began in July 1655. On this subject see Thurloe, iii. 612 and 710; iv. 443 and 484. The total amount coUeeted in Britain was £38, 097, 7s. 3d. Cromwell's vigorous and successful interference on behalf of this persecuted people was one of the noblest enter prises of his government. 28 These commissioners were, first. Captain James Moore of Ballybrega, and afterwards Mr. David Moorehead of Ballymacashan. See preface to a sermon by the Rev. James Reid of Killinchy, entitled, "Formal Christians, and secession from them considered." Belfast, 1729, ISmo, p. 122. A.D. 1656. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 209 other parts, on whose judgments I relied, dissuaded rae ; only they advised me that I should first make a visit to Ireland. Therefore in summer 1656 I went over ; and our friends in Te- viotdale put themselves to the trouble to send Colonel Ker, and Mr. John Smith minister at Oxnam along, to see the case of Ire land. When I came I could not get preaching in KilUnchy any way as in former times ; and that I took as a declaration of the Lord's mind that I should not go to settle there : yea, I did not find above two or three famiUes, nor above ten or twelve persons, that had been in that parish when I was there. So great a change had the rebelUon and devastation brought, that all almost were new inhabitants. [I staid nine or ten weeks.^^] I preached in several parts and at some communions ; and was at a great meet ing of thefr presbytery in the North, which was more Uke a synod ; where were thfrty or thfrty-six ministers, and ruling-elders from sixty or eighty parishes ; and that presbytery was dirided in three several committees, that met apart in three several parts of the country. One of these committees had twenty or twenty-four vacant parishes which they suppUed, sending two or three ministers at once to visit for two or three months, and after that others by turns. Afterwards some more ministers were placed in the North of Ireland, so that in all they were above sixty ; and KilUnchy was well providedby Mr. Michael Bruce.^" During my abode in Ireland, being occasionaUy at Dublin, the councU there urged me to accept a charge in DubUn, and ojQfered me two hundred pounds sterUng a year. But that was to me no temptation, seeing I was not loosed from Ancrum ; and if I had been, I was resolved rather to settle at KilUnchy, among the Scotts in the North, than any where else."3i 2' This clause in brackets is taken from a MS. copy of Livingston's life. " Mr. Bruce, by his mother, was great-grandson of the celebrated Robert Bruce, ordained as one of the miniatera of Edinburgh in the year 1687- He was induced to settle at KUlinchy by the advice of Livingston, who "sent with him an ample recommendatory letter, dated Ancrum, July 3, 1657, and directed to Captain James Moore of Ballybrega, to be communicated to the congregation." (Reid's Sermon, ut supra.) Mr. Bruce was publicly or dained in the church of KUlinchy in the month of October following. '1 "Livingston's Life," ards his tutor, in Trinity College, Dublm. (Parr, p. 79.) Yet, in Dart's " History of Westminster Abbey" (folio, London, 1723, u. 142), it ia stated hia grave ie not known. Ussher left hia library to his only child. Lady Tyrrell, to whom both the King of Denmark and Cardinal Mazai-ine, prime minister of Louis XIV., made pro posals for its purchase. But the officers and soldiers of the Irish .army un der Henry CromweU, highly to their credit, bought it for the sum of £2000, which they raised among themselves by subscription, intending to make it the foundation of a library for the new college proposed to be founded in Dublin. The subsequent revolutions in the government frustrated the de sign ; and the Irish House of Commons, on the Slst of May 1661 (Journals, i. 627), directed the books and MSS. to be taken from the eastie, where they had been kept since their remov.il to Ireland, and deposited in Trinity College, " there to be preserved for public uae," where they atill form one of the most valuable portions of that most valuable library . VOL. II. Q -Ml' HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERI.VN chap. xvu. Encouraged by the restoration of prelacy, tlio gentry, espe cially those who liad renounced their allegiance to Charles and held office under tho usurpers, hastened to join once raore the ascendant party, and to jilace their now-born loyalty beyond sus picion by studiously inciting the state against the iU-l'atcd Pres byterians. Among these were not only Lord BroghUl and Sir Charles Coote, as already notic^od, but also Lord Blaney, Lord Caulfield, Sir William Cole, Sir George Eawdon, Colonel Trevor, Colonel Arthur Hill, and many others. Those mercenary tiiiu>- servcrs were now tlie most forward to denounce, as disloyal and unworthy of toleration, those very ministers whom they liad shortly before persecuted for steadfast loyalty and attachment to monarcliy, at a time when they theraselves were tho traitorous supporters of CromweU's usurpation ! Thus Lord Caulfield, writing from Charlemont, in tho end of October, a congratula tory letter to BramhaU, who had recently arrived at Armagh, boasts in the following terms of his zeal in punishing the neigh bouring ministers and preventing their presbyterial meetings : — " In these unhappy northern quarters — those whom we esteem most dangerous are the Presbyterian factions who do not like [niisUke ?] publickly to proach up the authority of their lurk to be above that of the crown and our dread sovereign. I havo myself discoursed with divers of their ministers both in publiok and private, who have maintained that the Idrk hath power to excommunicate their kings; and when tho oaths of allegiance and supremacy were administered hero, one of thera told me that we had pulled down one pope and set up another. But I made bold to inflict such punishments as I thought were proper for their offences, and hindered their meetings whero I have con sidered there might be anything consulted of tending to the breach of the peace either in Church or commonwealth."'^ The Lord Eobarts, to whom reference has already been made, was selected by Charles to bo lord-deputy of Ireland ; but his haughty temper being intolerable to the Irish nobility and chief officers of state then in England, his patent was soon after re- " " Rawdon Paper.?," p. 127. A.I.. 1601. CHURCH IN IREL.AND. 243 called, and it was deemed expedient to commit the government for a time to tliree lords-justices. Accordingly, on the last day of December, Sir Charles Coote, who had been recently created Earl of Montrath, and Sir Maurice Eustace, the lord-chancellor, and shortly after Lord BroghiU, now Earl of Orrery, were sworn into that office. The civil government being thus legally re stored, the ne.xt step was to complete the edifice of the Church. On the 27th of January 1661, two archbishops and ten bishops were, in prelatical phraseology, consecrated in St. Patrick's Ca thedral, Dublin, with all due pomp and formaUty.'* One of the flrst acts of the lords-justices was to order an extraordinary fast to be held on the 30th of January, the anniversary of the exe cution of the late king ; and at the instigation of the bishops, they issued a proclamation forbidding aU unlawful assemblies, under which meetings of presbytery were included, and directing the sheriffs and other officers to prevent or disperse them. The flrst meeting on which this order took effect was held at Ballymena, in the month of March. " In the meantime," writes Adair, " when the bishops were making ready for thefr work — of crushing all faithful ministers and extinguishing Presbyterian government, and previous to thefr visitations, the brethren, though by proclamation discharged from any presbyterial meet ings, yot met first in a synod at BaUymena to consult and take a comraon course anent thefr carriage. This being known to some governors in the country, especially Sfr George Eawdon, who had also been thefr opposer before as the times were, there waa a pai-ty of horse sent by him to scatter the brethren ; but Providence so ordered it that they were dissolved before the troopers came. Here they met in a more private way than usually, and sent four of their number from their several presby- '* The anthem which was sung at the Consecration of these prelates con cluded with the following puerile, if not profane, conceits : — " Angels look down and joy to see. Like that above, a monarchy ! Angela look down and joy to sec, Like that above, a hierarchy .' " Seo " Secret History ofthe Court of Charles II.," i. 281. 244 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvu. teries to Dublin to put the justices in mind of the king's gracious- like promises to thefr brethren at London upon deUvery of their address. They sent one of these brethren along, as one of the four, to bear witness of that cfrcumstance. They accordingly went to DubUn, and gave in a petition to the justices in their own and brethren's name to be free of the yoke of prelacy, &c., and founding thefr petition on the king's gracious answer to their brethren at London. Beside, Sir John Clotworthy, now Lord Massareene, their great and constant friend, being then at court, had promise from the king that the declaration about reli gion emitted at that tirae should have some addition put to it favourable for the Presbyterians in Ireland. Upon this they were caUed before the councU table, and in discourse with the chanceUor, the preses, they had opportunity to declare what had been thefr carriage, loyalty, and sufferings upon that account in time of the usurper ; and vrithal thefr present principles of loy alty to his majesty, and resolutions to give obedience to the laws, if not active yet to endure the penalties ; and that they re solved always to Uve as peaceable, loyal, and dutiful subjects. They were but unkindly entertained by the councU, divers bishops being then privy-councUlors, besides other unfriends. They were reriled and mocked by the episcopal party in Dublin ; how ever the substance of their desires was not granted." Of this fruitless interview between the ministers and the privy- councU, one of the lords- justices has given a more enlarged ac count, which demands insertion, as Ulustrating the views of the governraent and corroborating the narrative of Adair. V We have had," writes the Earl of Orrery to Ormond, then in Eng land, " these two days four rainisters before us which were sent from the several presbyteries in Ulster to the lords-justices and councU, desfring Uberty to exercise their rainistry in thefr respec tive parishes, according to the way they have hitherto exercised it in ; and expressing their great sorrow to find theraselves num bered with Papists and fanatics in our late proclamation which prohibited unlawful assembUes. After many debates upon se veral proposals how to answer them, we resolved on this answer. That we neither could or would allow any discipline to be exer- A.D. 1661. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 24.") cised in chureh affairs, but what was warranted and commanded by the laws of the land. That they were punishable for having exercised any other. That we would not take any advantage against them for what was past, if they would comport themselves conformably for the tirae to come. That if they were dispensed withal, by pleading a submission thereunto was against their con sciences. Papists and fanatics would expect the Uke indulgence from the like plea, which we knew their own practice as well as judgments led them to disaUow of. That we took it very Ul, divers of those which had sent them, had not observed the time set apart for hum- bUng themselves for the barbarous raurther of his late majesty, a sin which no honest man could avoid being sorry for. That some of thefr nuraber had preached seditiously in cryiug up the covenant, the seeds of aU our miseries, in lamenting his majesty's, breach of it as setting up Episcopacy as introductive to Popery ; which they had not punished in exercising any of their pretended discipline over such notorious off'enders. And lastly, that if they con formed themselves to the discipUne of this Church, they should want no fitting countenance and encouragement in carrying on their rainistry ; so, if they continued refractory, they must expect the penalties the laws did prescribe. To all which they an swered, that as far as thefr consciences would permit them they would comply, and what it would not they woidd patiently suf fer. That it was thefr reUgion to obey a lawful authority, and such they owned his majesty was, either actively or passively. That if any of their judgment had preached sedition, they left them to themselves and cUsowned thera ; and if they had the exercising of thefr discipline they would punish severely all such. That raany of them had, according to the proclamation, kept the fast for the king's niurther, which they heartUy detested, and for the doing thereof in the usurper's government many of them had been imprisoned and sequestered ; and that to the last of their lives they would continue loyal to his majesty. And lest they might offend against our proclamation, they desired to know what was meant by unlawful assemblies, because some were so severe as to interpret their meetings to pray and preach^on'^the Lord's-day to come under that head. To which we told them 246 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvii. that by unlawful meetings was only meant such assemblies as were to exercise any ecclesiastical jurisdictions which were not warranted by the laws of the kingdom, and not to hinder their meetings in performing parochial duties in those benefices of which they were possessed legally or illegally. They seemed much comforted with the last assurance ; so that having again exhorted them to conformity, and promised them therein all en couragement, we dismissed them to try what this usage and the admonition wUl produce." ^^ Adair thus continues his narrative of the interesting events which issued in the deposition of himself and his brethren : — " From the answer of the justices and council raay be seen what small encouragement the ministers had, and no obstacle put in the bishops' way to follow their designs. They indeed went on in their several dioceses against any minister of that sort much according to the genius of the bishop himself ; some more slowly and with greater commiseration and humanity, others with greater severity, especially where the throng of such ministers principally were, as in the dioceses of Down, Connor and Derry. " The Bishop of Down, [Jeremy Taylor,] coraing to his diocese at the time when the brethren were in Dublin, had intelUgence of them and their errand ; and so had an enrious eye upon them. However, he forbeared his first visitation tiU they returned ; and finding they had obtained no encourageraent, he iramediately summoned them all to his visitation. They could not then have a general meeting to consult ; but Providence so ordered it that, a few days before the summons came which they were expecting, most of thera were called to the burial of an honourable and truly religious lady, the Lady Clotworthy, the raother of the now Lord Massareene. There they had occasion to advise together, and were not all of one mind as to their going to Lisnegarvy. How ever most part met in Belfast a day before the visitation, and from thence went together to Lisnegarvy. The bishop being tlien at his house in Hillsborough, the brethren sent three of their num ber to the bishop the day before the appointed visitation. Their IS Orrery's State Letters, i. 29-31. A.D. 1661. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 247 errand was to tell him that whereas they had received summoiiaes to appear before his visitation, they could not appear in answer to that summons, neither as submitting themselves to episcopal jurisdiction, nor at all in the public visitation. Yet they were wiUing to confer with him iu private, that he might know they wore men that walked by principle, and held not groundless opinions ; and that though they wore dissenters from the present Church government and modes of worship, yet they were the king's true subjects. He desired they would give in on paper what they had to say. This they declined, on consideration that many of their brethren were not present. He told thera he would receive nothing from them as a body, nor look on them in that Ught. They told hira, whatever they were or whatever way he looked on thera, they behoved to advise with one another in matters of that concernment ; as their relation as ministers, their former correspondence in all such matters, and their Chris tian prudence, called for. Seeing they would give hira no paper he questioned them whether they held Presbyterian government to be 'jure divino,' and desired they would give a positive answer. They readily answered they did. To this the bishop replied that there needed no farther discourse ofthe matter of accomraodation, if they held to that. They said it was a truth whereof they were persuaded in their conscience, and could not relinquish it, but must profess it as they were called ; therefore if answers of that nature would but irritate at the public visitation, they judged it better not to appear, but to confer with hira freely in private. He answered, if they should raake profession contrary to law in the visitation, they would smart for it. Therefore seeing our foot in a snare, he desired them rather not to appear and that as their friend. They thanked him and withal said, they conceived they raight hold presbyterial government to be 'jure divino,' and yet not transgress the law of the land, since they were not exer cising that government, for they knew that affirmative precepts bound not ' ad semper.' He answered that was true, yet that they were not subject to another government was contrary to law ; and ho said, though the king's late declaration in matters of religion were extended to Ireland, it would do them no good.. 248 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xvii., « They returned that there were many in England who held pres byterial government to be 'jure divino,' yet at present enjoyed the benefit of the king's declaration. He repUed, he saw not how that could consist. " He then questioned them if they could take the oath of su premacy. They answered they could not absolutely say what thefr brethren could do, since it was never put to them ; but they judged, if that oath were moulded in the sense in whicli Bishop Ussher explained it and wherem King James acquiesced, none of the brethren would refuse it. He said, that being informed by a good hand, before some of their number went to Dublin, that they intended to petition the council for it with that expUcation, (wherein the reader raay know how groundless his inforraation was), he did then inquire whether it was conformable to law to give it with that expUcation, and it was answered to him it could not. Therefore he would tender it to thera in the grammatical sense, and said he knew none to scruple that oath but Jesuits and Presbyterians, who were the greatest enemies to monarchy and raost disobedient to kings ; which he instanced in the way ofthe assembly of Scotland, and in Calvin, Knox, Buchanan, &c. He said moreover that where Presbyterians differed from Papists in some smaller things, they agreed in this great thing. However, neither this bishop nor any of the rest did urge this oath upon ministers, knowing the law did not allow them to urge it on any who bore not some oifice in Church or commonwealth ; and they did not look on these ministers as capable of ecclesiastical offices, not owning their ordination, much less to be in any office under the king. He said also he perceived they were in a hard taking ; for if they did conforra contrary to their conscience, they would be but knaves, and if not, they could not be endured contrary to law : he wished thera therefore ' deponere conscientiam erroneam.' The brethren, being soraewhat troubled at that so odious comparison between them and Jesuits, and at his refiecting on the assembly of Scotland and the worthy reformers, shewed him his mistake in such a way as their circumstances could adrait. On this they returned to their brethren at Lisnegarvy, where, after giving account of their discourse with the bishop, the bre- A.I). 1061. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 240 threu saw themselves in a hard taking, yet encouraged one ano ther to fideUty and steadfastness. " The next day was the bishop's visitation in Lisnegarvy, whore he himself preached ; but none ofthe brethren except two went to hear him. Thereafter in his visitation all were called and none appeared ; yet he did nothing farther that day. After dinner, two of the forraer four and another brother were sent to him to see if he would call all the brethren together to his chamber to confer with him, which they apprehended he had proposed at Hillsborough ; especiaUy from his saying it was not fit for them to appear in pubUc. When accordingly they went and proposed this to him, he wlioUy waived to answer thefr question, and fell angrily on refiections on presbyterial government, having nothing to refiect on any particular brother, or on the particular actings of the presbytery in this country, though fain he would if he coidd ; and vrithal proposing arguments for conformity, which engaged the brethren in some discourse of that nature. Not withstanding his own expressions the day before respecting their not appearing at the risitation, yet he now aUeged it was con terapt made the brethren not to appear on that occasion. One said it was the awe of God aud conscience that made them not appear. He repUed a Jew or a Quaker would say so much for their opinions, and every body would use that argument for the vindi cation of thefr erroneous courses. There were also sorae few of the brethren whom he caUed to him in private to engage them to conformity, and gave them great ofters of kindness and prefer ment ; but he obtaiued not his purpose. " The brethren repaired to their respective congregations with expectation of the coming storm. For this bishop did in one day in his visitation declare thirty-six churches vacant.^" He did not raake any process against the ministers, nor suspend nor excom- 1' I have not been able to ascertain the date of Taylor's first visitation ; but from several expressions in his sermon at the opening of the Irish par liament on the Sth of May, I am inclined to think it had taken place pre viously, and that the ministers wcro deposed in April, or about three mouths lifter his consecration. In some of the dioceses, probably in Raphoe and Clogher, the ministers were not deposed till some months later. 250 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERL\N CHAP. XVII. municate. But he simply held them not for ministers, they not being ordained by bishops. Therefore he only declared the pa rishes vacant which he was to supply, himself having immediately the charge of aU the souls in his diocese as he professed ; and procured priests and curates for these parishes as he thought fit. The rest of the brethren in other dioceses were dealt with in the sarae raanner in the end, though not with so great haste and vio lence. " After this sentence declaring the churches vacant, the minis ters continued preaching for a while till it becarae physically ira possible for them to continue ; curates being sent to some places and taking possession of the churches, others were violently laid hands upon as they were going to their pulpits. Upon this they were all forced to desist from public preaching within two or three months after their places were declared vacant ; except two — viz., Mr. HamUton of KiUead and Mr. Cunningham of Antrim, who, through my Lord Massareene's intercession with the bishop, obtained about half-a-year's liberty after their bre thren were silenced, only they must not lecture before preaching according to their former practice. Thus there came a black cloud over this poor Church. The old enemies became bitter and triuraphed, and kept a searching and severe eye over the outed ministers that they might get sorae advantage of them. For generally they did reside in some places of their parishes, being excluded not only from their maintenance, but from their houses that the parishes had built for ministers ; except those houses that were built by themselves and were their own property. They did also, as the danger and difficulty of that time aUowed, risit the people frora house to house ; and soraetiraes had sraall raeetings of them by parcels in several places of the parish in the night-time, which were narrowly pried into and sometimes got ten knowledge of, and by these observers and ministers called in question. Yet Providence brought them off again. Besides, there were some who had been once of the brethren by profession and ordained by thera, who now, turning with the tiraes, became more dangerous than others.'' The exaraple which Bishop Taylor set, in the summary ejection A.D. 1661. CHURCH IN IREL.4ND. 251 of the Presbyterians frora their chm-ches, was soon after followed by the other prelates of Ulster. To the rainisters, this was now indeed " a day of dai'kness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness." Had the bishops deprived thera only of their churches and maintenance, and cut thera off from connec tion with episcopacy, they would never have complained. But when they found themselves debarred from the exercises of their ministry, and forbidden, under heavy penalties, to preach, bap tise, or publicly exhort their suffering people, they felt their situation to be pecuUarly distressing. They were ready to sacri fice, and did nobly sacrifice, aU worldly advantages for the testi mony of a good conscience ; but to be prohibited from what was to them thefr highest and most beloved work, the declaring of the glad tidings of salvation and the winning of souls unto Christ — and that, too, after the declarations of thefr sovereign, whose restoration they had strenuously promoted, had led them to expect araple toleration — constituted the bitterest ingredient in that cup of affliction of which they were now constrained to drink. But neither the privations nor the temptations by which they were beset i^ could induce them to riolate the sacred prin ciples of conscience and of duty. They cheerfully " suff'ered the loss of all things," rather than submit to an unscriptural form of government and worship, and profess aUegiance to a Church 1' Among these temptations was the mode of their re-ordination. In Eng land, all ministers who conformed were obliged to disown their former ordi nation as irregular and invalid, and submit to be ordained by the bishops de novo. But in Ireland, BramhaU and the other prelates took a middle course, and adopted the following form of ordination, which professed not to invali date their former orders, if they had any, but merely to supply what was wanting to the legal investiture of their office in accordance with the canons : — "Non annihilantea priores ordines (si quos habent) neo validitatem aut invaliditatem eorundem determinantes, multo minus omnes ordines sacros ec- elesiarum forensicarum condemnantes, quos propriO judiciS relinquimus : sed solummodo supplentes quicquid prius defuit per canonea Ecclesise Anglioamc requisitum ; ct providentes paoi Ecclesise ut schismatis toUatur occasio, et conscientiis fidelium satisfiat, ncc ulli dubitant de ejus ordinatione aut actus suos presbyteriales tanquam invalidos aversentur. In cujus rei testimonium, &c., Ac." Neal, iv. 314. Birch's " Life of Tillotson," p. 191. Vesey's " Life of BramhaU." 2.52 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvii. which, while it had renounced the headship of Christ and sur rendered the key of discipline to the civil magistrate, had assumed the power of decreeing rites and ceremonies, and adopted too many of the idolatrous and superstitious forms of the Church of Eome. In Ulster, sixtt-onb Presbyterian nunisters, being almost the entfre nuraber who were then officiating in the province, were deposed frora the ministry and ejected out of their benefices by the northern prelates. Of this noble army of confessors " for the truth and simpUcity of the Gospel of Christ,'' sixteen were mem bers of the presbytery of Down, fourteen of Antrim, ten of Eoute, eight of Tyrone, and thirteen of Lagan. These ministers en joyed the painful though honourable pre-eminence of being the first to suffer in the three kingdoms, the Nonconformists of England not being ejected tUl the month of August in the fol- lovring year, nor the Presbyterians of Scotland tiU the subsequent month of October 1662.1^ They are, therefore, eminently en titled to the adrairation and gratitude of posterity. They set an exaraple of fortitude and integrity which prepared and encou raged their brethren in the sister kingdoras to act with similar magnanimity ; and thus conjointly exliibited to the world a con vincing and instructive proof of the power of reUgion and of con science, unparalleled in the annals of the Church's history. They merit, however, especial honour frora their descendants in Ulster. Had they, terapted by preferment and worldly ease, apostatised from their principles and deserted their people, few traces of Presbyterianism, to which the inhabitants of Ulster owe so much of their civil and religious freedom, would have survived the sub 's The reason of the ministers being ejected in Ireland so long before their brethren in the sister kingdoms was this : — The old form of Church govern ment and worship had never been abolished by law in Ireland : and, there fore, at the Restoration, prelacy, being still the legal establishment, was immediately recognised and enforced. But both in England and in Scot land it had been abolished by acts of their respective parli.iments, and the Directory substituted in room of the Common Prayer-book . It was neces sary, therefore, that these acts should be first repealed, and new acts of par liament passed, before the bishops had power to proceed iigainst those who did not conform. «.D. 1661. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 253 sequent persecutions of the prelacy and the ruinous wars of the Eevolution. These faithful men, indeed, not only at first re planted the Presbyterian Church in the prorince, and, under God, " caused it to take deep root and fill the land," but when " her hedges were broken down," and her enemies exulting over her destruction, supported by " the right hand of the Lord," they carefully repaired the breaches and upreared her shattered stera, watering it with their prayers, till " the hills were once more covered vrith the shadow of it, and her boughs were sent out to the encircling sea." Let the names, therefore, of the following " righteous men be held in everlasting reraembrance I" LIST OF EJECTED PEESBYTEEIAN MINISTEES IN ULSTEE.19 PKESBTTEBT OF DOWN. Andrew Stewart, Gilbert Eamsay, John Greg, WilUam Eeid, . John Drysdale, James Gordon, Thomas Peebles, Donaghadee. Bangor. Newtownards. Ballywalter. Portaferry.Coraber. Dundonald. 19 This valuable list is extracted from Wodrow (i. 324, 325), with some few corrections, and with the addition of the placea where they officiated, so far as I have been able to discover them after many years' laborious research. I have prefixed the letter R to those who survived the Revolution. Wodrow introduces this list with the following observation : — " I have added an ac count of such Presbyterian ministers in the North of Ireland who refused conformity to Episcopacy there, and suff'ered severely enough for it ; because I have always found the elder Presbyterian ministers in Ireland reckoning themselves upon the same bottom with, and as it were a branch of, the Church of Scotland. It stands as it comes to my hand under the correction of the reverend ministers of that kingdom." In Calamy's "Continuation," the reader will find the names of several Independent ministers who were also deposed at this period in Ireland. 254 HISTORY OP THE PRESBYTERIAN CHAP. XVII. E. Hugh Wilson, E. Michael Bruce, William Eichardson, John Fleming, E. Alex. Hutchinson, E. Henry Liringston, Henry Hunter, James CampbeU, Andrew M'Corraick, Castlereagh. Killinchy.KiUileagh. Downpatrick.Saintfield. Drumbo. Dromore. EathfrUand. Magherally. PBBSBTTEET OP ANTRIM. WUUam Keyes, James Shaw, E. Eobert Cunningham, E. Thomas HaU, . E. Patrick Adair, James Fleming, Gilbert Simpson, E. Anthony Kennedy, Thomas Crawford, Eobert Hamilton, Eobert Dewart, John Shaw, James Cunningham, John Cathcart, Belfast. Carnmoney. Broadisland. Larne. Cairncastle. Glenarm. Ballyclare. Teraplepatrick.Donegore.KUlead. Connor. Ahoghill. Antrim. Eandalstown. PHESBTTEKT OP ROUTE. David Buttle, BaUymena. William Cumming Kilraughts ? John Douglass, Broughshane Eobert Hogshead, Ballyrashane. Gabriel CornwaU, Ballywillan ? Thomas Fulton, Dunboe? E. WiUiam Crooks, BaUykeUy. E. Thomas Boyd, Aghadoey. 1661. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 255 James Ker, John Law, Ballymoney. Garvagh. PRESBTTERT OP TTRONE. Eobert Auld, . Archibald HamUton, George Keith, E. Thomas Kennedy, Thomas Gowan, E. John Abernethy, E. Alexander Osborne, James Johnston, Maghera ? Donaghhendry. Dungannon? Donoughmore, Glasslough. Minterburn. Brigh.Lisnaskea? PRESBTTERT OF LAGAN. R. Eobert WUson, WUUam Moorcraft, John Wool or WUl, WUliara Scrapie, John Hart, John Adarason, John Crookshanks, Thomas Drummond, E. Eobert Craghead, Hugh Cunningham, Hugh Peebles, E. Adam White, WUUam Jack, Strabane. Newtownstewart. Clondermot. Letterkenny. Taughboyne. Omagh ? Eaphoe. Earaelton.Donoughmore. Eay. Lifford ? Fannet. BuUaUey, DubUn. The total number of ministers associated together in presby teries at this trying period throughout Ulster was nearly seventy. Of these, seven only conformed to prelacy. The other minis ters deeply deplored these instances of unfaithfulness and defec tion. " There was another thing added to the affliction of the brethren, which was the falUng-off of several of their number, and their embracing the snare laid before them. These were 256 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHAP. XVII. Mr. Mungo Bennett, Mr. CaldweU, Mr. WaUace, Mr. Robert Rowan, Mr. Andrew Rowan, Mr. Brown of BeUaghy, [Mr. WiUiam MUl or Milne], and afterwards Mr. James Fleming, who had stood out longer than the rest.^" AU these had come from Scotland with testiraonials and recommendations from grave and godly ministers, for thefr hopefulness and piety, besides other quaUfications of learning, prudence, &c. They were ordained by the presbytery here with solemn engagements at their ordi nation to adhere to Presbyterian government, the ends of the covenant, and subordination to their brethren. Notvrithstand ing, in the hour of temptation and embracing this present world, they renounced the covenant pubUckly, thefr ordination by the ™ I find, from the Records in the First-Fruits Office, that the Rev. An drew Rowan was admitted rector of Dunaghy or Clough, in the county of Antrim, on September 13, 1661, and that the Rev. George Wallace was ad-. mitted vicar of Holywood, in Down, on December 12, 1661 ; and from the "Liber Hibernias," that the Rev. Mungo Bennet was admitted rector of Cole raine on November 7, 1665. It does not appear with what benefices Cald well and Robert Rowan were rewarded. Mr. Alexander Dunlop, men tioned above by Adair, was admitted vicar of Kilmore, in Down, in April 1661, and Mr. Andrew Nesbitt was, at the same time, admitted vicar of Glenarm ; so that these expectants were the first to receive the stipulated reward of their tergiversation. Of the ministers in Ulster, not being Presbyterians, who enjoyed salaries from CromweU's government (see Appendix), I find no less than eleven of these pensioners receiving benefices from the prelates. Thomas Vesey, admitted rector of Coleraine or Templepatrick [sic in MS.] Septem ber 26, 1661 ; Andrew Lawe, rector of Kilmegan and Maghera, in Down, March 1661, and afterwards vicar of Templepatrick, Kilbride, Donegore, and the Grange, November 3, 1662 ; Hugh Graffan, vicar of Saintfield, September, 10, 1661 ; Daniel M'Neale, vicar of BiUy, Culfeightrin, and Loughguile, September 12, 1661 ; Robert Young, rector of Culdaff, April 1661 ; George Holland, archdeacon and rector of Dunboe, March 1661 ; Archibald Glasgow, rector and vicar of Clondevadock, and of TuUyfernan . and Aughnish, April 1661 ; William Lindsey, rector of Bovevagh, April 1661 ; Hugh Barclay, rector and vicar of Ray, April 1661 ; Robert Echlin, rector and vicar of BaUee and Ardglass, September 24, 1661 ; and James Watson, precentor of Connor, March 1661. Mr. WilUam Mill or Milline, minister of Islandmagee, and originaUy from Aberdeen, in 1657, also con formed, and was appointed rector of the same place, March 1661-62, and the next year promoted to the prebend of Kilroot. He waa deprived in 1693 by the oommiasioners for visiting the diocese of Down and Connor. See vol. iii. ...u. 1661. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 257 presbytery, and were re-ordained by their bishop. Thereafter they turned other men than before ; worldly, proud, severe on the people who discountenanced them, and haters of those faith ful ministers who once made them ministers. There was also one Dunlop and Mr. Andrew Nesbitt [expectants] who went the same way and proved no better than the rest. This Nesbitt, se veral years after, being sick and expecting death, as it fell out, sent for Mr. Adair, his nearest neighbouring minister, whom he had often before chided and reflected on for gathering the people of the parish by parcels where Nesbitt was their curate, and had threatened severity to him for so doing, beside oppressing the people on account of nonconformity. Yet finding hiraself going out of the world he, vrith great expressions and much seeraing seriousness, renounced the course he had been upon. He said he had sold his Master for a piece of bread, and had joined with a set of men that God was not among, a generation whom God would plague, and he doubted if there was mercy for him ; with many words to that purpose. Mr. Adair told hira that he was glad he was brought that length ; he put him in mind of his forraer courses during these latter years, which had been very gross for oppression, pride, drunkenness, regardlessness of the Sabbath, lying, &c., yet he added, that if he were sincere in what he expressed as to his repentance and flying to Christ, there might be hope. But he was afraid that if he recovered that sickness, he would return again and forget his recantation. Mr. Nesbitt repUed that, through God's strength, it should never be so. It is observable that those who turned to conformity from thefr brethren ahd the way of God, turned to be another kind of creatures than they had been generaUy. While they continued they were sober, and some of them well-gifted ; when they con formed, they became loose, oppressive, proud, and divers of them profane." Meanwhile, after an interval of nearly twenty years, the Irish parUaraent met on the Sth of May, and was opened by a sermon from Bishop Taylor. Archbishop BramhaU was chosen speaker of the lords; and Audley Mervyn, one of the members for Tyrone, who, in the year 1640, had impeached BramhaU and VOL. II. R 258 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvu. others of high treason, and had been a violent opponent of prelacy, was now so ardent a conformist that he was elected speaker of the coraraons. "In the House of Lords," writes Adair, " there was not one man who favoured the presbytery save the Lord Mas sareene. There was sorae pains taken in the North to choose raerabers for the House of Coramons who might be favourable ; and sorae were so, together with divers from Munster who dis- reUshed the bishops and ceremonies, who had been of CromweU's party before, and were now to get thefr debentures estabUshed by parliament. But whatever were the principles and affections of sorae private raen, the parUament did iraraediately estabUsh the former episcopal laws of Ireland ; and they put forth a De claration or proclamation to this purpose, forbidding all to preach who would not conforra ; and ordered it to be sent through Ireland to every minister, to be read by hira the next Sabbath after his receiring it.^' This proclamation came before many of the brethren had been otherwise forced to desist, and was on that account particularly sent to thera, which strength ened the hands of their opposers. It was moved by some in parUament to take severe courses with sorae of these ministers in order to terrify the rest. Yet none were nor could be found guUty of anything deserving punishment, except Mr. James Ker, who had deserted the king's interest, as already related, but yet had returned again to his brethren long before this. He, know ing they might take advantage of this, withdrew with his wife to Scotland, where he died shortly after.^^ 21 This Declaration, " requiring ,111 persons to conform to Church govern raent by episcopacy, and to the liturgy as it is established by law," was adopted by the Irish House of Lords on the 15th of May, on the motion of Lord Mont gomery of the Ards, who had twice solemnly sworn in the covenant to extir pate prelacy. (Lords' Journals, i. 234, 235. ) The following day it was agreed to by the commons (Journ., i. 605), and was ordered by the lords to be printed and circulated, and to be read by the ministers of Dublin on the first Sabbath, whioh was the 19th of May, and " by all other ministers through the kingdom on the next Sunday after its coming to their hands. " (Lords' Journ., i. 236.) An abstract of its contents is given in the tract [see note 31, p. 119, antea} entitled, " The Conduct ofthe Dissenters," Ac, p. 10. 22 In the proceedings of the House of Lords, on the 1 1th of June, is the fol- ...i.. 1661. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 259 " The parliament of Ireland followed that of England not only in restoring tho former way of government and worship, but in making an act for burning the Solemn League and Covenant.^' This was accordingly done in all cities and towns through the kingdom, the magistrates in every place being directors and wit nesses ; ^* which as it was pleasing to the Episcopal party and the profane in the land, together with the Papists, so it was a sad lowing entry relative to Mr. Ivor ; — " The Bishop of Raphoe recommends a piiper from tho lords-justices to be read. — The said paper read. Ordered, that Mr. Carr of Ballymoney bo sent for and brought up by » messenger of this house, to answer tho contents of the said p.-vper." (Journ., i. 246.) Mr. Ker evaded this order by escaping to Scotland, so that no further notice of him occurs in the Journals. The only other minister whose nonconfor mity exposed him to the censure of the lords was Mr. Boyd, who is thus noticed in the proceedings of the 29th of July 1661 : — " Ordered, that Mr. Boyd of Ahadowy for holding a conventicle at Desertoel [near Garvagh], in the county of Derry, contrary to the Dechiration of this house, be examined by the judges of assize who ride that circuit, who are to proceed against him according to the nature of his offence.'' Journ., i. 273. 23 This order or declai-cition was passed by the lords on the 25th, and by the commons on the 27ch of May. The covenant is unooremoniously con demned as " schiamatical, seditious, and treasonable ;" .ind they order it to be burned in all cities and towns hy the common hangman, and require the chief magistrate of the plioe to be present and seo the order executed on the next market-day .after its receipt. They conclude by declaring, " that whoso ever shall, by word or deed, by sign or writing, go about to defend or justify the said treasonable covenant, shall be accounted and esteemed as an enemy to his saered majesty and to the public peace and tranquillity of hia Church and kingdom." Lorda' Journ., i. 240. 2' Tho only magistrate in the kingdom who hesitated to burn the covenant was Captain John Dalway, mayor of Carrickfergus. He belonged to au ancient and honourable fiimily, that, up to a recent period, were the consis tent and faithful members of the Presbyterian Church, and the ardent sup porters of civil and religious liberty, for which several of them suffered in the intoler.int times of Charles II. and of Anne. On the 29th of July 1661, C.iptain Dalway was brought on his knees to the bar of the House of Lords, and fined £100 for not causing the covenant to be burned ; but, on produc ing a certificate that he had duly complied with the order of parUament, the fine was to be remitted, and he was discharged on payment of his fees. (Lords' Journ., i. 273.) This incident is not noticed by M'Skimin in his "History of Carrickfergus." 200 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN ouap. xvii. mark of the times, and an evil omen in the eyes of .those who had conscientiously engaged in it, to see that sacred oath thus with conterapt violated. It had been taken in the North of Ireland with great soleranity, as already related ; and as long as it was stuck to by those who first engaged in it in Scotland and Eng land, their undertakings were signally blessed. When it was broken and deserted first by the sectarian party in England, con fusion in Church and State had its rise from their proceedings. Yet in the usurper's time those who were true Covenanters were the only persons who stuck to the king's interest, as well as to sound principles in reUgion ; and that in all the three kingdoms. For those who had no liking to it and were opposers of it, were the greatest corapUers with the usurpers, and generally took the Engageraent in support of the commonwealth vrithout Idng and House of Lords, whereas the true Covenanters did refuse and suffer upon that account, not daring to violate the solemn oath. " This appeared particlarly in those parts of Ireland where the covenant had been before adrainistered, and afterwards this en gageraent pressed with much rigour. Yea, it may be said this oath was one special means of bringing the king to his throne ; being looked on then as a king in covenant, who it was, in charity, supposed could not in conscience and honour but pursue the ends of it, which he had so soleranly undertaken both before and at his coronation. However, little opposition or testiraony was given against these proceedings in parliaraent : the party who was otherwise minded partly seeing the current of defection so strong that they thought it was beyond their power to stop the course. The parliaments of England and Scotland had already done the same, and it was accounted a crime to avow the cove nant. Neither did that party so much as move for ease" to ten der consciences in the matter of conformity, although they had ground from the king's declaration at Breda and his declaration after he came horae ; knowing that if they appeared in any kind against the course of the times it might prejudice their worldly interest. The parUament being then engaged in settUng their newly-gotten estates, they said that when once that were finished, they would then appear. But it was so ordered that they were v.D. 1661. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 261 disappointed in a great measure of their expectations ; for the par Uament was dissolved, and these matters [respecting the settle ment of thefr estates] left in uncertainty. " The ministers of the North, in this juncture, gave themselvet; especiaUy to prayer, and did cry to God for help. They some times also privately met together for that end in societies, to en courage one another and take mutual adrice how to carry them selves. They thought it thefr duty, though their hope was very smaU, to make an essay for some toleration or immunity from the rigour of laws made over thefr consciences by petitioning the parUament. For this end they sent three of thefr number, Mr. John Hart, iMr. Thomas HaU, and Mr. WUUam Eichardson to Dublin, with a commission subscribed by aU the brethren of se veral societies ; that, as they were adrised by friends in DubUn, they might present a petition to parUament in thefr own and brethren's names. Accordingly they went thither and drew up a petition, but could not get it presented ; thefr best friends in Dublin advising them to return home, after long attendance for an opportunity, and wait there on God for a better time. In this petition the brethren owned thefr conscientious and peace able subjection to the laws either actively wherein they found clearness, or passively wherein they were of a different persuasion. They declared what had been thefr carriage in the usurper's time in general ; and they annexed to it a particular narrative of thefr actings and sufferings during that period, of thefr address and petition to the king on his return, of his majesty's gracious answers to them, as weU as his declaration at Breda, and other grounds of hope that he had given to those who were of tender consciences, being otherwise good subjects. Notwithstanding these things, they complained of thefr present usage by the bishops, and petitioned for Uberty to preach the Gospel without those impositions to which they could not agree vrith peace to thefr consciences. This was the substance of that petition which could not have access to be read in the parliament. " This essay failing, the ministers generaUy took themselves to the houses that they had either formerly of thefr o«ti, or had lately built in their several parishes ; and judged it thefr duty, 202 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN cuap. xyii. as far as it was possible, to stay araong their people, and to take such opportunities for their edification as the tiraes could adrait : partly conversing with them singly in private, and partly gather ing them at convenient tiraes in sraall corapanies, and exhorting thera from the Word. They resolved to go about their duty with as great prudence as they could ; considering they had many ad versaries and watchful eyes upon them, and not a few to repre sent them to the magistrate as disloyal and rebellious persons, if any ground had been given. They thought it raore suitable to their case and more profitable to their fiocks to do somewhat araong them in a private way, without noise or alarming the magistrate, and thus continue among their people ; than to appear pubUckly m preaching in the fields, which could have lasted but a very short time, and would have deprived them of the oppor tunity of ordinarily residing araong their people ; which, in tho case of some who took another course, carae to pass. " For at this tirae, there were two or three young meii^^ who had come frora Scotland, and had been but lately ordained by the presbytery here ; and who, intending to return to Scotland and put themselves out of the bishop's reverence [jurisdiction] in this country, resolved to do sorae good before they went. Thoy therefore called the people to solemn and great meetings, sorae tiraes in the night and sometimes in the day, in solitary places whither people in great abundance and with great alacrity and applause flocked to them. There they spoke much against tho bishops and the times. This matter of preaching, as it was in itself commendable and faithful when rightly managed, did ex ceedingly please most people. These men were cried up as the only courageous, faithful, and zealous rainisters by the common sort of people, and by those who had great zeal but Uttle judgraent or experience, though not approved of by the more serious, prudent, and experienced Christians. The manner of it in daring the magistrate openly, and calling great assemblies together in de- 2' These were Michael Bruce of Killinchy, John Crookshanks of Raphoe, and Andrew M'Cormiok of Magherally. The reader will find subsequent mention made of them. a.d. 1661. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 26^? spite of authority, was by that sort of people thought great stoutness and gallantry. " The people upon this not only counteiiaiiood and cried them up, but liberally contributed for them ; generally neglecting their own ministers who laboured more privately, and in some sort with greater difficulty among them. Thus they continued for a oonsidorablo time, going frora one place and from one parish to another, as weU as from one county to another, under disguise and oft iu the night-tiuio. Although the magistrate heard and took great iiotioo of it, yet they were not for a long time owned, in order to soe if the rest would follow their steps ; which many were longing for, that so they might have greater ground to ac cuse the whole Scottish Presbyterians of designs of rebellion ; whioh raany were oft suggesting to the Duke of Ormond, but could not got grounds to build their accusations upon. Only thoy made use of this practice of these young raen, as much as thoy oould, for a reflection upon the whole. And indeed all the rest of the ministers at this time were in a \eiy dangerous and sad case. They were beaten with rods on all hands. Being put from the pubhc ministry by the magistrate, they must walk pru dently and peaceably ; and yot for a time ai'e counted fools and frantic for the sake of a few of their number, though they en deavoured with hazard and more than ordinary trouble to be use ful to their congregations as the times could bear. But yet they are counted timorous cowards, and aU they did was nothing, be cause they went not to the hUls. Thoy lived upon any small thing the)' had of their own among their people, without mainte nance from them ; and yet must see others bountifully gratified. They must walk prudently ; and yet keep up union and affection with an imprudent people. They were convinced of the impru dence of these men ; and yot must not disapprove of them lest they lose their people. They saw themselves in little qiuetness and great hazard frora the magistrate ; and yet dared not in coii- scienoo lay tho blame on those who occasioned their hazard. '• I am far from judging these young men, or questioning the integrity or good intentions of any of them. I am persuaded of one of them, Mr. JNIichael Bruce, who was most noticed and in- 264 HISTORY OF THE PRESUYTERIAN chap. xvii. deed did raost good at that time, that he was a person singularly gifted, truly zealous and faithful, but also peaceable and orderly in his teraper and conversation with his brethren, and in his whole way a very Nathaniel ; of all which he hath given proof in the Church of Christ for many years since that time. This I judge a duty to say lest any blot should remain on that truly godly and worthy brother. He wa^then but a youth, and so were the rest. They considered not what hazard their way brought on the whole brethren from the magistrate in depriving them of the small opportunity they had to do good among their people, nor how it occasioned contempt and reflection from the more injudi cious and uncharitable of the people, who usually are the greatest number ; nor yet how it cut themselves short of occasion to do raore good to their own congregations, if they had carried thera selves more privately and prudently. For within a short tirae they were forced to flee the countryes without the beneflt of their presence and labouring araong thera as others did, to the great advantage of their flocks. Now the people, who had so much cried up the carriage and zeal of these youths before, and con demned the way of the rest of the rainisters, soon saw the impru dence of the one, and the true prudence and courage of the other, in sticking to them under difficulties and discouragements around them. They were convinced of this more and more when that way the prudenter ministers took, did, by degrees and insensibly without much observation of the magistrate, make way for the more public exercise of their ministry, as afterwards it proved. And it is to be observed that the faithful ministers of Ireland, the first planters of the Gospel in these bounds, when they were put from the public exercise of their ministry by the bishops, did not use that way of gathering the people to the fields. But they dwelt privately in their houses, and received as -'* So early as tho 17th of September in this year, tho Scottish council of state ordered a letter to be written to the sheriff of Clydesdale, to nppi'ehend two fugitive ministers from Ireland and transmit them to Edinbui;;li. (Wod row, i. 221.) "It seems plain," adds AVodrow, " that they were two Pres byterian ministers who had fled over from the persecution cif tliu prelates in Ireland," but he was unable lo .iscertain their names. A.D. 1662. CHUKCH IN IRELAND. 20^) many as came to them of their own parishes ; though they had greater provocations to do so, because they got not the same liberty, but were shortly after chased out of the country by pur suivants from DubUn. »_ "And let the reader know the end for which this passage has been observed : — not to reflect on honest men, but to caution and tell ministers who are embodied with a society of godly ministers, and by their solemn engagements at their ordination obliged to walk in subordination to their brethren ; that they take not singular courses of their own in such cases, though sometimes it may look Uke zeal ; nor yet walk in a separate way, especiaUy where they may have the advice of thefr brethren. For a society of godly rainisters raay expect more assistance and Ught than a single person. Besides, to ray observation and that of many others it hath been found that brethren, who have taken these singular courses of thefr own in this Church, divers of whom might be instanced both of our own number and coming from Scotland since these times, have within a very short time been rendered useless in it ; and some of them deprived all the rest of a great measure of that extraordinary respect and applause which they had from the people ; wherein the hand of God might have been seen. I only except that worthy brother before mentioned, who did what he did in the singleness of his heart ; and who, after long and sharp suff'erings both in Scotland and in England, returned to this Church and was eminently useful in it." On the 4th of November, the Duke of Ormond, now in dis tinguished favour at court, was nominated lord-lieutenant of Ire land, but he did not come over tUl July in the following year. The lords-justices, in the meantime, continued in office, and con ducted the government upon the same principles of blind subjec tion to the prelates by which they had been hitherto guided. Whenever their own prudence or leniency induced thera to relax soraewhat of the rigour of the penal statutes against noncon formity, the vigilant and intolerant bishops soon called for re newed severities. In the beginning of the year 1662, in com pliance with petitions from the Eomanists, whom Charles was afready desirous of favouring, and who had been indicted under 266 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvii. the statute of Ehzabeth for not attending the service of the Es tabUshed Church, the lords-justices had directed the judges of assize in the several circuits to suspend, tiU further orders, the execution of that penal statute. " Soon after," writes Lord Or rery, in the month of April, to the Duke of Ormond, " the non conformists of the North, being also indicted for the sarae of fences, we gave the like orders for thera ; but would not dispense with the penalties of the law to such as should hold unlawful assembUes or conventicles. Though we would connive at their not doing what they should, yet we would not connive at their doing what they should not." Alarmed at these indications of toleration, the bishops iraraediately waited on the lords-justices ; and after declairaing against the pernicious effects of such mea sures, and the danger thereby accruing to the Church, they per suaded thera to issue a proclamation, dated the 30tli of April, in which they state, that as " recusants, nonconforraists and secta ries had grown worse by clemency," no further indulgence would be granted by the state.^'^ At length, on the 27th of July, Or mond arrived from England, and on the following day was for mally sworn into office as " lord-Ueutenant general and general 27 "Orrery's State Letters," i. 109. It is singular that Ware, in his " Annals" {apud an.), and Cox, in his "History" (ii. Charles II. 4), style this proclamation an indulgence to dissenters, though Lord Orrery's state ment and the preamble, whioh is all that I could discover of the proclama tion itself (see " Conduct ofthe Dissenters," p. 11), clearly show that it was designed to repress, and not to favour, the nonconformists. Lord Orrery, in the remaining part of his letter to Ormond, thus states the difficulty and hazard attendant on a rigid execution of the penal laws : — " The thing is very weighty in its consequence.", and difficult in the resolution ; and there fore your grace's judgment, which I humbly beg, is most requisite for our guidance. If the laws be fully put in execution, ten parta of eleven of the people will be dissatisfied ; if they be not put in execution, the Church will be dissatisfied and sects and heresies continued, I doubt, for ever ; and if any ofthe sects be indulged, it will be partiality not to indulge to aU ; if none be favoured, it may be unsafe. This is to me a short state of the case, and too true a one. If England and Scotland fall roundly upon the Papists and nonconformists, and we do not, Ireland will be the sink to receive them all. If they are fallen upon equally in the three kingdoms, may not they all unite to disturb the peace ?" Letters, ut supra. A.n. 1662. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 267 governor of Ireland." His policy towards the Presbyterians oon tinued the same as that of the lords-justices. He was disposed to sympathise with them for their former suff'erings on behalf of the king, and to tolerate them so long as thoy Uved peaceably, and did not excite the jealousy of the bishops ; but ho was too ready, at the instigation of their ecclesiastical foes, to abridge their freedom and visit them with penalties. On the whole, the general mild ness of his administration, whicll contmued during seven years, presented a remarkable contrast to the unprecedented severity with which the nonconformists and Presbyterians were ti-eated at this jioriod both in England and in Scotland. '• Throughout this year, 1602, the poor afflicted mimsters in tho country continued in performance of what duty they could to their people, as tho times woiUd permit ; and in peaceableness and loyalty to the magistrate. Yet they coiUd not guai'd against the calumnies and misrepresentations of their obser\iiig adversa ries, clergymen and others, who cast aspersions upon them to the duke, both as to their principles and practices. The Lord Massa reene, their constant and great friend, dwelUng then at DubUn and being one of tiie privy-council, and searcliing into aU affairs, particulai-ly what concerned the ministers of the North, he wrote to some of the ministers of his aequanitanee, showing it was con venient for them and thefr brethren to offer a vindication of themselves from the raany informations that were giveu in against them to tiie lord-Ueutenant. He also sent a draught of that vin dication to them to consider if thoy ooiUd subscribe it. The draught was fair, giving an account of their principles particu larly as to loyalty, with a nai"rati\e of thefr actings and sufferings for the king. Yot the bretlu'eu considering this particular way was not required by the duke but only my Lord Massai-eene's overtiu-e ; and withal tiiat it was dangerous to draw up such a paper so as to please court lords, witiiout saymg more than was right and suitable to their consciences ; therefore they judged it more fit to forbear a particular vindication. Yot they found themselves necessitated to do something. For my Lord Massa reene, hearing many^peeches against them among the great ones in DubUn, told the duke and some of the council that he ex- 268 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHAP. -XVIl. pected some of the Scotch rainisters to be shortly in Dublin to vindicate themselves. The brethren understanding this sent three of their number, viz., Messrs. Patrick Adair, Andrew Stuart, and WUUam Semple to DubUn. They gave them instruc tions to consult with Lord Massareene about their case, and a commission to make thefr appUcation to the duke for some token of his favour in their present case, as thoy should find convenient, or should be advised by Lord Massareene and thefr friends there. "Accordingly these brethren went about the begmmng of August 1662, and continued there till the end of October. At their first coming to DubUn, instead of a vindication they drew up a petition to be presented to the duke to the same purpose as the petition mentioned before that was intended for the parUa ment, owning their principles and begging immunity from bishops and ceremonies. They also gave in another paper showing the reasonable ground they had for humbly expecting a favourable answer from his grace. The duke was informed immediately of thefr coming to town ; and they continued there a fortnight be fore they presented their petition, or made any appUcation to him. This was owing to my Lord Massai-eene's persuasion, the ground whereof was this. That noble lord being truly concerned for the liberty and comfort of both ministers and people ui the North, as weU as of the whole nonconformists of Ireland, did of himself derise some overtures which, if compUed with, might be a favour to nonconformists and a service to the king and king dom. Of these he had discoursed to the duke. He essayed to get them accepted in favour of all nonconformists ; and he thought that these being granted, it would make the ministers' appUcation easy. But the duke said, he had not power to comply with them, neither was he forward for any such motions in favour of non conformists. These proposals therefore vanished. Meantime the duke, knowing of the mmisters being in town, became jealous and angry that they did not make application to him. He said to the Lord Montgomery [now Earl of Blount-Alexander] and to Sir Arthur Forbes that since they came not, he would send for them. When the brethren heard this, tha next day thej- pre sented the petition to hiraself, being introduced by Lord Massa- .V.D. 1662. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 2()9 reene. After inquiring if they had any raore to say and they answered, nothing ; he said he would do what was incurabent for hira. The next day he said to the forraer noble persons, being famiUar with them, that he was in a strait what to do with these ministers; for by their petition he perceived they had suf fered FOR the king, and now they were like to suffer under the king. " After waiting several days, the ministers came to one of the duke's secretaries. Sir George Lane, to remind hira of their peti tion and its answer. He gave them some queries from the duke to answer in writing : — 1. What those things were wherein they scrupled to act ? 2. Who were the persons that wronged them and wherein ? 3. Who of them were put from their houses 1 And, 4. who they were for whom they petitioned ? They an swered to the first, that, haring been ordained ministers of the Gospel by presbyters, they were altogether unclear to receive another ordination ; and withal they repUed that however they were clear for the doctrinal articles contained in the thirty-nine articles of the Church of England, as weU as for the doctrines contained in the articles of Ireland concluded in the convocation at Dublin in 1615, yet they were not clear to worship God ac cording to the forras and cereraonies prescribed in the Book of Coramon Prayer. To the second they answered, that albeit they incUne not to complain of grievances, that not being their pre sent aim nor the aim of these other rainisters, yet it is erident that for nonconformity several of thefr ministers were in hazard of suff'ering by the civU law, and of excommunication by ecclesi astical courts, before which some of them were standing already processed, as weU as of other sad consequences of that sentence ; the names of these being particularly expressed by the brethren. To the thfrd query they answered, that divers particular persons might have grievances of this nature, yet they did studiously in their petition forbear to mention these thuigs, leStthey should be thought more sensible of inferior losses than the great loss of their ministry ; and lest they should seera to doubt of the justice of those who were appointed to hear and redress such grievances. . To the fourth and last query they gave the duke a list, being the 270 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHAP. XVII. same persons who subscribed the address to the king about two years before. " After divers days' attendance they got that paper given to the duke. Thereafter he caused thefr petition to be read in councU and the other papers all subscribed by the ministers, as was by him required. Divers in the councU and such bishops as were present spake against the ministers and their papers with great animosity and indignation ; and said they should be pun ished for contumacy and open professing against the laws ; and that it was unfit they should have Uberty to Uve among people to poison them. There were also reflections upon them as they were Scotch Presbyterians, and some remembered the oppressions done by the Scotch array while they were in Ulster. Others held thefr peace. My Lord Massareene vrith no less boldness and animosity for thera. The duke hiraself was moderate ; he said they were unhappy who flrst suffered for the king, and then suffered under him ; and he thought it just that what the king had promised them should be performed, and said that what these ministers had spoken in their petition or answer to his queries, should not tend to thefr prejudice, since they spake their con science, and since he himself had required them to subscribe it. He said he resolved to give no answer tUl he had examined the truth of their assertions anent the king's promises. My Lord Anglesey, being present at that time, was questioned in it. But he stifled any testiraony that might seem to displease, and said he was no Presbyterian. My Lord Massareene openly told him that he sometimes professed the contrary ; and that if he did not faithfully witness what he had heard from the king, God would raake it meet with him another day. The brethren thereafter gave him a paper putting him in remembrance of what the king had said when he was present, in which the king had spoken to the ministers in their appUcation to him as a friend and with a kind of famiUarity. After this the brethren were informed that Lord Anglesey did own the paper they had given in, as a narra tive of the brethren's answer from the king. But after much attendance and raeans used with aU who seeraed to be friends, and after intercession with the duke, and after many fair promises, A.D. 1662. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 271 the result of all was that they must live according to the law, that they might serve God in their own farailies without gather ing raultitudes together, they Uving peaceably and to that pur pose. This answer was left in writing the very hour the duke was taking his horse for Kilkenny ; and with difficulty a copy only was obtained by the rainisters, but not the original. " After these brethren had returned home, the young men formerly mentioned, then remaining in the country, took the more Uberty, and inconsiderate people took advantage, as if the duke had granted the brethren some great thing. This being observed by the bishops, they sent a complaint to the duke that he had given liberty to the nonconformists. Upon which he sent a copy of the paper to them, but not to the brethren who had so long and with so great weariness waited on him. How ever, the brethren this year, following thefr former courses, lived without great molestation ; performing what duty they could to thefr several parishes, and haring thefr private societies one with another, in which they began to think of a way not only of con stant correspondence together, but of walking harmoniously in these times of trouble and difficulty. They had their raeetings together to that purpose, and had correspondents frora one meet ing to another, as they could overtake." Thus, after a gloomy period of nearly two years' duration, the dark and portentous cloud which enveloped the Church began to break and afford a glimraering of sunshine, and some prospect of returning peace. But the intrigues of a few restless and ambitious men in DubUn, vrith whom one or two ministers in Ulster chanced to be very reraotely connected, unhappUy de stroyed this favourable hope of tranquilUty for the Church, and exposed the ministers to renewed sufferings. 272 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAX ciiap. xviii. CHAPTER XVIII. A.D. 1663-1684. Blood's plot— Unsuccessful attempt to engage the Presbyterians in it — Con spirators apprehended — Three ministers summoned to Dublin — The ministers of Down and Antrim imprisoned — Scots disarmed — Examina tion of Stewart and Greg — Four of the conspirators executed — Ulster ministers forced to leave the kingdom — A few permitted to remain — Bishop Leslie imprisons four ministers during six years — Various at tempts to procure their Uberation — Gradual improvement in the condition of ihe Church in Ulster — Ministers return by degrees — Causes of this favourable change — Lord Robarts, the lord-Ueutenant, favours the Pres byterians — A general committee established in lieu of a synod — Its first acts — Sends contributions to the Scottish exiles in Holland — Jealousy of the Episcopal clergy — Boyle, bishop of Down, summons twelve ministers to his cov/rt— Sir Arthur Forbes interferes in tlieir behalf— Deaths of several ministers in Down and Antrim — Bishop Boyle prohibited by the primate from proceeding against tlie ministers — A seasonable relief tothe Church — Contrasted with the persecutions in ihe sister kingdoms — Meet ing-houses erected — Accident in Dublin — Case of David Houston — Rules for ordination — Pension granted by Charles II. — Fast in the Lagan — Four ministers imprisoned — Presbyterians again subjected to persecution. The government of Ireland, after the Eestoration, was conducted with considerable ability and success. Many conflicting interests and claims were peaceably adjusted ; the adventurers were sa tisfied, the array reduced, the Church restored, the Eoraanists pacified, the nuraerous sectaries that prevailed in Leinster and Munster repressed, while no popular commotion during three years disturbed the tranquillity of the kingdora. A secret con- spfracy, however, had during the last year been formed by a few disappointed and restless spirits, the detection of which inter rupted for a time the public peace, and involved raany innocent persons, especially araong the Presbyterian nunisters of Ulster, in serious difficulties. This conspiracy is generally known by the A.D. 1663. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 273 name of Blood's Plot, the origin, progress, and consequences of which are thus detailed by Adair : — " In December 1662, there was a ground laid for trouble not only to nonconformists in other parts of Ireland, but to the ministers and people of the North. There was then in Ireland a considerable number of old CromweUists, as they were called, who had a rooted antipathy to the king's government, and sorae pro fession of reUgion, such as it was. These in and about DubUn find ing themselves not in the condition they had been in before the king's restoration, and finding oppression by bishops and by other ways growing upon thera, began to contrive araongst theraselves an overturning of the state of bishops and rectifying the civil go vernment, and restraining the Papists from that great liberty and countenance they had enjoyed, and furthermore securing a Uberty of conscience to themselves as they had enjoyed in Crom weU's time. About this they considted much with one another in DubUn in thefr meetings for that purpose, and agreed amongst themselves in thefr design. They had many considerable per sons both of the country and army who were privy to it and secret favourers of it, who would not yet appear. They sent to England to acquaint others of thefr principles there, and ac quainted them with it, and were approved and promised assist ance, if need requfred. One Thomas Blood was a principal actor in this contrivance. He had for some time been an officer in the king's army against the first parUament, and was a true cavalier. Thereafter he had come to Ireland, where he had sorae interest in land near DubUn ; and falUng into much acquaintance with one Mr. Lecky, his brother-in-law, a minister of the Presbyterian persuasion and a man of good discourse and learning, he was drawn to own Presbyterian principles. Thereafter, by the insti gation of Lecky and others, he was persuaded to engage as the principal actor in this plot, being a person singularly fitted for such a design, in regard of courage, subtUty, strength of body and great spirit, and who had experience in martial affairs. This man, vrith his associates, haring had many consultations among themselves, thought it fit to try if they could draw in the Pres- vol. II. « 274 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xviii. byterians of the North to join with them, they pretending the ends of the covenant vrith them. " Accordingly Blood and Lecky, by the advice and consent of the rest, carae to the North to try the rainisters and best of the people there. They first visited Mr. Greg, Mr. Stewart [Donagha dee], and Captain James Moor of Ballybrega [in KilUnchy], caUing them together to Mr. Greg's house, where they proposed their business to them, aggravating the iniquities of the times, the usurpation of the bishops, the tyranny of thefr courts, the in crease of Popery, and misgovernment in every affafr. As to what concerned the good of the people, they declared there were a number, very considerable and well-wishers to a reforraation, desiring a redress of these things, yet without wronging the king's just authority, and were engaged in that design, if the ministers and people of these parts would concur, it might be an acceptable service and much promote the cause. They declared not the particular way how to get their design effected ; but said, if these three men would send to Dublin their thoughts of it, and any assurance of concurrence, they woidd then know the parti cular methods which were to be foUowed in the design. The three persons that were thus appUed unto, being unacquainted vrith any such motions, were at first amazed at the foUy or knavery, or both, of these so despicable persons, who looked more Uke trepanners than anything else. They desired two things of them, first, that they would utter nothing prejudicial to lawful authority in thefr hearing ; and secondly, that being neither acquainted vrith the ends they aimed at, nor the means they thought of, they could say nothing but in general, that God's ends by lawful means when proposed could not be rejected by good men ; but withal they told them, that if they intended any secret eril, what a slander it should be to their profession who were never seen to plot unlawfully for shunning what trou bles God brought them unto. As for going to DubUn, they would know shortly whether they would do it or not, and so thev parted. " Being thus discouraged by these three, to whom they opened their business, they made no further attempt upon any in Down A.D. 1663. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 275 or Antrim ; but went to Lagan and Armagh, where they met with the Uke discourageraent, except from one or two ministers, who afterwards were discovered to be of thefr mind— viz., Mr. M'Cor raick [Magherally], and Mr. Crookshanks [Eaphoe.] From that they went to the South and West of Ireland, where they drew their purpose to a great height ; yet they never corresponded more with any in the North, or with the Scotch, who gave them nothing but discouragement. Notwithstanding they, by their private consultations and meetings at DubUn, and correspondence with their confederates in other parts of Ireland, carried on their business. But there being one admitted to thefr secret contri vances in Dublin, who secretly opened their whole designs and proceedings to the duke, the duke commanded him to continue in their society, and daUy inform him of their proceedings, tUl the time they thought their business ripe. They were at length prevented and surprised on the 22d of May 1663. The plotters had appointed that morning to be the time wherein they would first surprise the castle of DubUn, and take the duke's person into custody. For that end they had a considerable party in the town over night, chief raen of that party, with a considerable number of men ready for their purpose. But their whole motion being known to the duke, he that morning prevented them, and apprehended the principal persons, among whom was Mr. WilUam Lecky ; i only Blood escaped, who may be called the head of the plot. There was found among them their intended declaration, wherein they pretended the ends of the covenant, shewing the necessity of taking up arms because of the growth of Popery and ' The persons seized were Colonel Alex. Jephson, Mr. Bond, a merchant and a native of Scotland, Rev. W. Lecky, Colonel Thom.is Scott, M.P., Colonel Edward Warren, Major Henry Jones, Captain John Chambers, M.P., Major Richard Thompson, deputy provost-marshal of Leinster, John Foulk, son to the former governor of Drogheda, James Tanner, clerk to Henry Cromwell's private secretary, and about fourteen others. On the 26th of May, a proclamation was issued, offering a reward of £100 for the appre hension of Colonel Blood, Colonel Gibby Car, who had recently come over to Dublin from Scotland, Lieutenant-Colonel Abel Warren, M.P., the Rev. Andrew M'Cormick, and the Rev. Robert Chambers [Dublin], nonconformist ministers, who had succeeded in making their escape. Carte, ii. 269. 276 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xviii. the oppression of the bishops.^ But they were generaUy persons of OUver's party, who, before that, had forsaken the covenant, though it was aUeged that a party of the standing army was en gaged with them, but persons of no right or solid principles. There was also found an account of the names of those princi paUy engaged ; but no mention of the three in the North to whom Blood and Lecky had before appUed ; for these men had given Blood no encouragement or ground to expect any concur rence from thera. Neither did those three reveal the raatter to their brethren, lest the reveaUng of it should prove occasion of trouble to their brethren thereafter. "Notwithstanding, the duke remembering that Messrs. Adair, Stewart and Semple had been a considerable time in DubUn about half a year before this, and knowing the plotters had begun to meditate their busmess about that time, he became jealous of these three, and iraraediately sent orders to apprehend thera, and send them up to DubUn by a guard. But the Lord Mount- Alexander having special acquaintance with Mr. Stewart, and being per suaded of his loyalty, interceded with the duke that he should not be sent for. Though my Lord Massareene was a privy- counseUor, yet he knew not, at the first, of sending for Mr. Adair. But upon knowledge of it he went to the duke, and, spoke as rauch for Mr. Adafr's loyalty, as Lord Mount-Alexander had done for Mr. Stewart. He so far prevaUed, that Mr. Adair should come of himself to DubUn without a guard, and clear him self to the duke. This letter he wrote to Mr. Adafr and sent it by post. But before it came, Mr. Adafr had been apprehended in his own house [at Cairncastle, between Larne and Glenarm] by a party of the Earl of Donegal's troop, and secured close prisoner in the gaol of Carrickfergus for three nights. Lord Massareene also wrote a letter to his lady's nephew, Sfr Arthur Chichester, then Ueutenant of the troop, declaring the duke's pleasure, and that if Mr. Adair were taken before that letter came, he should use him civiUy. This he did accordingly, send- 2 A copy of this declaration is given in M'Crie's " Memoirs of Veitch and Bryson," Appendix No. 9, p. 508. A.D. 1663. CHURCH IN IRELAND. '2 it ing only one trooper along with Mr. Adair in company with him and his servant ; and also wrote a favourable letter to the duke by that trooper in Mr. Adair's behalf. When Mr. Adair came to DubUn, that noble lord was pleased to intercede again with the duke, that Mr. Adair should be committed to his custody, he becoming bail for his appearance ; which the duke upon perusal of Sir Arthur's letter easUy granted. Thus Mr. Adair had a free confinement in Lord Massareene's house and the city, for three months thereafter ; and though he sent divers petitions to the duke to call and examine him of that plot, yet he was never caUed or examined, but after three months he was remanded to his own house by a warrant under the duke's hand, with only a certifica tion that he would Uve peaceably. " Meantime Sir Arthur Forbes was in all haste sent to the Lagan, a place of which the duke had great jealousy, to examine the ministers and suspected gentlemen there, which he did, and upon examination found no ground that any in their country were concerned in the plot ; except that Mr. John Hart,^ having been in Dublin upon occasions the winter before, some of the plotters had applied to him, as they had done to the two brethren in Down. But he had rejected the motion ; only in his exami nation he spoke a word unadrisedly which brought Mr. Thomas Boyd,* a worthy raan, into great trouble. For in vindicating hiraself, not reraerabering what hazard it might bring to Mr. Boyd, he said to Sfr Arthur, he had abhorred that motion as Mr. Boyd in DubUn knew. This exaraination being returned to DubUn gave the duke suspicion that Mr. Boyd was upon the plot ; whereas it only had been proposed to hun, and he had re fused to be concerned in it. Upon which he was iraraediately apprehended and kept long a close prisoner, and oft sent for to 3 In the " Life of Blair," Wodrow Society edition, it is said that this Mr. Hart had been formerly minister at Crail, in Fifeshire, (p. 449.) From a note towards the end of this chapter, it appears that Hart was minister at Hamilton. * This Mr. Boyd is, I believe, the same person who was afterwards ex pelled from the House of Commons on account of this plot. He was one of the members for the borough of Bangor, in the county of Down. See note 6 of this chapter. 278 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chaf. xviii. the duke, but would confess nothing that he knew of the plot, not knowing what Mr. Hart had said. This did the more irri tate the duke against him, knowing by Mr. Hart's deposition that he had not been ignorant of it : tiU at last the duke, in a fury and with more threatening language, did show him the deposi tion. Whereupon he finding no way of evasion was forced to confess the way he knew of it ; which was this, that Blood and Lecky, before thefr going to the North last vrinter, had proposed the business to hira, but he would give no countenance to the design. The duke inquired what they did there ; he said, they had spoken to Mr. Greg and Mr. Stewart but heard no more of it ; and supposed they had gotten no satisfying answer from these men. This brought these two brethren into much trouble thereafter, and himself hardly escaped the worst. But God's proridence wrought for the innocent gentleman, though some hungry courtiers were gaping for his estate. Yet he had many friends by his wife, who were men of quaUty and interest with the duke. "But to return to the ministers. Though Mr. Scrapie [of Letterkenny, in Donegal] was in the sarae order to be appre hended vrith Mr. Adair, yet being at a great distance, and Sir Arthur Forbes upon exaraination finding no ground of accusa tion against hira or any of his brethren in the Lagan except Mr. Hart, he took bail of them to appear when caUed, and they found no more trouble of this plot. But the noise of the plot becoming great, the duke and those about him could not lay aside thefr jealousies of the Scotch. Therefore within three weeks after its breaking up, the whole ministers of Down and Antrim, who could be found, were in one day apprehended in the middle of June. The ministers of Antrim were brought to Carrickfergus, where they had liberty to be together in two private houses ; and though guards were upon them, yet they had the benefit of mutual society, where they remained for about two months. " The miiusters of Down were at flrst more hardly dealt with. They were sent to the king's castle at CarUngford, beino- seven in number, riz., Messrs. John Drysdale, John Greg, Andrew Stewart, Alexander Hutchinson, WilUam Eichardson, Gilbert A.D. 1663. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 279 Kennedy,^ and James Gordon. They at first were put or pounded in a narrow room on the top of the house, far from friends or acquaintances, where they were in danger of starring, but that God stirred up the heart of a woraan in the place, a stranger caUed Mrs. Clark, to supply thera with necessaries. They were for a fortnight kept very close, tiU they were advised by Mr. Francis Hamilton, an officer of the corapany there, to write to my Lord Dungannon, who procured them the Uberty of the town in the day time, they returning to thefr narrow room at night, lying on the floor four or five of them, as it were, in one bed. In the meantime, whUe the ministers, who never heard of the plot nor had even dreamt of any such thing, were thus upon groundless jealousies used ; there came orders for disarming all the Scotch in the country, which were rigorously, closely, and suddenly executed. All men's arms were taken from them, vrithout respect of persons, by what standing forces and troops were in the country ; though it never came to be known, and it is indeed utterly improbable that any one person in the country had ever known the least of it, except only Captain Moor as be fore related ; who, a Uttle after, was sent for and kept close prisoner in the castle of Dublin for a long time. However, the people carried peaceably ; and thefr innocence in this matter, together with that of the ministers, did at last appear even to the duke's conriction. " But the ministers' fears were, vrithin a Uttle, greatly alarmed upon occasion of that passage mentioned before — of Mr. Boyd's discovering the coraing of Blood and Lecky to the North, and speaking to Mr. Greg and Mr. Stewart about the plot. When this was known, about the midst of July, orders were immediately sent to the governor of CarUngford to send these men to Dublin with a guard ; and that in their coming thither they should have no access to one another, which was accordingly done. For " Perhaps Gilbert Kennedy is a mistake of Adair, writing from memory, for Gilbert Ramsay, minister of Bangor ; and this conjecture is strengthened by the fact, that in " Presbyterian Loyalty," p. 381 , where a list of the im prisoned ministers of Down is given, Mr. Ramsay's name is inserted where- Mr. Kennedy's stands in the text. 280 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xvni. after a month's imprisonment in Carlingford where their mutual society much sweetened their hard lot, these two worthy bre thren were taken from the rest, and separately, without any inti mation of anything to them, were sent by two guards that same day to DubUn, and committed immediately to very close prisons among those who were truly upon the plot, without at ifrst any accomraodation. They did not see one another bythe way com ing, nor in the prison tUl April foUovring. After a few days they were examined in the prison by the Earl of Mount-Alex ander and the Lord Dungannon as to what access they had to the plot. Mr. Stewart, having advice from my Lord Massareene conveyed secretly by Mr. Adair's means to him, to be ingenuous in his confession, (my lord being confident that in his circum stances this would Ke safest for him,) did freely acknowledge what had passed between them and Blood, as was before deU vered. Wliereupon these lords told him, if there was no raore between thera there was no hazard to him. But Mr. Greg not haring that same advice, it being impossible to get it conveyed to him, which Mr. Stewart had, did upon his examiuation stand resolutely to his denial that he knew anything of the proceedings of that plot ; for indeed he did not hear of anything anent it after Blood's parting from him. But after a day or two, the keepers telling him that Mr. Stewart had confessed all to these lords, he not knowing Mr. Stewart's reason for being so free, wrote a Une or two in Latin to Mr. Stewart chaUenging him for his confession to those noblemen, and telUng hira he had undone hiraself and thera both. This paper he thought secretly to con vey by the soldier who kept the door of the prison, and hid it within a paper of confections which he sent to Mr. Stewart in another part of the prison. But the soldiers, suspecting there might be such correspondence, opened the paper and finding this line, carried it to the sergeant-at-arms who kept the prison. He iraraediately carried it to the duke, who was by it much irritated against Mr. Greg ; and it occasioned his being deprived of rauch favour in prison which Mr. Stewart had. Though this writing of that line was but an inconsiderate act in worthy Mr. Greg, and he had hard usage upon that account, yet God had endued hira with A.D. 1663. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 281 an invincible spirit, so that he carried his hard usage with great and undaunted courage ; being conscious to hiraself that what he had said to his examiners was true. Yea, the keepers of the prison, who were witnesses of his carriage and Christian magna nimity, confessed he was of a great spirit. Mr. Stewart, within five or six weeks after his imprisonment, had the Uberty of the city, being under a thousand pounds bond not to depart the city vrithout leave. But Mr. Greg was kept close prisoner, and therein endured hai'd usage. " Meantime the plotters in Dublin were brought to their trial, and only three of them, to wit, a country gentleraan and two officers, condemned to die as traitors ; which was executed upon them.'^ As for INIr. Lecky, a chief contriver, together with Mr. Blood his brother-in-law and one of his parish, being kept much more severely than the rest in a low room in the castle in bolts, he feU distracted and so continued for a whUe. He was sent from that to Newgate, as not being capable to be examined. Here after a whUe he recovered a little from his distraction, and not being noticed by his keeper, got out one night in his wife's clothes, but was not in a capacity to dispose of himself so as to escape. He was therefore next morning apprehended, and there after condemned. Having been a feUow of the coUege of Dublin, and in great respect for a smart scholar and of a good temper, the coUege petitioned for his life, which was granted if he would conform. But that he refused and chose rather to die. There in On the 2d of July, Colonel Alexander Jephson was tried in the Court of King's Bench, Dublin, and found guilty ; and, on the two foUowing days, Major Richard Thompson and Colonel Edward Warren were also found guilty of high treason, and sentenced to die as traitors. On the 15th of July, these three conspirators were executed at the GaUowa' Green, ne.ir Dublin, and the heads of Warren and Thompson were set upon poles on two of the towers ofthe castle. (Mus. Brit. Donat. MSS. 4784, No. 19, p. 509.) At the reassembling of parliament in November 1665, the House of Commons suspended, and afterwards expelled, the following members for having been concerned in this plot — viz., John Ruxton and John Chambers, members for Ardee, Thomas Scott for the county of Wexford, Abel Warren for the city of Kilkenny, Robert Shapoote for the town of Wicklow, Alexander Staples for Strabane, and Thomas Boyd for Bangor. Com. Journ., n. 340. 282 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xviii. after he was tempted by sorae then about court to accuse my Lord Massareene of the plot, they being jealous of ray lord at that tirae, and thinking he knew it, being my lord's near kins man, and upon that should have his pardon. But he abhorred treachery of that nature, and therefore was executed as the former were.'^ These passages I had frora a credible worthy man, who had them frora his own mouth a few days before he died. The rest after a while were let go, and some banished out of the kingdora. " After the duke had settled the business concerning the plot in Dublin, he, vrith the advice of the council, sent orders to the ministers of the North, now at CarUngford and Carrickfergus, that either they must desert the kingdom, or go to prisons in other places of Ireland, and that vrithin a fortnight after the order should come to thefr hands. The prisoners, haring these orders sent them, immediately sent a petition to the duke ; but this petition, though presented to the duke by the noble Massareene, their fixed old friend, had no return, but the former order raust be observed.* The brethren were accordingly in a great strait ' The following extracts, from the MS. in the British Museum, quoted in the preceding note, corroborate the accuracy of Adair's narrative, and supply the requisite dates : — "July 5. W. Lecky sent back to the castle as being distracted. November 18, Wednesday. WUliam Lecky, one of the late plot ters, was condemned of treason in the King's Bench . The Saturday before he had made an escape out of Newgate prison in woman 's apparell ; but was apprehended the day following, and again committed to prison. Deeember 12. Lecky was executed at tbe gallows on Oxm.inton Green, near Dublin." (MS., ut supra.) On his escape, it was supposed he would fly to Ulster ; ex presses were accordingly despatched to the North to endeavour to intereept him. The curious reader may see in the "Rawdon Papers," pp. 202, 203 how vigilantly Lord Conway, then at Lisburn, laid wait for the unfortunate prisoner. 8 This harsh measure was dictated to Ormond by the king himself. Sir Henry Bennet, afterwards Lord ArUngton, one of the principal secretaries of state, thus wrote to the duke on the 4th of July : — " As for the great number of disaffected ministers your grace hath found yourself obliged to take up whilst the late plot was on foot, his majesty is of opinion you should detain in several prisons the most seditious and most dangerous of them, and let the rest go upon security of their good behaviour : the former of which cannot be A.D.1663. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 283 what to choose. However all of them save two, Mr. Keyes and one Mr. John Cathcart [of Drumaul, or Eandalstown], chose to de part the kingdora. Mr. Keyes was sent to the town of Galway and Mr. Cathcart to Athlone, where they remained prisoners a considerable time. The rest generaUy went to Scotland with a pass from some justices of peace in the country ; and yet not without bonds and surety given not to return without leave. Those of Antrim who went were Mr. HaU, Mr. Crawford, Messrs. John and James Shaw ; and of Down were Mr. Drys dale, Mr. Eamsay, and Mr. Wilson ; where God provided for thera to Uve comfortably in a private station, and found many friends beyond thefr expectation. " There were divers brethren interceded for to the duke by persons of quaUty, to have Uberty to stay in the country in a private capacity. Mr. Adafr had the duke's protection before. Mr. Eobert Cunningham had a letter in his favour from my Lady Crawford Lindsay, sister to the Duke of HamUton and an ac quaintance of the Duchess of Ormond. Mr. Gordon and Mr. Eichardson had Uberty of abiding in the country thrpugh pro curing of my Lady Ards,^ mother ofthe Earl of Mount- Alexander, and of the Countess of ClanbrassU. Mr. Hutchinson remained by my Lord Dungannon's intercession. Mr. HamUton of KiUead, and Mr. James Cunningham of Antrim, were interceded for by my Lord Massareene and his lady. Some other ministers of these two counties of Down and Antrim had been out of the country, or out of the way when the rest were apprehended, and taken from you to the danger of the public service if, upon demanding their habeas corpus, their prisons be changed. " And again, on the 4th of August, he directs Ormond to take special care, on liberating any of the ministers, to restrain them from passing either into England or Scotland. (Brown's Mis. Aul., pp. 292-297.) The latter order probably came too late, as many minis ters had retired to Scotland. ' This is the same excellent lady who is mentioned in vol. i. p. 178, note 10. She was now the wife of Major-General Robert Monro, who appears to have been resident at this period at or near Comber, in the county of Down. (See Montg. MSS., pp. 252, 257, 261.) In the poem on the siege of Derry, p. 33, it appears that the major-general's brother's son was an officer in Derry during the siege, and had the command of a regiment. 284 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xviii. were now absconded. The few who were of other raeetings or presbyteries had not been at this time troubled. However, the generality of the ministers of the North were at this tirae either banished, imprisoned, or driven into corners upon occasion of a plot whieh they knew nothing of, and wherein, upon the nar rowest scrutiny, nothing could be found against them, except what was mentioned before of the three brethren, Messrs. Hart, Greg, and Stewart ; in which these brethren, gave no grounds of disloyalty. The matter had been communicated to them in a friendly way, and they rejected it ; they thus judged it had been crushed in the bud, and knew nothing of any further progress in it. And they thought it hard and scarcely consistent vrith can dour, to accuse these men, who had, in a friendly confidence in them, represented the sad state of affairs, and desfred to have them to a right channel without prejudice to the king's just authority. " Thus the few left in the country continued as formerly, en deavouring to converse among their people to thefr edification as the time would bear. And it is to be observed that after the duke had narrowly searched into the carriage of the Scots in this plot, and had found them unconcerned in it, he did, as some re ward of their integrity, give the people in the North indulgence not to be troubled for six months vrith the official [or ecclesiasti cal] courts in the matter of nonconformity.^" And Proridence ordered that, during that time, BramhaU the primate died a sud den death," and the bishop of DubUn, one Margetson, succeeded him : a raan of a mUd spfrit, who to ingratiate himself vrith the people of these parts gave other six months' indulgence : and thereafter the judges of assize had not commission to trouble the people at the assizes for nonconformity. The bishops stormed at this begun favour to nonconformists, and did process many to their courts upon account of nonconformity. But raost got off again for raoney as thereafter ; there being wars between the i« Cox, ii., Charles II., p. 6. 11 BramhaU died at Dublin, on the 2.5th of June 1663, in tho seventy-first year of his age. i A.D. 1664. CHURCH -IN IRELAND. 285 king and the state of HoUand wherein he had considerable loss, aud all sorts of people being much discontented, the edge of the bishops' fury was much blunted. Meantirae the few rainisters in the country took every opportunity, aud made use of the small advantages they had, to creep up by degrees to the exercise of their ministry, in thefr own congregations especiaUy. Mr. Stewart, in the month of Noveraber after his imprisonment, hav ing been sick in prison, and having some special friend, got Uberty to return to his house upon bonds given to Uve amenably to the law, that is, as was by lawyers interpreted to him, only to answer the law if he thought not flt to be conformable to every thing in it. Mr. Greg and Captain Moore were released in March 1664. Thereafter the two brethren, who had chosen im prisonment in Galway and Athlone, were upon bonds released and had Uberty to return to thefr places. The brethren who were banished to Scotland returned by degrees ; some a Uttle sooner, some later ; at first some few by intercession of friends, others came over thereafter upon their hazard, and so aU were restored to thefr congregations, except Mr. Andrew M'Cormick and Mr. John Crookshanks, i^ vvho had been upon the plot and fied to Scotland ; and not expecting or seeking for pardon in Ireland, did join thereafter vrith that party in Scotland which was broken at Pentland, and were there both kiUed.^^ These were 12 Another exception ought to have been made by Adair in the case of the Rev. Michael Bruce of Killinchy, who, though not implicated in Blood's plot, was obliged to fly to Scotland in consequence of his over-zealous pro ceedings already noticed ; and having been taken prisoner there and sent to London, he did not return to his congregation for above seven years. On the 23d of June 1664, he and Mr. Crookshanks were summoned before the Scottish council as "pretended ministers and fugitives from Ireland." (Wod row, i. 412.) Further notices of Mr. Bruce will again occur. 13 Wodrow, u. 30-32. The battle of Pentland was fought on the 28th of November 1666. The Presbyterians were commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel James WaUace, so frequently mentioned in this volume. After this unsuc cessful attempt to rescue his country from the most intolerable tyranny, both civil and religious, he fied to the Continent. ("Memoirs of Veitch," &c., pp. 361-76. See note 2S, postea.) The king's troops at Pentland were commanded by DalzeU of Binns, also noticed in the preceding pages as an officer of the Scottish army in Ulster under Major-General Munro. 286 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xviii. zealous men, but walked too much in a separate way from their brethren. They meddled in matters too high for them — for had they walked with their brethren, they raight have been useful in their congregations as now the rest of their brethren were ; and they would not have brought any scandal of rebelUon and dis loyalty to the lawful magistrate, upon their profession in Ireland. Yea, Mr. M'Cormick's guilt in the plot, being iramediately known after the breaking up of it, occasioned aU that jealousy that was had of the rest, and much of that trouble they afterwards met vrith ; though they were utter strangers to the actings of, and corabinations vrith, the plotting party.'* " Adair subjoins the foUowing personal notices of these ill-fated brethren . Of Mr. M'Cormick, he says — " It is a just ground of observation that this man had not the education and learning fit for a minister. For he had been bred a tailor in a country place, and being then a great professor of religion would, after he had wife and chUdren, go to the university to be bred in order to the ministry. This he did, and stayed for a great while leaving his wife and children in great straits, but profited very little in learning having then all before him, as the tongues, philosophy, divinity, &o. ; it was impossible his dull genius with considerable age and little time, could attain to any com petency of abilities. Yet he in a short time returned as ready to pass trials, whioh he did, but with little satisfaction to judicious brethren, save that they looked on him as an honest man, and thought he might be useful in some re mote congregation . But when settled in a congregation he competed with the brethren, and when times became confused, pretended a zeal above them all, not without reflecting on his brethren among the common people, as if they all had been but eowards. Thus he followed his own course tUl he fell into the snare of this plot without acquainting any of them. This," adds Adair, and I cordially repeat the same sentiment, " I have observed here not in order to leave a stain upon the name of a man who in the main was honest, but to be a warning and confirmation of the apostle's command, ' Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called,' (1 Cor. vii. 20), and that the profession of religion, though more eminent, should not puff men up to aim at things beyond their reach. God may make use of private men in some cases when the Church is destitute of pastors ; but where there is not that necessity, and where there are no extraordinary abilities in nature education or grace, and no learning, the attainments of such persons are hardly or very rarely foUowed with usefulness in the Church of God." Of Mr. Ceookshakks, he says — " Resolving upon a single course of his own, he first went to France a little time before the plot of Ireland ; and in Rochelle applying himself to the Protestant ministers there to see if he could get em- A.D. 1664. CHURCH IN IRELAND; 287 " The frrethren about Lagan at this time had had more quiet than those of Down and Antrim upon the occasion above men tioned. But Bishop Eobert Leslie of Eaphoe, son to the old Bishop Henry LesUe of Down, who had deposed the worthy mi nisters before the rebelUon of Ireland, envying that Uttle ease and quiet of the ministers, summoned four of them to his court, to wit, Messrs. John Hart [Taughboyne], Thomas Drummond [Ea raelton], WiUiam Semple [Letterkenny], and Adam White [Fan- net.] They not answering his summons, he did at first pass the sentence of excoramunication upon thera ; and before they could appear, he issued a writ ' de excommunicato capiendo' against them, and apprehended and imprisoned them vrithout bail or raainprize. They were by the bishop appointed for the comraon gaol at Lifford ; but through the indulgence of the sheriff, they were permitted to dweU together in a house in the town, and all thefr friends had access to them. They were prisoners for six TEARS, though they used aU means possible and thefr friends for them, for thefr enlargement ; and it was near the end of the year 1670 before they were released. " They had taken various steps for this purpose. First, they petitioned the Earl of Ossory [son of the Duke of Ormond] being then deputy of Ireland in his father's absence in England in the year 1664-5 ; and thereafter obtained an order for enlargement but it was obstructed by the Bishop of Eaphoe. Secondly, they procured a ' habeas corpus' to have thefr business tried before the Court of Ejtng's Bench, but there they had not reUef. Thirdly, they removed thefr business into the Court of Chancery ; but ployment, they told him it was rather his duty to return to his country and congregation, and adhere to his own people ; and if suffering came, it was his duty to suffer with the people for that truth which he had preached unto them. Upon this he returned and was engaged in the plot and thereafter went to Scotland." Mr. Crookshanks was originally from Derry, where several re spectable families of that name still reside. He left a son, as appears from the following entry in the minutes of the presbytery of Lagan : — " March, 1674-75. The people of Raphoe by their letter desire the presbytery would take care of the education of Mr. John Crookshanks' son, a hopeful youth. The meeting appoint Mr. Hart and Mr. Campbell to speak about this matter to the relations of the young man in Derry. " 288 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xviii. there they met with nothing but reviUngs from the chancellor, who was archbishop of Dublin, and thefr case made worse even by their being put into the sheriff's custody and sent to the gaol of Lifford, in which town they continued prisoners nearly four years. Lord Eoberts in his short time [when lord-Ueutenant] had dealt for them ; and Sfr Arthur Forbes had frequently inter ceded with Bishop LesUe, then his relation by marriage with his niece. But the bishop was inexorable, and upbraided the rest of the bishops for their slackness ; whereas if they had taken the course he had done, the Presbyterians might easUy have been crushed. AU justice thus faiUng them in Ireland, God stirred up a person of quaUty to represent their case to the king. Being informed of this, they sent over a petition to his majesty for their deUverance ; who, having information that they had been sufferers for him and had suffered long imprisonment only for not appearing before the bishop's court, which was contrary to thefr principles, and having this information from lawyers, he wrote to the lord-Ueutenant and commanded their releasement, which was accordingly performed in October 1670, after they had waited for above half a year for his answer ; and had, in the meantime, been refused releasement by the primate, who had been ciril to the brethren of Down, except they took the oath of supremacy .1^ But it is to be here observed that this Bishop LesUe, as he did inherit his father's persecuting spirit, so in these times he became a raere epicure, giring himself excessively to eating and drinking ; whereupon being of a robust body, he be came so fat and heavy that he could not go alone but as men supported his arms. He shortly after died suddenly and with great horror of conscience [in the year 1672."] During the tedious imprisonment of these brethren, so obsti nately prolonged by the implacable prelate, whose unenviable notoriety as a persecutor fuUy equals that of his father, the affairs ¦of the Presbjrterian Church, as if in mockery of this vain attempt 15 This interesting detaU of the several unsuccessful attempts made by these brethren to obtain their liberty is rather confusedly given by Adair, but a little transposition was all that was necessary to reduce his narrative into the proper order in which it is given above. a.d. 1666. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 289 to eff'ect its ruin, continued to prosper. LesUe's example was not foUowed by the other prelates of Ulster ; and the Duke of Ormond, convinced ofthe loyalty and peaceableness ofthe Pres byterians, refrained from harassing them for nonconformity. The persecution of their brethren in Scotland being now at its height, this lenity of the Irish government was the more remarkable and proridential. The movements of the Ulster Scots were indeed vigUantly observed,!^ and all communication vrith Scotland rigor ously interdicted ; but except the removal of thefr arms, they suffered no other privations from the state. The oppressions of the ecclesiastical courts and the exorbitant demands of the esta blished clergy for tithes, constituted the principal grievances to which they were exposed. These, however, did not impede the revival of thefr reUgious worship and discipline, which the unmo lested return of thefr ministers, after the year 1664, enabled them slowly and prudentiy to accomplish ; so that in the course of four or five years the Presbyterian Church in Ulster had nearly recovered its former position in the province. Adafr thus states the several circumstances whieh, under the ever-Uring Head of the Chureh, conspired to effect this surprising renova tion, and to enable our fathers to say with the sacred historian :''' 1' See Brown's Mis. Aul., p. 429. A few persons suspected of being con cerned in the tumults in Scotland were ordered to be apprehended imme diately after the battle of Pentland already noticed ; I have not, however, found any mentioned by name except the foUowing person. Lord Dungannon thus writes from Dublin, December, 18, 1666, to Sir George Rawdon at Lisbum : — "By the last postI sent orders to your lieutenant for the securing and sending up hither of Major Montgomery, the horse-breeder in the county of Derry. He is one that is very troublesome and keeps a nonconformist minis ter at his house, having made a convenient place for 500 auditors to meet in. This day my Lord-Lieutenant wished me to write to you, that if your officer had not taken him already, that he should endeavour to do it just at their preaching time, and so to take bim and his preacher together, and as many priests more as should be there. Let his chaplain be sent to the county jaU, and himself sent hither as the first order directed. " ( " Rawdon Papers, " p. 222.) It appears from the " Essex State Letters," p. 12, that the major was suspected of having been at Pentland, and that he was not arrested at this period. " Ezra, ix. 8, 9. VOL. II. T 290 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xviii. " And now for a Uttle space grace hath been showed frora the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a naU in his holy place, that our God raay lighten our eyes, and give us a little reriving in our bondage, to set up the house of our God and to repair the desolations thereof !" " Meantirae the brethren, now returned and returning to their own homes, continued to be as useful as they could in their parishes, and had their private intercourse for mutual advice and strengthening one another's hands in these times. And thus, in sensibly to the civU rulers, they took Uberty to preach more pub lickly in barns, and such places in their parishes where the bulk of the people raet, and did in the night administer the sacraraent to thera ; and by degrees they attained to such freedora, that in the year 1668 they begun in divers places to build preaching- houses, and there they met pubUckly and performed aU ordinances in a public way. They had also their monthly raeetings [or presbyteries] among theraselves in convenient private houses in the country, where they began to revive discipUne, exaraining the carriage of one another, and bringing scandalous persons to acknowledgment of their scandals, in some ordinary cases before the session and in the congregation itself, and in greater scandals before the presbytery. In these things they, not finding present opposition and with some eye to God's protection, made an ad venture ; and it pleased the Lord to bless their first essay- vrith success. It was no compUance with bishops, nor was it any ap pUcation to the court at this time which tended to any Uberty they had ; but the observable providence of God who made the foUowing divers things to concur in it. "Ffrst, the edge of the magistrates' fury had been much blunted in their former causeless oppressing of the ministers, especially on occasion of that plot before mentioned. Secondly they had found the ministers' loyalty when they had searched to the bottom. Thirdly, they now began to see that what the minis ters did it was from conscience, for God helped them to go about their work peaceably and painfuUy under divers disadvantages. They had the jealous eye of the magistrate over them ; the envi ous eye of the clergy, so caUed, watching for thefr halting; the A.D. 1666. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 291 people generally, for seven years together after their first eject ment, forsaking the nunisters as to their mamtenance, even when they were Uving among them and doing what they could for them ; only it is not to be denied they had the people's affec tionate respect, and some sraaU accidental kindnesses frora some particular persons, which however amounted to very Uttle as to the support of their famiUes. The people, too, were convinced of the ministers' constancy ; under a variety of times, troubles, and suff'erings, they were the same ; and the Lord helped them to some liveliness in preaching, and the people to some hunger in hearing the Word, after this Uttle beginning of a Ufe from the dead. These things raade the people adhere, so far as was pos sible, to thefr ministers, and attend the ordinances administered by them at the times and places that were appointed. " Again, the present legal churchmen became raore and raore distasteful to the people of aU sorts. Men of estates found their tenants oppressed, irapoverished, and rendered unable to pay their rents, through the covetousness and draining of the superior clergy by thefr rents and tithes ; but especiaUy by the official courts which were a heavy plague upon the people through their cruelty and unreasonable exactions for nonconformity, arbitrarUy governing aU ; thefr lust, covetousness, and power being their only rule, especiaUy where they knew anything was to be had. This disgusted the people and made thera cUng more affection ately to the painful and laborious ministers of the Presbyterian persuasion, who had now attained to considerable countenance in the country. But there was Uke to be an interruption. For there was an information sent to the Lord Ossory, when lord- deputy in his father's absence, from sorae unfriends in the North, that the ministers were setting up their presbyteries as openly as ever, and that they were renevring the Solemn League and Co venant among the people. Upon which he caUed Sir Arthur Forbes, and bid him try if these informations were true, not vrithout threatenings if it proved so. Sir Arthur caused a Scotch gentleman, who had special acquaintance vrith some of the num ber, to write and signify to them that tliere were such informa tions given. This a brother immediately answered, shewing 292 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xviii. that these informations were false, which satisfied the Lord Ossory." Owing to these causes, therefore, at the beginning of the year 1669, the Presbyterian Church in Ulster had attained to consi derable freedom. Presbyteries were again organised, though it was necessary to hold thefr raeetings in private houses, and to dispense with the attendance of ruUng-elders ; parishes, whose rainisters had died or removed, were regularly visited by mem bers of presbytery, and public worship resumed f houses w§re erected in several places for the accommodation of those who re fused to frequent their parish churches, now either exclusively occupied by the EpiscopaUan clergy, or else so ruined as to be unfit for use ; i^ the ordinances of the Gospel were administered 18 The state of the parish churches throughout the rural parts of Ulster may be inferred from the following curious extracts from a Representation to the London Companies made in 1670 by Dr. Mossom, bishop of Derry, in order to pi-ocure assistance from their funds. The bishop went over to London in that year, and having petitioned the king in eouncU for a recommendation of his case to the Irish Society, which was granted on the 13th of May, he laid before them a " Representation of the present state ofthe city and county of Londonderry, in several great concernments thereof," which I found among the MSS. in the British Museum, and from which I made the following ex tracts : — " 1. The churches, especially those within the twelve London pro portions, are generally ruinous, and not one, except that within the city, is in repair and accommodation fit for God's worship ; neither are the inhabitants, such is their extreme poverty, any ways able to rebuild or repair them : So that the holy offices of God's public worship are, for the most part, adminis tered either in a dirty eabin or in a common ale-house. 3. Not only the churches are ruinous, but also the ministers are generally and necessarily non resident, not having any houses upon their cures, nor being able, through meanness of estate and numerousness of their families, to build themselves houses, nor can they find habitation to be hired upon the place. 4. The country is generally so impoverished through want of trade that the tenants cannot pay their rents ; no, not when harassed by taking distresses, and much land hath been laid waste of late and more is daily so, which threateneth an undoing to the country." The bishop then subjoins certain " Proposals" for remedying these evils. For the repair of the churches, each company were to contribute one with another £40, and a like sum by the bishop and the tenants of each parish ; and for the encouragement of trade, it was proposed to settle a bank at Derry, with a capital of £3000 or £4000, one-half to be A.D. 1669. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 293 publicly to crowded congregations, unmolested bythe civil power ; considerable thirst for knowledge and zeal for religion pervaded the people, mingled with increasing alienation from the indolent or rapacious ministers of the establishment ; and sessions and presbyteries began once raore to exercise the discipline of the Church upon offenders. The only department of duty which they were as yet doubtful about resuming, was that pertaining to the ordination of ministers. The power of ordination was ex clusively vested by law in the legal bishops, who, as might be expected, were especiaUy jealous of any attempt to invade their prerogative. It was accordingly with the utmost cfrcumspection that the brethren ventured, as they soon did, to Ucense or ordain, or to hold meetings for the exercise of ecclesiastical jurisdiction. In aU respects, therefore, the state of the Church was most promising. " It is a raatter of rejoicing," writes one of the rai nisters J3f Ulster, in AprU 1669, to a friend in Scotland, " that the Lord's work seeras to be reriving here [in Ireland.] Christ hath a Church here that appears with the fairest face, and the cleanest garments ; and has proven most faithful with God of any of the three [national churches], and reaUy hath much of the light of his countenance. The sun seems to be fairly risen on this land; whether it may be soon overclouded I cannot say, but Presbyte rians' Uberty is in many places Uttle less than when they had law for them. They are settUng their mimsters vrith encouragement, and buUding pubUc houses of worship for thefr meetings, and proriding vacancies with mimsters. About a month ago I had occasion to be at DubUn, where the sacrament of the Lord's Sup per was administrate pubUckly on the Lord's-day, at the ordinary time, and some hundreds standing without, the doors and windows of a throng-meeting-house being cast open ; a pubhc fast on the Thursday, two sermons on Saturday, and as many on Monday. To aU this I was a witness and more than a vritness. The harvest is great, the burden-bearers are few, and the few are not idle." ^^ advanced by the society, and the other half by persons of quality and estate in the city and county. (See Donat. MSS., No. 4763, fol. 608, et seq.) I am unable to say whether these proposals were ever adopted. 19 Wodrow, ii. 129. 294 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xviii. "After a whUe," continues Adair, "in Septeraber 1669, Lord Eobarts carae over lord-Ueutenant [in room of the Duke of Ormond.] He was represented as a person of great worth for wisdom, learning, strictness in his commands, and severity against vice, no enemy to godly people, yet soraewhat morose in his temper and carriage.^" This representation of him he answered in his practice during the short time of his government. He was a pubUc discountenancer of aU vice. The pubUc players he stopped there, as weU as other vicious persons. He was strict and peremptory upon the officers in the army, especially in two things ; first, that they were forced to keep close to their quar ters and garrisons where their soldiers were ; and secondly, that they were put to pay the poor soldiers exactly, whereas before they had used to recede where they pleased, and to spend much of the soldiers' pay upon their own extravagancies. He had his refiections sometiraes upon the bishops, and particularly upon hira of DubUn, who was also chanceUor of Ireland, on account of the unraanageable charge he took upon him. "As to the nonconformists, though his own practice was always after the Episcopal forms of worship, yet he nothing dis appointed their good hopes of him. For in his Uttle time those in the North grew yet raore confident and encouraged ; and those in Dublin rather grew in the begun Uberty they had under the Earl of Ossory. The chancellor dealt with hira to suppress the meeting there ; but he told hira if they were not Papists, and were peaceable and ciril, he had no coramisslon to meddle with them. The brethren in the North, beginning to understand these pas sages, not oiUy went on in their ministry without fear, but begun to think of licensing young men to preach, and recommending '" This exactly agrees with the character given of him, at the time of his first appointment to the lord-lieutenancy in 1660, by the author of " The Secret History of the Court of Charles II." (vol. i. 269-273)— a valuable work, whioh purports to have been written at the period of which it treats, but which was not published till the year 1792. The accuracy of Adair, in these and other matters which did not fall directly within hisownknowledo-e, is very remarkable, and entitles us to place the highest confidence in his nar rative. A.D. 1670. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 295 them to such congregations where none of thefr number were- But the Lord Eobarts' government was soon shortened. He came in Septeraber, and returned to England in the April fol lowing [1670.] The occasion of this was the teraper of the sol diery, and persons of quaUty in this tirae could not bear severity against vice. AU degrees of that sort of people desfred to be rid of the yoke and frora under such a severe governor. Many suggestions and complaints were sent over against him. He found he had raany enemies in Ireland, and thought in his ab sence he might be clouded at court. Whereupon he wrote to the king desiring to demit his office, whicll the king by persua sion of some about him did iramediately grani, and chose another, one Lord Berkley, in his roora. Those who loved Lord Eobarts' government blamed lura for so suddenly giving it up, seeing there were no just grounds of accusation against his governraent, but that he could not coraply with the debauched teraper of the tirae and place he came to. Many things worthy of a noble judge appeared in him. The king had a good respect for him, as being one in England who, during his majesty's exUe, did very largely and yearly send supply to him. However, the short time of his government in Ireland gave a dash to open profane ness, and some encouragement to the lovers of truth. " There were brethren, and a Uttle after this time divers preachers came from Scotland, who caUed the people in the country to more pubUc asserabling together in the fields, and otherwise than the ministers of the country judged expedient in that time.21 The country ministers thought it raore conducive 21 Among these, the most forward was the well-known Alexander Peden, who frequently visited Ulster during this period of the Church's peace, col lecting multitudes and preaching to them in public places ; and because the resident ministers of the presbytery would not countenance this indiscreet bravirfg of the law, for which there was not the same necessity as in Scot land — there being fuU liberty here, without any bonds or other sinful com pliance with government, to preach in the meeting-houses — he denounced the heaviest judgments upon them as time-servers, and cowardly betrayers of the interests of the truth. These furious .and unmerited reviUngs, as might be expected, alienated from him the ministers in Ulster, who were otherwis& disposed to sympathise with him in his privations, and led to an open breach 296 HISTORY OF 'I'HE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xviii. to their work to be doing somewhat among the people in a more private way as the times could bear, than expose themselves and the people both to present sufferings and being deprived of their present Uberty, through more pubUc appearances. Among other things they resolved to hold a general meeting of the brethren, by raeans of a few deputed frora each raeeting or presbytery, to consult as a Committee for the welfare of the whole, and to re commend to the various meetings such steps as their present exigencies demanded. This meeting of committee was in a time when ministers and people wanted not their grounds of fear that new troubles might arise ; for the parUament of England had made severe acts against the meetings of nonconformists,^ and the parUament of Scotland was no better disposed toward thera. The Lord Berkley, now corae from England to be chief governor in Ireland, was a man who had no repute for love to reUgion nor a good temper, bred a courtier,' and Uttle favour expected from him. ' ' However, the brethren being met [in committee], went about between bim and them. His first visit to Ulster appears to have been in this year. See the ' ' Biographia Presbyteriana, "containing the complete edition of his life. Edin. 1827, vol.i. p. 102. 22 These acts were — one in 1664 (16 Oar. II., c. 4), called The Conven ticle Aci, inflicting severe penalties on every person above the age of sixteen, convicted before a single magistrate of attending any religious meeting not con formable to the Established Church, at which five or more persons than those belonging to the household should be present. The other in 1665 (17 Car. IL, c. 2), called the Five-mile Act, " the last step in the climax of intoler ance," forbidding all nonconforming ministers, refusing to take the oath of passive obedience and non-resistance, to reside within five miles of any city, borough, or corporate town, or any place where they had previously offi ciated. Thia infamous statute, as HaUam justly characterises it, passed the commons without a division, but was opposed, though carried in the lords. " To quit the towns," says that eminent writer, " where they had long been connected, and where alone they had friends and disciples, for a residefice in country vUlages, was an exclusion from the ordinary means of subsistence. The Church of England had doubtless her provocations, but she made the re taliation mueh more than commensurate to the injury. No severity compa rable to this cold-blooded persecution had been inflicted by the late powers, even in the ferment and fury of a civil war.'' Hallam's " Const. Hist. " ii. 213. A.D. 1670. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 297 what was incumbent to them, riz., only to relate the raind of their respective meetings as to such questions or cases as were stated before them, or had been given them in commission to answer ; and vrithal to propose overtures to thefr several meet ings to be considered by thera, and their answers to be commu nicated to the rest of thefr meetings at their first ' sederunt' if necessity requfred, or at farthest, to the next committee, and by thefr brethren there to thefr meetings. Ffrst, there had been overtures agreed unto by the meetings of Down and Antrim for managing the work of ordination at that time in as prudential a way as the time would permit ; these were to be recommended to the consideration of the rest. Secondly, it was found to be the judgment of the presbyteries generaUy, that the baptism by private deceivers and intruders without ordination, should be de clared no baptism, and the chUdren should be baptised by the ministers of the Gospel. Yet withal it was thought fit that be fore they were baptised, the brethren should have the joint ad rice of the gravest rainisters in Scotland, and for that end letters should be written to sorae of them to return thefr own and their brethren's answers ; which accordingly was done, and their answer returned agreed vrith the judgment of the brethren in Ireland in that particular. Thfrdly, a coUection was proposed among the presbyteries and their congregations for supply of the ministers of Scotland banished for thefr non-compUance with some sinful injunctions of the parUament of Scotland, and who were now sojourners in HoUand. This was accordingly performed with great alacrity by the people, and the coUection of one hundred and twenty pounds sterUng transmitted to- them, and their thanks returned to the brethren in Ireland.^s Fourthly, it was then 2S Among these banished ministers were the Rev. John Brown of Wam- phray, Robert M' Ward and John Carstares, both of Glasgow, Robert Trail of Edinburgh, James Simpson of Airth, who had been chaplain to the Lord Sin clair's regiment in Newry in 1642, and the venerable John Livingston, formerly of KiUinchy, who died at Rotterdam, August 9, 1672. Colonel James Wallace also lived at this period at Rotterdam, and in 1676-78 offi ciated as elder in the Scots Church there. ( " Steven's Hist.," p. 42. ) He doubtless shared in the benevolent contribution from the Churchin Ulster, of 298 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xviii. overtured that the synod's act [passed before the Eestoration] anent reviewing the [general] presbytery's book should be put in practice ; but most of these books were lost through the toss ings and distemper of an honest worthy brother, Mr. Thomas Peebles, clerk to the synod. Fifthly, it was overtured that Mr. Greg should endeavour the composing a history of the beginning and progress of the Gospel in these parts, as the synod had ap pointed liim.24 Sixthly, a pubUc fast was proposed partly because of the new governor Lord Berkley, from whom trouble to the Church was feared, and partly for the unseasonableness of the weather. This was accordingly kept the thfrd Tuesday of the month [of May] and with such countenance from God and pre sence in the congregations of the people, that even those who were but unfriends and coming to observe were convinced. And besides the Lord risibly answered prayer by a reraarkable change of the season immediately after ; so that the people, where Pres byterians were least entertained, and where the people were othervrise principled, as in Lecale [in the county of Down] found the benefit of seasonable rain after a dangerous and scorching drought, which had come upon unseasonable and excessive rains before : so that these people thanked God that, since none would which, for several years, he had been one of the most zealous elders. He also died at Rotterdam in the end of the year 1678. This generous donation of the Ulster Presbyterians to their exiled Scottish brethren has not been noticed by any previous writer. 2' Mr. Greg, and his neighbour Mr. Stewart of Donaghadee, made some progress in this appointed work ; and the " Account" referred to in note 18, vol. i. page 80, was doubtless the result of their joint labours. At the death of Mr. Greg and Mr. Stewart, Mr. Drysdale of Portaferry was next re quested to carry on the work; and I find the meeting of Antrim in AprU 1672 recommending Mr. Hall of Larne, and Mr. Adair of Cairncastle, to " uso dUigence about the History of the Church of Ireland," and to send their col lections to Mr. Drysdale, "the writer of that history." (MS. Minutes.) The task, however, appears to have devolved entirely on Mr. Adair ; and though repeated efforts were made by the synod during many years to procure a history of the Church under its care, nothing of the kind appeared ; and, after the lapse of more than a century and a half, the present is the first and only work which has been pubUshed on the subject. A.D. 1670. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 299 pray, the Presbyterians prayed and fasted, and had obtained rain and a good season. " Immediately after these things, a storm threatened the mi nisters particularly, which began at the brethren of Down. The occasion whereof was speciaUy the envy that the clergy had con ceived at the begun Uberty of the ministers, and their public congregations and meetings among themselves. They had risen up from their graves twice : first, being dead by the law as to thefr ministry, immediately after the bishops appeared in the country. They began a Uttle after to creep out again, which when they were beginning to do shortly after, through occasion of the plot they were put in a worse case than before, being im prisoned, banished, and driven into corners. Now they were up again under the bishops' eye exercising their rainistry, and the whole country flocking to them and deserting the legal incum bents. The clergy fretted, but yet did not know how to help it. The ministers were not restrained by the magistrate ; they were loved and esteemed by the whole country, and had a re spect even from sober persons of the bishops' persuasion beyond thefr own clergy. Though these things a little restrained their violence, yet they increased thefr envy and indignation. Besides the people of the country generaUy neglected and sUghted the curates in their burials, baptisms, &c., and when curates would officiously urge their service at burials, they were refused or re sisted, which the chanceUor himself, who was also archdeacon, had lately met with at a burial ; who, when he would have read over the corpse of a person in burying, was resisted by a kins man of his, a mean countryman, which did animate hira and he vowed revenge. Beside, the late fast, and the country's so gene raUy owning that solemnity, and the visible fruit of it, did gaU the prelatical clergy. They saw these things weakening their party and strengthening the rainistry of these poor raen, and en gaging the whole country to them ; and yet they were ashamed palpably to condemn such things. " But that which did more immediately occasion this threatened trouble was Bishop Eobert LesUe of Eaphoe. He had by this time kept four worthy brethren nearly six years in prison, as 300 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN cuap. xviii. before related. He, coming to these parts of the county of Down about his other occasions, did risit the Bishop of Down, one Boyle,^* and did so stir him against the ministers, and upbraid him for his negligence and want of zeal in not using the key of jurisdic tion, that this bishop resolved to play the man in his dioceses, and even to a greater length than Leslie had done in Eaphoe diocese. For whereas Leslie had persecuted but four, Boyle presently sent summonses to twelve brethren of Down to appear before his court, which he knew they would not do, and there fore resolved suddenly to go on to excommunication. Their names were Masters John Drysdale, John Greg, Andrew Stewart, GUbert Eamsay, WUUara Eichardson, Jaraes Gordon, Henry Liv ingston, Alexander Hutchinson, Hugh Wilson, WUUam Eeid, Michael Bruce, who had but newly returned to his parish after great troubles and long imprisonment in Scotland and Eng- land,2^ and Mr. GUbert Kennedy, a Scotch rainister, who had settled for a time in a country parish.^'? The first summons none 25 Jeremy Taylor died at Lisburn on the 13th of August 1667, in the fifty- fifth year of his age, and was buried at Dromore. He was succeeded in Down and Connor by Dr. Roger Boyle, who, in 1672, was translated to Clogher, where he succeeded Robert Leslie, the hereditary foe of the Presby terians, who had been translated in 1671 from Raphoe to Clogher, where he lived only a year. 25 After many escapes in Scotland, Mr. Bruce was taken prisoner near Stirling in June 1668, and in July following was sentenced by the Scottish council to be banished out of the three kingdoms. In September he was sent by sea to London to await his majesty's pleasure, and confined in tho Gate house, Westminster, where he was shortly afterwards condemned to go to Tangier, in Africa. (Wodrow, ii. 111.) His wife followed him to London ; when there, she found means to interest some of the courtiers in his favour and Charles, unwiUing formaUy to reverse the sentence of banishment, was prevailed on to give him the privilege of naming the place of his exile. Mr. Bruce, itis said, immediately chose "KiUinchy Woods," a writ oi nolo prosequi was obtained for him, and in April 1670 he once more settled in his favourite parish of KiUinchy. 2' In 1662, the Rev. Gilbert Kennedy, who had been ordained as minister of Girvan, in Ayrshire, in 1661, was ejected from that parish, and came to Ireland about 1668. He settled in Dundonald after the death of Mr. Peebles and died in that charge, February 6, 1687-88. He was brother tothe Rev.' A.D. 1670. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 301 of these raiuisters received, yet they were upon them called at the next court and noted contumacious. The second summons was sent and left at their houses, and contrary to their usual custom of meeting only monthly, the next court was appointed within a fortnight, that he might sooner win to the sentence of excommunication against them, and thereafter proceed to the ministers of the next county, the other diocese of Connor. " The brethren of Down, after meeting and consultation in this case, resolved to send one of their number vrith a suppUca- tion to the lord-Ueutenant, and to make use of what friends in Dublin they could. But they judged it fit in the first place to sound the bishop, if any abatement of such severity might be expected from him ; the rather that he had since his coming into the country carried quietly, they thought they raight inqufre the ground of this sudden alteration. Accordingly, on the SOth of June, Mr. Drysdale and Mr. Hutclunson were sent to the bishop, but with this further instruction, that if they found not good ground of hope frora the ^bishop, Mr. Drysdale should irame diately repair from him to DubUn. They came to Hillsborough, where the bishop had his house at that tirae. They having sent to him, shewing they were waiting to speak with him, he, in a great fury and disdain, returned answer, he would not speak vrith them but in open court on the morrow. Yet thereafter, upon the archdeacon suggesting to him it would be evU looked on not to hear what the rainisters had to say to hira, the brethren were again sent for, and being corae to him they found nothing but railing language, calUng them all rebels from the beginning, and that they had seduced the people. He said, though he had Uttle hope to do good to the seduced people, yet he resolved to execute the law against them. Thus after some discourse by these brethren unto hira, defending thefr carriage with truth and soberness, they left hira, and Mr. Drysdale, according to appolnt raent, went forward to DubUn to make appUcation to the lord- Ueutenant. But before this, a letter having been written to Sfr Thomas Kennedy of Donoughmore and Carlan, in Tyrone, and grandfather to the Rev. Gilbert Kennedy, minister successively of Lisburn, KUlileagh, and Belfast, who died in 1773. •''02 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xviii. Arthur Forbes informing him of the case, he went to the lord- Ueutenant, and was by him recommended to the Primate Mar getson to relate the case to him.^* Sir Arthur knowing the loy alty and sufferings of the ministers of the North from the begin ning upon the king's account, and being not only of unquestion able loyalty himself, and a great actor and sufferer for the king before, but also in high favour vrith his majesty, and a privy- counseUor and chief commander in the army, he did prevail vrith the primate, and the ChanceUor Boyle, then archbishop of Dub Un, that a letter should be written to the Bishop of Down to for bear any further prosecuting that business against these ministers tUl the 10th of August foUowing ; at which time the primate himself would be in the North, being the year of his triennial visitation. This letter being written did force the Bishop of Down to desist against his vriU ; for that being the archbishop's year of visitation, inferior bishops were not to meddle with juris diction but by his appointment. This letter came before Mr. Drysdale reached Dublin. However, being there he went to the primate and informed him of the case, who only inqufred whether the ministers had exercised the power of jurisdiction and ordina tion, the two things proper to the bishop. Mr. Drysdale told him there had been nothing of that hitherto, as indeed the brethren were but upon a way to it. The bishop said, if he came to the North, he would do as he saw cause. Thus were the brethren and people of thefr charge left in suspense as to any determination of thefr cause ; thefr adversaries looking to the bishop and his authority for restraining their Uberty, and them selves looking to God for a raerciful event. " Meantime, two worthy brethren were removed out of this Ufe. Mr. John Greg was buried July the 22d, and Mr. Eichard son, having been at his burial, took iramediately a fever and was buried that day week, the 29th of July. They were two of the 28 Sir Arthur Forbes became the principal patron of the Presbyterians after the decease of their great friend, the Lord Massareene, who died at .\ntrim in September 1665. Frequent references will be subsequently made to this upright and indefatigable statesman, who was afterwards created Earl of GraUiird. A.D. 1670. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 303 ablest and most useful men among the whole nuraber. Mr. James Cunningham of Antrim had died a while before — a pru dent, godly man ; and Mr. Thomas Crawford a while after hira [in Deceraber] — an able and sincere rainister of Christ. Mr, James Shaw, a zealous worthy preacher, was laid by through sickness and a strange aiflicting trouble coraing on his family after the death of his wife.^ Mr. GUbert Eamsay, too, having 2' As an illustration of the character of those times, I subjoin Adair's ac count ofthe " strange afflicting trouble" noticed in the text :— " There had been great ground of jealo'usy that Mr. Shaw's wife in her childbed had been wronged by sorcery of some witches in the parish. After her death a con- sider.ible time some spirit or spirits troubled the house by casting stones down at the chimney, appearing to the servants, and especially having got one of them, a young man, to keep appointed times and places wherein it appeared in divers shapes and spake audibly to him. The people of the parish watched the house while Mr. Shaw at this time lay siek in his bed ; and indeed did not wholly recover, but within a whUe died, it was thought, not without the art of sorcery ; though otherwise he was not only valetudinary but broken with melancholy" — causes sufficient, one would think, to account for his death without the ".art of sorcery." I may add that, in September 1672, the young mau alluded to by Adair appeared before the presbytery, and the fol lowing is the entry of their proceedings in this curious case : — " Mr. James Shaw having recommended to this meeting one George Russel, a servant of his, who had conferred with that spirit that troubled Mr. James Shaw's house, that the brethren might speak to the said George : he being called compeared, and confessed his conversing and conferring with that spirit whieh appeared to him, and his keeping tryst with it, and obeying it by drawing circles and other circumstances at the demand and direction of the said spirit. The brethren finding in this carriage ofthe boy much ignorance and a bold confidence, and finding the Iiazard he was in by the said spirit, they laboured to make him sensible of his sinful carriage, warned him of his danger, and recommended him to study knowledge and to pray, and discharged him to oonverse any such way in time coming with the said spirit under what pre tences soever, which he promised ; and the brethren did resolve to deal fur ther with him afterwards to bring him to more sense of his sin and danger. " This "confident" lad was very probably an accomplice in the imposition which must have been practised on the family of this worthy but hypochon driac minister. Mr. Shaw died at Carnmoney in December 1672. The sub ject of the supposed appearance of spirits, &c. , had previously occupied a good deal of the public attention in the neighbourhood of Belfast. In 1662, a noted case of this kind occurred at Drumbridge, between Belfast and Lis burn, which excited the curiosity of Jeremy Taylor ; and the bishop's own 304 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xviii. taken a palsy within a short tune thereafter, and the Uttle re mainder of his strength and spirits decaying, he died : he was a true Nathaniel of good abiUties, sent over to Bangor by famous Mr. Blafr, deceived not his expectation. And shortly after died also Mr. Thomas Peebles, a man learned and faithful, and emi nent in the languages and history .3" herd at Portmore, beside Lough Neagh, was alao a notable ghost-seer. See More's " GlanvUle's Sadducismus Triumphatus" (pp. 382-90), " that strange work," says Bishop Heber, in his "Life of Jeremy Taylor," " which(though its ravenous eredulity and ghostly frontispieces may, at present, be thought only proper to alarm a nursery) displays in some of its arguments much of that singular platonic learning by whioh its author and editor were dis tinguished, and has, undoubtedly, adduced some evidences of apparitions whioh it is easier to ridicule than to disprove." ^'' To Adair's sad list of deaths must be added that of tbe Rev. Andrew Stewart of Donaghadee, who died on the 2d of January 1671, in the forty- sixth year of his age. On his tombstone are the following quaintly con structed lines : — " Vita probum, probitasque pium, pietasque beatum, Laus celebrem, laudi mens dedit esse parem. Corpus humum, mens Diapolum, fama inclyta mundum, Morte subit, decorat lumine, laude beat." The learned reader will be amused with another specimen of this whimsical and involved style, which I extract from that curious volume, well described in the Quarterly Review (x. 113), as "one ofthe most singular books in this or in any other language. Its puns and its poems, its sermons and its ana grams, render it unique in its kind" — Imean "Mather'^ New England." The following is Mather's epitaph (book iii. p. 101) on Mr. Henry Dunster, for some time president of Harvard College : — " Prseco, pater, servus ; sonui, fovi, coluique ; Sacra, scholam, Christum ; voce, rigore, fide. Famam, animam, corpus ; dispergit, recreat, abdit ; Virtus, Christus, humus ; laude, salute, sinu. " The following lines are found in a MS. in Trinity College, Cambridge (0. 2, 45, fol. 10), quoted by Wright in his " Essays on the Middle Ages, " vol. i. p. 200 :— " Miles, Venator, mercator, navita, princeps, Debellat, sequitur, redimit, peroursit, egestat, Prsedones, lepores, merces, spumantia, mentem, Cuspide, fervore, numismate, fiamine, rebus, Ferri, latrantis, tensus, venti, miserorum." A.». K.j'. CHURCH IN IKELAND. uH.i " Tliese were sad troubles to the poor afflicted ministers, to have some of the choicest of thefr brethren taken from them by death, and thefr enemies raging airainst them. But they were not forsaken by thefr great Master ; he supported thefr spfrirs. and foUowed them with remarkable and s^easonable providences. On the day of Mr. Eiehards-on's burial, there was a me CHAPTEE XIX. A.D. 1685-1690. Accession of James the Second — His measures with regard to Ireland — Pro ceedings of Tyrconnel — Declaration for liberty of conscience — Presbyte rians unite with the EpiscopaUans against James ihe Second — Are the first to congratulate the Prince of Oratige — Alarm in Ulster — Gates of Derry shut — Formation of Protestant Associations-^ The Synod send a deputation to William the Third — Unsuccessful attempt io surprise Car rickfergus — Tyrconnel's designs against the Northern Protestants — Dis closed by Mr. Osbome-^Presbyterian ministers concur in measures of re sistance — The Irish army under Hamilton enter Ulster — Break of Dro more — Proceedings in Monaghan and Armagh — Hamilton encamps at Ballymoney — Skirmish at Portglenone — Coleraine abandoned, and Derry blockaded — Commencement of the Siege — Proceedings of Captain Hunter in Down — Break of Killileagh — Presbyterian ministers retire to Scotland — List of tlie Synod presented to the General Assembly — Progress of ihe Siege of Derry — Kirk fortifies Inch, and at length relieves the city — Re treat of the Irish forces — Arrival of the Duke of Schomberg — Carrickfer gus besieged and taken by him — His army encamps at Dundalk — Minis ters return to their charges — Presbyteries resume their meetings — Their petition to the King — His letter to Schomberg in their behalf — Favoured by William tlie Third on his arrival in Ulster. James the Second was formaUy proclaimed in DubUn on the llth of February 1685. The accession of this arbitrary monarch and bigoted Eomanist to the throne did not, at first, produce any sensible alteration in the management of Irish affafrs. It was not long, however, untU intelUgible indications were afforded that a material change of poUcy, long expected and apprehended, towards the rival parties of Eomanists and Protestants, had been resolved upon by the court. That the government of Ireland would be conducted more favourably to the former party, pro scribed and persecuted as they had previously been, was gene rally anticipated ; and had such an alteration been impartially effected, without the reckless infraction of law and the studied 326 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xix. insults to the latter by which it was characterised, it would pro bably have met with no successful opposition. But the estabUsh ment of arbitrary power and the overthrow of Protestantism were inseparable parts of that grand enterprise to which Jaraes had resolved to devote aU his energies and resources.' It would be foreign to the design of this work to detaU the gradual developraent of his plans for the accompUshment of these objects in Ireland. Nor is such a detail necessary. No portion of British history has been so fully Ulustrated as this has been, nor is there any, the leading facts of which are so generaUy ad mitted ; 2 but the progress of that resistance which the arbitrary government of Jaraes encountered in Ulster has not yet been traced with the minuteness which its triumphant success and its momentous results so amply merit. While, therefore, a very brief Summary of the weU-known events which preceded the arri val of the Prince of Orange in England raay suffice, it wUl be raore gratifying to the reader, and raore in accordance with this HiSTOKY, to relate at length the rise of that raemorable opposi tion to arbitrary power, in which the Presbyterians of Ulster bore so conspicuous a part. No sooner had the invasions of Monmouth in England, and of Argyle in Scotland, been successfully repulsed, than James found ^ This is unequivocally avowed by James himself in a letter to the Popo from Dublin, dated November 26, 1689, in which, speaking of the opposition he had encountered, he says — "the only source of all these rebellions against us is that we embraced the Catholic faith, and do not disown but that to spread the same not only in our three kingdoms, but over aU the dispersed colonies of our subjects in America was our determination." MSS. Royal Irish Academy, of which see note 53 postea. 2 The official despatches and state letters of Lord Clarendon furnish mi nute and authentic information respecting the progress of events during his viceroyalty, and leave nothing to be desired as to this period. But, as yet, there is want of similar materials for illustrating the government of his suc cessor, Tyrconnel. Lord Clarendon's correspondence was first published in 1763 by Dr. Douglass, bishop of Salisbury ; but an enlarged edition, contain ing many papers not in the former one, was published by S. W. Singer, Esq., in 1828. It is to this recent edition that I refer throughout this chapter. a.d. 1684. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 327 himself at leisure to attend to the affairs of Ireland. Under the pretence that numbers of the Irish Protestants were privy to those attempts against his governraent, he ordered the railitia throughout the kingdom, who were exclusively Protestants, to be disarmed, and their arras to be deposited in the public stores. This order was executed without opposition, though with much secret distrust of the king's intentions. In the end of the year, the lords-justices were removed, and the government was en trusted to Henry, Lord Clarendon. He was sworn into office as lord-Ueutenant on the 9th of January 1686, and from his rela tionship to the king, and his hereditary attachment to royalty, it was expected he would cordially proraote all the measures of the court. These were speedily disclosed, and too promptly exe cuted.^ So early as the month of March, James declared his de termination not to appoint any bishops to the sees of Cashel, Elphin, and Clonfert, then vacant, and directed thefr revenues to be paid into the treasury, vrith the view, though not yet avowed, of creating a fund for the endowment of the Eoman ' This Protestant nobleman was too ready to execute the orders of James and his councillors ; but he afterwards saw his error, and was among the earUest adherents of the Prince of Orange. Before assuming the government of Ireland, his friend Lord Guildford, anxious to assist him in that ofSce, ad dressed to him a paper, entitled, " Observations on the State of Ireland," in which is the following curious account of the tenets of the Presbyterians. After remarking to Lord Clarendon that "it will be a matter of great diffi culty to steer a right course in religion, because the number of Presbyterians as well as Catholics are so very great, "and after setting forth the dangerous principles of the latter, those of the former, whom he unceremoniously styles "fanatics," are thus expounded : — "On the other side, the fanatics disallow the king's supremacy, though they will take the oath of supremacy to avoid punishment. They hold an assembly of the clergy, or the elasses, to have their commission immediately from God ; and that if any laws are contrary to the law of God they are void, and they may declare them to be so. That if kings are wicked and transgress the laws of God, the people may depose them. These are The doctrines of Calvin and other Presbyterians, and their practice has been always conformable whenever it was in their power ; there fore, they ought to be discouraged by all ways possible, that their numbers may never give hopes to their false teachers to overturn the governmen t._ again." Clar. Corresp., i. 185. 328 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xix. CathoUc hierarchy. This rirtual suppression of three bishoprics was accompanied with complaints that the Protestant mimsters in Ireland " meddled with controversy more than was necessary or expedient ;" and the new riceroy was ordered to take especial care to repress aU controversial discourses against the tenets of Popery — an order which he too readUy obeyed. At the same time, three irreproachable Protestant judges, one in each court, were suraraarUy superseded, and as many CathoUc lawyers nomi nated in their places ; while orders were peremptorily issued, in defiance of the law, to admit Eoman CathoUcs to be members of the privy-council and of corporations — to be magistrates and sheriffs, vrithout taking the oaths prescribed by repeated acts of parUament. In AprU, Lord Tyrconnel, a most violent and in temperate Eomanist, was appointed lieutenant-general, with full powers, independent of the lord-Ueutenant, to remodel the entire army in Ireland. This uncontroUed autiiority he exercised in the most indiscreet and tyrannical manner. Protestant officers and soldiers were reraoved on the raost frivolous pretexts, and thefr places fiUed exclusively by Eoraan CathoUcs, whose priests were advanced to miUtary chaplaincies. All these raeasures of ostentatious favouritism to the one party, and of undisguised hos tUity to the other, were everywhere observed with the deepest interest ; and, as thefr natural result, extravagant expectations, relative to the subversion of Protestantism, the re- estabUshment of the Papal Church, and the recovery of the forfeited lands, were unreservedly expressed by the Eomish priests and gentry, to the great alarm of the Protestants and the raanifest injury of the pubUc interests of the kingdora.* This alarm was heightened by the recal of Lord Clarendon, and the appointment of the most obnoxious Eomanist in the em- pfre to be his successor. The notorious Tyrconnel was sworn into office, as lord-deputy of Ireland, on the 12th of February 1687. He prosecuted, with increased audacityand violence, the same career of recldess disregard to law, when it stood in the way * Clar. Corresp., passim. The particular passages may be easily found by rcferringto the index in the second volume. A.D. 16*7. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 329 of the royal projects for establishing CathoUc ascendency, which had characterised the administration of his predecessor. He had, besides, this further object in riew, which he cautiously concealed irom aU the other ministers of the king — ^the separation of Ireland from the crown of England, shoidd the king die vrithout male issue, and be succeeded by a Protestant, and its erection into an independent nation under the protection of France. In this trea sonable scheme he was supported by Louis the Fourteenth, with whom the requisite correspondence was conducted vrith so much secrecy, that even the French ambassador at the EngUsh court was whoUy ignorant of it.* The new deputy appUed himself vrith rigour to the multipUed duties of his office. Having alreadj^ succeeded in placing the miUtary power of the state in the hands of the Bomanists, his next attempt was to transfer to the same party the civU and corporate authority of the kingdom. A re cent convert to Popery was accordingly made lord-chanceUor, though whoUy unfit, in point of knowledge Mid integrity, for this high station ; and by the rapid advancement of the professors of the same faith, only three Protestants, and these of Uttie weight, were left upon the bench. At the same time, the office of at torney-general was also transferred from a Protestant to a Eo man Catholic ; whUe the more lucrative and influential situations in tiie courts of law and in the coUection of the revenue were bestowed on the adherents of the fiivoured creed. Of the high- sheidf^ for the year 1687, one only was a Protestant, and this person, the sheriff for Donegal, had been appointed by mistake in Heu of a Eomanist of the same name.® Though the way had been afready opened for the admission of Eoman CathoUcs to corporations, by proclamations in defiance of tiie law, this mea sure was fonnd inadequate to subject these bodies, as speedily as vras desired, to tiie control of that party. A further encroach- 5 " For this interestiDg feet we are indebted to the industry of Mazure, who discovered it in the despatches of Bonrepaux. This scheme was carried on with the knowledge and consent of James, to the injury of his daughter, then the heir-apparent ; but the birth of the Prince cf Wales rendered it unne cessary. " Slazure, ii. 287. iJDgard, xiv. 137. ' King's ¦¦ State ot the Protestants," Appendix, No. 7, p. 307. 330 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xix. ment on corporate rights was the necessary result. Intimidation and flattery induced a few of the less considerable towns to sur render their charters ; but the refractory cities, which dared to be independent, were harassed by proceedings at law. The ob sequious and servile judges uniformly pronounced judgment against thefr rights. Their charters were recaUed, new corpora tions were constituted, consistiug either altogether of Eomanists, or with a few Protestants intermixed raerely to save appearances, and in a short tirae the corporate property and jurisdiction throughout Ireland were exclusively vested in the ascendant party. The first corporation in Ulster which was reconstructed in this arbitrary manner was Dungannon ; its municipal ofiicers were appointed in March 1688. In the month of August, Stra bane and Derry, in the foUowing raonth, Newry, and in October, Armagh and Belfast, were placed under the exclusive control of the Eoman Catholics. To the other corporations in Ulster no charters were in the meantime granted.'' In ecclesiastical affairs, a similar though more cautious and wary course was pursued. To the Eoman CathoUc prelates Uberal pensions were allocated out of the revenues of the vacant sees, to which that of Clogher was now added. The Popish clergy wore with ostentation their clerical habits, and in many parishes the priests sought to dispossess the legal incumbents of thefr tithes, and appropriate them to their own use. To encou rage the Protestant ministers to conform to the favoured Church, dispensations were granted to the few who apostatised, empower ing them to continue in possession of thefr benefices, notwith standing thefr renunciation of the estabUshed reUgion — an exer cise of the prerogative hitherto unprecedented. The most noted of these converts was Doctor Peter Manby. He was educated in Trinity CoUege, Dublin, obtained a scholarship in 1667, and in September 1672 was preferred to the deanery of Derry. Soon after Tyrconnel's arrival as lord-deputy, an accession of Ught ' Harris's " WUliam III.," folio. Appendix, p. iv. etseq., where the names of all the new municipal officers are given, with the dates of their respective appointments, taken from the patent rolls of chancery. A.D. 1687. CHURCH IN IRELAND; 331 burst on lus mind ; he very seasonably discovered, at one and the same tune, the errors as weU as the inconveniences of Pro testantism ; he made formal profession of the Eomish faith, and in July 1687, a dispensation was issued continuing him in the undisturbed enjoyment of the temporaUties annexed to the deanery.* WhUe this insidious attempt to undermine the Established Church roused the indignation of the EpiscopaUans, an effort was raade to concUiate the Presbyterians and dissenters, and to " en list under the standard of arbitrary power those who had been » Dub. Univ. C.il. for 1834, p. 85. Liber Hibernia3, part v. pp. 116, 119. Immediately after his change of faith, Manby published a tract, entitled, ' ' The Considerations whioh induced Peter Manby, dean of Derry, to embr.ace the Catholique Religion." Dub. 1687, 4to, pp. 19. To this publication the Rev. W. King, chancellor of St. Patrick's, Dublin, replied in a pamphlet, entitled, " An Answer to the Considerations which obliged Peter Manby, dean of Derry, (as he pretends,) to embrace what he calls the Catholick Religion." Dub. 1687, 4to, pp. 99. Mr. King, who was afterwards bishop of Derry, and the keen antagonist and bitter reviler ofthe Presbyterians, early showed his intolerant spirit by attacking them in this " Answer," accusing them of schism and ecclesiastical rebellion, reproaching them for making use of the liberty of worship secured to them by the king's declaration, and branding them all as favourers of Popery and,enemies of the Protestant cause. These unseasonable provocations and unfounded calumnies met an immediate and able reply from the pen of the Rev. J. Boyse, minister of New Row congre gation, Dublin, who published it under the title of " VindiciEe Calvinisticas ; or some impartial refiections on the Dean of Londonderey's Considerations that obliged him to come over to the communion of the Church of Rome, and Mr. ChanceUor King's Answer thereto, in which he no less unjustly than im pertinently reflects on the Protestant dissenters. In a letter to a friend, by W. B., D.D." Dub. 1688, 4to, pp. 68. Manby replied to King, who vin dicated his " Answer" against the dean's strictures, when the Revolution happily terminated the controversy. Manby fled to France, but afterwards returned to London, where he died in 1697. (Ware's " Writers.") The only other clergyman who appears from the public records to have apostatised and received a dispensation was the Rev. Alexander Moore. He was made precentor of Connor and vicar of Glenavy and CrumUn, August 13, 1688 ; and by patent, dated the 26th of the following month, the king granted a dis pensation simUar to what Manby enjoyed. (Harris's " William III." p. 502. Lib. Hib. ut supra. ) The same illegal course was pursued in Scotland. See FountainhaU's " Chronological Notes," p. 208. 332 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xix. its most intrepid and steadiest adversaries."' A further object was, to create a dirision among the Protestants of the empire, and thus weaken thefr strength as a party, and render thefr op position to the grovring encroachments of the court less formid able. On the 4th of AprU, James issued his celebrated " Decla ration for Uberty of conscience," suspending, by vfrtue of his royal prerogative, the execution of aU the penal laws for reli gious offences, and prohibiting the irapositlon of reUgious tests as quaUfications for office.!" Tins Declaration extended to Ireland, and afforded a season able reUef to the Presbyterians from persecution, which, since the king's accession, had continued unabated, untU the fears of the EpiscopaUans for thefr own Church induced them to relax in their severities towards the nonconforraists. Miiusters now re entered thefr places of worship, which had remained forcibly closed during the last five years. Stated meetings of presbytery were pubUcly held ; ruUng-elders resuraed thefr seats as consti tuent raerabers of these courts ; and all ecclesiastical functions were exercised without molestation or apprehension.'^ The hands of thefr recent intolerant persecutors were tied up, and religious freedom was unexpectedly estabUshed, but upon a very precarious and unconstitutional basis. The Presbyterians of Ulster, though fuUy aware of the insidious design of the Decla ration, did not hesitate to avaU themselves of the Uberty thus granted, and resume the exercise of rights which had been long unjustly withheld. Exertions were made by Tyrconnel and the friends of the court to procure addresses to James on this occa sion from the Irish nonconformists. Accordingly, in the month of June, an address " from the Presbyterian ministers and con gregations in and near the city of Dublin," and a second from " the Congregationalists of New Eow," in the same city, were for warded to London. And in the foUowing month, one from per sons styUng themselves " dissenting subjects in Munster," and another designated as coming from " the Presbyterian ministers 9 Hallam, ii. 416. m London Gazette, No. 2231, April 4, 1687. ¦1 MS. Minutes of Presbytery. A.D. 1687. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 333 of Ulster," were transnutted to the lord-deputy and presented to the king.i3 No copy of the last-mentioned address having been preserved, it is impossible to ascertain by how many northern nunisters it was signed, nor in what language they expressed thefr gratitude for the favourable change which the royal decla ration had effected in their situation and prospects. From their characteristic firraness and independence, it may be safely infer red they gave no approval of the slavish doctrine of the dispens ing power of the crown ; and from no notice of this address Oc curring in the contemporary records of one of the largest and most influential presbyteries in Ulster, it must have been the produc tion of only a few brethren, overjoyed at their unexpected deli verance from manifold grievances.'^ During the brief interval of tranquUUty which the ministers now enjoyed, they were once more perplexed with Darid Houston, who, after an absence of several years in Scotland, had returned to Ulster. Eesuming his schismatical practices, and declaiming against the presbytery as unsound and unfaithful, preparations were made for his formal trial, and the necessary citations were served on him. But being iarited, in the month of September 1686, by the foUowers of Eenwick and Peden, to join their so ciety and exercise his ministry araong them, he vrithdrew to Scotland in December foUowing. The presbytery of Eoute, vrith ^ In the London Gazette, No. 2253, dated June 20, 1687, the address from the Dublin ministers and congreg.ation3 is printed at length, but that from the New Row Independents is only referred to. In the Gazette, No. 2262, July 23, the address from the Munster dissenters is also printed, whUe that from Ulster is only reported as having been presented. It was probably not courtly enough to entitle it to be printed. These four were the only ad dresses transmitted from Ireland. The Munster dissenters state in their ad dress, that the first cessation of persecution was occasioned by a proclamation from Tyrconnel, dated the 21st of February 1686-87. I have not seen any other reference to this proclamation. See p. 39 of Peterkin's pamphlet on the "Constitution of the Church of Scotland," where it appears that James's proclamation for toleration in Scotland was dated Feb. 12, 1687. '' The only presbytery whose minutes are extant for this period is that of Antrim, and in these there is not the slightest trace of any such address hav ing been proposed, or agreed to, or ordered to be presented, while addresses on all other occasions are invariably noticed. 334 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xix. the concurrence of the other meetings, proceeded in his trial, and he was finaUy deposed from the office of the ministry, in com munion with the Church in Ireland, on the 8th of February 1687.'* In the meantime he continued to preach in Scotland, untU the beginning of the year 1688, when the apprehension of Eenwick obUged hira to seek refuge araong his friends in Ulster, generaUy styled Houstonites,'^ vvho appear to have been most numerous in the district lying between Eandalstown and BaUy money, in the county of Antrim. Here he was taken prisoner in the end of May by officers sent from Scotland, but under what circumstances has not been recorded, and was transmitted to Edinburgh, where his friend and colleague, the pious and intre pid Eenwick, had been barbarously executed a few months pre viously. His adherents in Ayrshire, having received private in formation of the route by which he was conducted to prison, boldly attacked the soldiers who accompanied him ; and having kUled several of the escort, they succeeded in effecting his rescue. It is said he was afterwards disowned, for some irregularities, by his Scottish friends ; but his subsequent history has sunk into obUrion.'^ " MS. Minutes of Presbytery. 1' " Presbyterian Loyalty," p. 416. These persons had now seceded from the ministry in Ulster on the same grounds on whioh a simUar separation had previously taken place in Scotland, and they became the founders of the Co venanting or Reformed Presbyterian Church, whieh professes to hold by the original principles of the Covenanted Reformation, from which, they allege, all the other sections of the Presbyterian Church have, more or less, de parted. " Wodrow, iv. 395-442. See FountainhaU's "Chronological Notes," p. 259, for a notice of his rescue ; and Wodrow's " Analecta, " i. 178, 179, 184 185, 196; ii. 61. Renwick's "Letters," p. 386. At page 422 of this lat ter work, it is stated that Houston was about to leave Scotland for Ireland in the end of January 1689. He probably came over shortly afterwards ; as Walker, in his account ofthe siege of Derry (page 21), with the view of dis crediting the Presbyterians generally, makes the foUowing observation re- speeting him :— "Mr. Hewson was very troublesome, and would admit none to fight for the Protestant religion till they had first taken the covenant." This statement, whether true or false, has been carefully retailed and applied ' to the Presbyterian ministers, as a body, by every compiler of the events of A.D. 1688. CHURCH IN IRELAND. -'535 Though the Declaration for liberty of conscience restored peace to Ulster, and put an end to the disturbances caused by the vio lence of the High Church party against the nonconformists, all things portended the approach of unusual commotions. During the whole of the year 1688, every possible means was unscrupu lously used to lay popular rights prostrate at the feet of a despo tic and bigoted monarch. In this hour of perU, the Presbyte rians generously forgot their past sufferings from the Episcopalians, and cordiaUy joined with thefr recent persecutors in opposing the rising ascendency of the Eomanists, which, being based upon the most wanton exercise of arbitrary power, and accompanied with the raost provoking insults to thefr coramon faith, was equally alarming to both. As yet they could do no more than patiently observe the progress of events. The presence of a formidable army, almost exclusively Eoman CathoUc, and the notorious par tiaUty and corruption of the courts of law, rendered hopeless any attempt at resistance. " Ireland now exhibited a gloomy scene of oppression and dejection, of insolence and despafr, of power exercised vrithout decency, and injuries sustained without re dress." 1' But the news of fhe landing of the Prince of Orange in England on the 4th of November, and the subsequent removal of the troops from Ulster to oppose his progress, inspfred the the siege, down to Charlotte Elizabeth, in her " Derry, a tale of the Revolu tion," who has improved upon it by adding, without the least authority (page 172), that Hewson was proved to be " a hired emissary of Tyrconnel !" The Rev. Mr. Boyse of Dublin, in his " Vindication of Mr. Osborne," afterwards mentioned (see note 33), thus replies to Walker's insidious observation : — " As for Mr. Hewson, whom Mr. Walker joyns with Mr. Osborne ; I sup pose he is not ignorant, that he was some years before publickly discarded by the N. C. ministers in the North for his scandalous and turbulent carriage, and therefore they do no more than right to themselves in disowning him. His narrow zeal that would suffer none to fight for the Protestant religion but such as would take the covenant, was eertainly very unseasonable as well as foolish bigottrie. And I hope as Mr. Walker spy'd this mote in Mr. Hewson' s eye, he will not overlook the beam in their's, who are as zealous to exclude all from fighting for the same cause who comply not with their sa crament-test." " Leland, iii. 510. 336 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xix. northern Protestants with the hope of yet saving their country and thefr reUgion from impending ruin. The Presbyterians were the first in the kingdom to haU the arrival of the prince. Before the end of the month in which he landed, the ministers and their principal hearers in Ulster em powered the Eev. Archibald Hamilton, minister of Armagh, and the Eev. Alexander Osborne, who had been minister of Brigh, in Tyrone, but who had recently accepted the charge ofthe congre gation of Newmarket, in DubUn, to make choice of a person of zeal and prudence to wait, in their name, on his highness.'^ These leading ministers prevaUed on a Presbyterian gentleraan. Doctor Duncan Cumyng, who had settled as a physician in Dub Un in the year 1684, to undertake this dangerous mission.'^ To him they gave the foUovring written instructions, subscribed by them on behalf of thefr friends and brethren : — " 1. That in our name you congratulate the arrival of the Prince of Orange into England, and his success hitherto in so glorious an undertaking to deUver these nations from Popery and slavery. 2. That you represent the dangers and fears of the Protestants in Ireland, and particularly in the province of Ulster ; and humbly beseech him to take some speedy and effectual care for thefr preservation and reUef. 3. That you represent our readiness to serve him and his interest in prosecution of so glorious a design, as far as we have access."^* So early as the first week in December, he proceeded to England to lay these desfres before the prince, then on his 18 Mackenzie's "Narrative ofthe Siege of Londonderry, "p. 10. TheRev. John Maokbnzib, the author of this very important pamphlet, was licensed by the presbytery of Down, and ordained by that of Tyrone, as minister of Dorriloran, or Cookstown, in the year 1673. He was in Derry during the siege, and afterwards proceeded to London, where his "Narrative" was pub lished early in the year 1690. He died at Cookstown in 1696, in the forty- ninth year of his age. I have seen a MS. volume of sermons preached by him in congregations in Derry, Tyrone, Armagh, and Down, during the year 1681, whioh prove him to have been a learned, orthodox, aud pious divine. i» Boyse's Works, (Lond. 1728, 2 vols, folio), i. 316. 20 Boyse's " Vindication ofthe Rev. Mr. A. Osborne," p. II. This valu able little tract, of which see note 33, is not included in his " Works," re ferred to in the preceding note. A.D. 1688. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 337 march to London. He had scarcely set out on his journey when an incident occurred which roused the northern Protestants to a sense of their imminent danger, and constrained them to resort to active measures in their defence. On the 3d of December, an anonymous letter, addressed to the Earl of Mount-Alexander, was dropped in the streets of Comber, in the county of Down, purporting to warn his lordship, as a particular friend of the writer, that a general massacre of the Protestants had been planned by the Irish, to take effect on the foUovring Sunday. SiraUar letters were addressed to Mr. Brown of Lisburn, Mr. Maitland of Hillsborough, and were dispersed through the neighbouring towns. Copies were immediately de spatched to Dublin by Mr. Upton of Templepatrick, and by Sir WiUiam Franklin, the second husband of the Countess of Done gal, then residing in the castle of Belfast. In this emergency the first persons who were consulted were the Presbyterian ministers of the adjoining parishes in Down and Antrim, who did not he sitate to urge their people to associate and arra themselves, as a necessary precaution for the protection of their lives and proper ties. Mr. Cunningham of Belfast had forwarded a copy of this anonymous letter to Mr. Canning; at Garvagh, and, through Colonel PhiUps of NewtownUmavady, it reached Derry on the evening of Thursday, the 6th of December. The troops which had occupied this important garrison had been recently reraoved to DubUn, and the inhabitants were ex pecting the arrival of a regiment known to be exclusively com posed of Catholics, and commanded by a Catholic nobleman, Alexander, Earl of Antrim, whose brother had acted so conspicu ous a part in the late rebelUon. Such was the state of affairs when the intelUgence of the apprehended massacre' reached the city. On the following day, the Eev. James Gordon, Presbyterian mi nister of Clondermot, a parish adjoining Derry, advised the inha bitants to shut the gates, and exclude this obnoxious regiment from the garrison. But the bishop. Dr. Ezekiel Hopkins, on be ing consulted, strenuously opposed this bold and hazardous mea sure; and, in common with the majority of the EpiscopaUan clergy, inculcated the necessity of non-resistance. The alarra, VOL. II. Y 338 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xix. however, during this eventful day was so great, and the rumours of the massacre, though unfounded, were so frequent, that the people could be no longer restrained ; and in the afternoon se veral young raen of the city, raost of them Presbyterians, took forcible possession of the keys, and closed the gates against the Earl of Antrim's " redshanks," just preparing to enter. Though earnestly entreated by the bishop and the more grave and pru dent portion of the inhabitants to desist from so rash an enter prise, these resolute youths, supported by the great body of the population, steadily maintained the ground they had taken.^i On this sudden and apparently unimportant moveraent the fate of the three kingdoras ultiraately depended. Had Derry been oc cupied by a Popish garrison, the armies of James would have possessed the whole of Ulster, and thence passed without ob struction into Scotland ; where, united to the forces of Claver- house. Viscount Dundee, they would have made an easy conquest of that kingdora, and afterwards invaded England with accumu lated strength. But this iraportant post was thus, at a raost cri tical raoment, proridentially preserved, to be the raeans of defeat ing the raachinations of a despot and a bigot against the religion and Uberties of Britain. The inhabitants of EnniskUlen, the only other fortified place in the north-west of the province, haring, like those of Derry, re ceived sirailar warning, adopted a similar resolution. Though deserted by their magistrates, they resolved to shut their gates against the Eomish troops which Tyrconnel had despatched to occupy their garrison. In this decisive step they were especially countenanced and encouraged by the Eev. Eobert Kelso Pres byterian minister there, who, like the rest of his brethren throughout Ulster, "laboured both pubUcly and privately in animating his hearers to take up arms and stand upon their own defence, showing example himself by wearing arras and march ing at the head of them when together."22 On the 15th of 2' Mackenzie, pp. 3-5. 22 See an interesting pamphlet, entitled, "A Farther Impartial Account of the Actions of the Inniskilling Men, containing the reasons of their first .rising, their declarations, oaths, and correspondences with several parts of A.D. 1CS9. • CHURCH IN IRELAND. .339 December, by a letter from Mr. Kelso, and another from a few of the town's people, they inforraed thefr brethren in Derry of their critical cfrcumstances, and entreated their counsel and co operation. Supported by a company of horsemen, composed of ' the Protestant tenantry of Major Gustavus Hamilton, the inhabi tants a few days afterwards boldly attacked the Eomish compa nies on their raarch towards the town, and completely routed them. They thus gained time, wluch they dUigently employed in placing thefr garrison in a better posture, and otherwise prorid ing for the future defence of that part of the province.^^ Though the alarra of a raassacre soon subsided, raany causes conspired to compel the Protestants throughout Ulster to con tinue thefr defensive preparations. Tyrconnel was rapidly aug menting his army by forced levies from the Catholic population ; and these half-civiUsed and half-disciplined recruits began to plunder the Protestants of thefr arms and horses, while no redress for these insolent outrages could be obtained from any quarter. Their iramediate safety and protection, therefore, as well as the prospect of remoter dangers, required them to lose no time in having recourse to additional precautions. The first step taken by the gentlemen of the several counties was to form themselves into Protestant associations. These bodies elected councils of war, and a commander-in-chief or general for each county ; and a ge- the kingdom"; together with many other remarkable passages of their beha viour and management not yet published. Written by Captain Wm. M'Cor mick, one of the first that took up arms in Inniskilling. " London, 1 691, 4to, pp. 68. This pamphlet is supplementary to that by HamUton referred to in the next note. 23 Mackenzie, p. 5. Hamilton's "Actions of the Inniskilling Men." London, 4to, 1690, pp. 66. During the week before Christma.«, the inhabi tants formed themselves into two companies, " most consisting," writes Cap tain M'Cormick, one of their officers, " of nonconformists, as they term them ; that party effectuaUy espousing our interest, and never declined us in the most dangerous times." " We now," he adds in another place, "every day wrought hard in fortifying the town, making bulwarks and rampiers at each place where the river was fordable ;. and appointed a certain number of officers, together with Mr. Kelso, the nonconformist minister, to sit in council every day, to consider what measures were most proper to pursue for our preservation.'' M'Cormick's "Impartial Account," pp. 11, 17. 340 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xix. neral councU of union was appointed to sit at HUlsborough for the whole of the associated counties of Ulster. The county of Down, on the 7th of January, commissioned the Eari of Mount- Alexander, Sfr Arthur Eawdon of Moira, Mr. Hamilton of Ban gor, and Mr. Hamilton of TuUymore, to whom Sfr Eobert Col- riUe was afterwards added, to be thefr standing councU, and Lord Mount-Alexander to be thefr general.^* About the same time the gentry of the county of Antrun, to the number of tMrty- five, met at Lord Massareene's, at Antrim, and chose for thefr councU Sfr William FrankUn of Betfast, Mr. Arthur Upton of Teraplepatrick, Mr. Daris of Carrickfergus, Mr. Harrison frora beside Lisburn, and Mr. Shaw of the Bush, near Antrira, and for thefr general, Mr. Clotworthy Skefiington, Lord Massareene's son.25 The county of Armagh elected Sir Nicholas Acheson, with Captains Pointz and Middleton, and, in conjunction with Monaghan, commissioned Lord Blaney to be their coramander- in-chief ; and the counties of Derry, Donegal, and Tyrone, ap pointed to the same office Colonel Lundy and Major Gustavus HamUton. The suprerae councU for Ulster was coraposed of Mr. Upton for Antrim, Captain Pointz for Armagh, Mr. Cunningham for Derry, Mr. Johnson for Monaghan, ^nd Mr. Hamilton of TuUymore for Down, and the Earl of Mount- Alexander was ap pointed president. These councils coUected voluntary contribu tions and nominated officers, who at their own cost and hazard raised men and organised regiments ; wliUe the Presbyterian mi nisters exerted themselves with the utmost zeal and success to induce their people to enrol themselves in the ranks. Lords Mount-Alexander and Blaney, Sir Arthur Eawdon, and Mr. Skefiington, each raised a regiraent of horse. In Down, four re giraents of foot were raised by Sir John MacgUl, Sir Eobert 2i This was Hugh, the second Lord Mount-Alexander, son of the Lord Montgomery of the Ards, who is so frequently mentioned in the former part of this volume. He was born at Newtownards, February 24, 1650, and died at Mount-Alexander, near Comber, February 12, 1716. 25 The Antrim Association immediately published a Declaration, explana tory of their reasons for uniting together, whioh was signed by Lord Massa reene and twenty-two gentlemen of the county. Mackenzie, p. 62. A.D. 1689. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 341 Colville, Mr. Hannlton of TuUymore, and Mr. HamUton of Ban gor ; Captain Francis Annesley also coUected a small body of horse and foot in the barony of Kinelearty. In Antrira, the same number of regiments were raised by Sir WUliam FrankUn, Mr. Upton, Mr. LesUe of BaUymoney, and Mr. Adair of Ballymena ; another was raised in the ricinity of Lisburn for Captain Leigh ton, and three hundred foot were embodied by Colonel Edmon stone of Broadisland, with part of which he garrisoned his house at Eed HaU, near Carrickfergus. Colonel Francis HamUton in Armagh, Colonel Hugh Montgomery in Fermanagh, and Colonel HamiU of Lifford, in Donegal, with several other gentlemen, or ganised regiments in their respective counties.^^ Iraraediately after thefr appointment, the general councU at Hillsborough, in the second week of January, despatched Captain Baldwin Leighton with an address to the Prince of Orange, in forming him of thefr grievances, and the raeasures which they had adopted for thefr own defence, and assuring him of their ardent attachment to the cause of constitutional freedom. Shortly after wards the several presbyteries, ever foremost in this good cause, agreed to hold a special meeting of the general committee, for the purpose of appointing two of their number to proceed to England with a simUar address from thefr body to the prince, and to lay the desfres of the Ulster Presbyterians before the English con vention then about to meet. This committee, or synod of dele gates, accordingly met at Connor, near BaUymena, on Tuesday, the 22d of January. Out of a leet of five of the more influential ministers, they selected the Eev. Patrick Adair of Belfast, and the 2* Mackenzie, p. 11. See also a sm.all pamphlet, entitled, " A Faithful History of the Northern Affairs of Ireland from the late King James's acces sion to the Crown to the Siege of Londonderry. Giving a true account of the occasions of the miscarriages there, and of the reasons why the gentry .abandoned those parts. By a person who bore a great share in those trans actions." Licensed December 10, 1689. London, 4to, 1690, pp. 40. This is a very partial production, chiefly designed to throw discredit on the mo tives and character of Mr. HamUton of TuUymore. An answer to it was soon after published, under the title of "Some Reflections on a Pamphlet entitled, " A Faithful History of the Northern Affairs of Ireland,' '/ &c. Dub lin, 1691, 4to. I have not been able to obtain a copy of this answer. 342 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xix. Eev. John Abernethy of Moneyraore, as their commissioners ; and they cheerfully assessed themselves to the araount of nearly one hundred pounds, to bear the expenses of these brethren while en gaged in this iraportant mission.^'' Tyrconnel, distracted in his councils and uncertain what course to pursue, had notyet despatched any troops to secure the northern garrisons against the rising power of the Protestant associations. As yet, the latter had obtained a footing in three towns only — to vrit, EnniskiUen, Derry, and Coleraine ; Newrj', Charlemont, and Armagh were in the exclusive possession of the lord-lieutenant's forces. Belfast and Lisburn were occupied by Sir Thomas New- comen's regiment, coraposed partly of Eoraanists and partly of Protestants ; and Carrickfergus, which stUl continued to be the strongest post in the north-east of Ulster, was held by a sraall and insuflicient garrison. The troops previously stationed in it had been, on the 2d of Deceraber, raarched to DubUn, under the go vernor, Captain George Talbot, on their way to oppose the Prince of Orange in England, and their place had been suppUed by three companies belonging to one of the newly-raised and undis ciplined regiments under Magennis of Iveagh.^^ In this state of affairs, the northern Protestants, having already crossed the Eu- bicon, and incurred the vengeance of Tyrconnel, dared not reraain inactive. Being as yet only partially armed, their first project was to seize the arms belonging to Newcomen's regiraent, with the view of attacking the inefficient garrison of Carrickfergus. For this purpose preparations were made by Sir Arthur Eawdon and Sir John MacgUl, and the arms of part of the regiment quar tered at Lisburn were actuaUy seized by Captain Obrey and others ; but Mr. Hamilton of TuUymore, and some of the gentle men of Belfast, conceiving the further prosecution of this attempt inexpedient untU their plans for future proceedings were better matured, unhappily abandoned it. Sir Thomas Newcomen im mediately took the alarm, barricaded the streets of Lisburn, and apprised the governor of Carrickfergus of the projected attempt 2' MS. Minutes of Presbytery. " Presbyterian Loyalty," p. 395. 28 M'Skimin's " Carrickfergus," pp. 64, 65. A.D. 1689. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 343 on that place. Its garrison was forthwith strengthened by the addition of the Earl of Antrim's regiment which had retired from Derry, and by part of Colonel Cormack O'Neill's ; and the whole was placed under the command of Colonel Mark Talbot, an ille gitimate son of Tyrconnel.^s The Protestants, though disap pointed, were not disheartened. On the contrary, they became more confident and powerful as their scheme of association took effect throughout the province. In Arraagh, the inhabitants dis armed a troop of dragoons, and a Protestant garrison was estab lished there under Lord Blaney, who, in the beginning of February, secured the pass at Loughbrickland, and was engaged in almost daily skirmishes with the Eomish garrisons at Newry and Charlemont.^" Not long after, the supreme council, con ceiving themselves in a capacity to attack Carrickfergus, resolved to make the attempt. Having apprised some of the Protestant inhabitants of thefr design, they sent from Belfast, on the night of the 21st of February, a thousand raen, under the coraraand of Lieutenant-Colonel Bremichan and Major Baker, afterwards go vernor of Derry, with the view of surprising the garrison ; but owing to the badness of the way and the inclemency of the night, it was after sunrise when they appeared before the town. The garrison was soon in such a posture of defence as to render hope less any attempt from without. Lord Mount-Alexander and Sir Arthur Eawdon, with several troops of horse, haring joined the infantry before the town, a parley was effected, and the hostile parties agreed upon certain stipulations for the removal of their mutual jealousies, and resolved to transmit to Tyrconnel an ac count of their agreeraent. Unfortunately for the Protestants, 2' Mackenzie, pp. 10, 11. See also a very valuable pamphlet, containing a larger amount of interesting information respecting the North of Ireland th.in I have elsewhere met with, entitled, "A True .ind Impartial Account of the most material passages in Ireland since December 1688 ; with a p.ir- ticular relation ofthe forces of Londonderry," &c. Licensed July 22, 1689. London, 1689, 4to, pp. 31. This was also the earliest account that was pub lished of the affairs of Ulster, extending to near the close of the siege of Derry, and must have been re.id in England with great avidity. All its. statements are corroborated by subsequent publications. 30 " \ True and Imparti.il Account," Ac, p. 10. 344 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xix. one O'Haggerty, a friar, on the recommendation of Mr. Eandal Brice of Lisburn, was appointed to carry this joint communication to DubUn. Through this messenger, Tyrconnel, for the first time, became acquainted with the real state of the Protestant forces in that part of Ulster. These were much less numerous and efficient than he had been led to believe. They were, in truth, still very partially armed and imperfectly trained; their numbers were not great, and they were widely scattered ; their officers were inexperienced, and their suppUes of arms, ararauni tion, and provisions, whoUy inadequate to the exigencies of their situation. They had calculated too rauch on the tardiness or the fears of Tyrconnel, and on the certainty of receiving support frora England before he would venture to raarch against thera. But no sooner had he learned their real condition from the observant friar, than he resolved to despatch the flower of his army to Ulster, to disperse their associations and reduce them to subjec- tion.2' As a preparatory step, he issued a proclamation, dated the 7th of March, offering pardon to all who should lay down their arras and submit to his government, with the exception often of the leading Protestants of Ulster, and threatening those who rejected this offer with the penalties of high treason ; and privately intimating the probabUities of another raassacre by the hands of the ungovernable rabble of the Irish Eoraanists.^^ " Mackenzie, p. 12. 52 See " Answer to a book, entitled, ' The State ofthe Protestants in Ire land.'" London, 1692, 4to. Appendix, No. 5. The following were the persons excepted from pardon ; — Lords Mount- Alexander, Massareene, and Kingston ; Sirs Robert Colville, Arthur Rawdon, and John MacgUl; with Clotworthy Skeffington, John Hawkins, Robert Saunderson, and Francis Hamilton, son to Sir Charles Hamilton. The author of this " Answer" to King was the Rev. Charles Leslie, second son of John Leslie, bishop of Raphoe, and afterwards of Clogher. He was educated at Enniskillen school, and was a graduate of Trinity College. In 1687 he was made chancellor of Connor, but he mostly resided on his property at Glasslough, in the county of Monaghan, where he held several public disputations, in 1687-88, with Romish priests, in the neighbouring churches of Monaghan and Tynan. He was the head of the Irish non-juring clergy, and refused to take the oaths to William and Mary. He followed the fortunes of James II. and his son, the Pretender, but re- A.D. 1689. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 345 The first notice wliich the northern Protestants received of Tyrconnel's determination wa^ through the medium of the Eev. Alexander Osborne, already mentioned as one of the Presbyte rian ministers of DubUn. Since the landing of the Prince of Orange in England, he had maintained a regular correspondence with his brethren in various parts of Ulster, and by letters in cypher had informed them ofthe proceedings of the deputy and the progress of affafrs in the sister kingdoms. Finding, however, the communication vrith the North both by sea and land entirely cut off, from the beginning of March, and fearing the cause in Ulster would be ruined through want of timely notice of the impending invasion, he avaUed himself of an offer of the deputy to employ him in conveying a message to the leaders of the northern asso ciation, that he might have an opportunity of apprising his friends in the fuUest raanner of thefr imminent danger, and of putting them on thefr guard against the artifices of Tyrconnel to induce thera to lay down their arras. For this purpose he left DubUn on the 7th of March, and, though pursued by a party of raaraud- ing Irish near Newry, he arrived at Loughbrickland in safety on the second day afterwards. From this place he wrote to Lord Mount-Alexander, Sir Arthur Eawdon, and others, informing thera of Tyrconnel's proposals, but prudently vrithholding his opinion of the course which they ought to pursue, tiU he should " fully discourse with them in person." The general councU accordingly met at Hillsborough ; and on Tuesday, the 12th, Mr. Osborne had an interriew with them. He strenuously urged them to reject the insidious offers of the de puty; and, the council unanimously concurring with him, he transmitted to Dublin a letter to that effect.^^ They were en- turned to Ireland in 1721, and died at Glasslough in tbe month of March following. He wrote many standard theological works, among which his " Short and Easy Method with the Deists" is at once the most popular and the most profound. "Biog. Brit." '' Walker, in his "True Account of the Siege of Londonderry," mani festly written under strong prejudices against the Presbyterians, described Mr. Osborne as " a spy upon the whole North, employed by tho Lord Tyr connel ;'' and with the view of supporting this malicious .ind unfounded 346 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN cbap. xix. couraged the more to return this decided answer by the arrival of Captain Leighton, a few days previously, with a letter from the Prince of Orange, dated the 10th of February, and addressed " To the Earl of Mount- Alexander, to be communicated to the Protestant nobUity and gentry in the North of Ireland," approv ing of their conduct, and promising them speedy and effectual support. On receiving this coraraunication they iramediately proclaimed King WiUiam and Queen Mary in all the towns sub ject to their authority, with the usual deraonstrations of joy, not unmingled with anxious anticipations of the approaching conflict, now whoUy inevitable.^* In this emergency the Presbyterian ministers of the neigh bouring parishes, desirous of assisting to the utmost of their power in the defence of their country, waited on the general council, or consult, as it was soraetiraes called, and the foUowing raemorandum of their conference has been happily preserved : — " On the 14th of March, about nine Presbyterian rainisters came to such of the consult as were then present at Hillsborough.33 They apologised for thefr offering their advice in such affairs, which nothing but a deep sense of the common danger and dis tress of that great body of Protestants, whereof they were mem- charge, he published in his Appendix a copy of the letter in which Mr. Os borne h;id communicated Tyrconnel's proposals to the leaders of the northern association. This gratuitous attack called forth a triumphant reply from the Rev. J. Boyse of DubUn, already mentioned (see note 8), which he en titled, ' ' A Vindication of the Reverend Mr. Alexander Osborne, in reference to the affairs of the North of Ireland ; in which some mistakes concerning him (in the printed account of the siege of Derry, &c.,) are rectified. And a brief relation of those affiiirs is given, so far as Mr. Osborne and other N. C. ministers in the North were concerned in 'em. Written at Mr. Osborne's re quest by his friend Mr. J. Boyse." Licensed Nov. 22, 1689. London, 4to 1690, pp. 28. Nothing could be more satisfactory and conclusive than this seasonable defence of Mr. Osborne and the Presbyterian ministers of Ulster. 3' Mackenzie, p. 13. 35 These ministers were the Rev. Messrs. Archibald Hamilton of Banoor, Alexander Osborne of Dublin, Henry Livingston of Drumbo, William Leoatt of Dromore, Alexander Gordon of Rathfriland, Alexander Glass of Dun- murry, George Lang of Loughbrickland, Alexander M'Cracken of Lisburn, and Patrick Adair of Belfast. Boyse's •' Vindication of Osborne," p. 17. «.i>.1689. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 347 bers, could have put thera upon. The consult received them very kindly and desired thera to proceed. They then acquainted thera that there were in their several parishes raany able raen, fit for military service, who had arms and were not yet listed in the army, and yet were very wUUng to venture their lives for King WUUam and Queen Mary and the Protestant reUgion. They therefore proposed, if the consult approved it, that they would presently repair to their several parishes, and admonish all raen in their Uraits between sixteen and sixty, that could bear arras, to meet and rendezvous on such day and place as the consult should think fit, with such arms as they could procure and ten days' provision with them. For they found by the in formation of their brother Mr. Osborne, that the Lord Tyrcon nel's array would certainly attack them on the refusal of his pro posals — which proposals they could by no means advise them to comply with, but rather adrised them to make a vigorous and re solute defence. To this adrice, those of the consult then pre sent readUy assented, and presently employed clerks to write orders for summoning the county to meet at Blaris-moore, on the Tuesday foUovring, being the 19th. Upon which the said minis ters resolved to repafr to their several parishes, to encourage and excite the people to meet at the day appointed, declaring their purpose also to come to the field with them. They also further advised that the next Monday, being the 18th, should be ap pointed as a pubUc day of prayer and fasting to implore the as sistance and blessing of God on their undertaking ; which was unanimously agreed to, and the said ministers drew up reasons to be read in their several congregations for that purpose." ^^ These plans, however, were frustrated by the approach of the array from DubUn ; the horse coraraanded by Colonel Dominick Sheldon, and the foot by Lieutenant-General Eichard HamUton, a Eoman CathoUc officer, the fifth son of Sir George HaraUton of Donalong, in Tyrone. On Monday, the llth of March, the main body of the Irish, to the nuraber of fifteen thousand, ar rived at Newry. Sir Arthur Eawdon was stationed at Lough- 38 Boyse's " Vindic.ition of Osborne, " pp. 18, 19. .348 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xix. brickland to watch thefr movements ; but the councU, being un able to send him a reinforcement, dfrected hira to withdraw his garrisons from that town and from EathfrUand, and to faU back to Dromore. At the same time the Protestant inhabitants, un wUling to trust to the protections issued by Tyrconnel, abandoned those towns, and with scanty suppUes of money and clothing, hastily packed up, they burned their stores of forage lest they should faU into the hands of the enemy, and withdrew, some to Belfast, and others to the coast, for the purpose of escaping into Scotland or England. Dromore now became the temporary ren dezvous of the Protestant forces. Hither Captafri Hugh MacgiU led his troop of dragoons from the Ards, and Major Baker fol lowed with four companies of foot. Expresses were despatched by Sfr Arthur Eawdon in various directions for additional rein forcements, and to Hillsborough for arms and ammunition ; but the rapid movements of the Irish general defeated these attempts to concentrate their strength at any one place. On the morning of the 14th, Sir Arthur sent out scouts to ascertain the progress of the enemy ; and learning that a few troops only of dragoons were approaching,^' he posted his foot under Major Baker in the street of Dromore, and pushed forward his horse to reconnoitre the Irish. But the main body of the enemy appearing, the horse hastUy retreated, and were hotly pursued into the town ; the foot immediately gave-way and fled ; many of the inhabitants were kUled while endeavouring to carry off some remnants of thefr property ; and although Lord Mount- Alexander, Colonel Upton, and others, marched to thefr support from HUlsborough, they were unable to raUy their undiscipUned levies, and a general and confused flight, which has been usuaUy styled the " break of Dromore," and in which raany were slain, was the unavoidable result. The castle at HUlsborough, in which were deposited a thousand pounds in raoney, a large quantity of oatraeal and other ¦" It appears from the Abbe MacGeoghegan, that these dragoons were inerely a reconnoitring party, under the command of Cornet Butler of KU- cop. See his " Histoire do I'lrlande." Paris et Amsterdam, 1762-63, 4to, iii. 73-78. a.u. 16S9. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 349 stores, with the papers of the general council of Ulster, fell into the hands of HamUton.^^ This decided victory, which opened to the Irish army the whole of the north-east of Ulster, and the arrival of King James at Kinsale a few days previously, so discouraged many of the Protestant leaders, that they either abandoned the country, or accepted protections from the Irish general.^' Sfr Arthur Eaw don, however, and a few others, resolved to defend their country to the last extremity. Their scattered forces of horse and foot, when collected, amounted to no more than about four thousand men. Of the horse, there were only two troops of Lord Mount- Alexander's regiment, under Major Stroud and Captain Clot worthy Upton, with one troop from Belfast, under Captain White. Of the foot, there were forthcoming Sir Arthur's own regiraent, Sfr John MacgUl's regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Whitney, part of Sfr WiUiam Franklin's regiment, under Major Tubman, Colonel Upton, vrith the greater part of his regiment, and Lieu tenant-Colonel Edmonstone of Broadisland, at the head of Colo nel Adafr's regiment.^" Abandoning Belfast and Antrim, in which the Irish army obtained great plunder. Sir Arthur Eaw don, in command of this force, retreated towards Coleraine, where he arrived on Friday, the 15th of March, haring broken down the bridge at Portglenone, and ordered aU the boats on the river Bann to be burned, to prevent the eneray from passing over into the county of Derry.*' On the western side of Lough Neagh, the Protestant forces were not more successful than they had been on the eastern. 38 " A True and Impartial Account," &c. 39 The Earl of Mount-Alex.ander retired to Donaghadee, and thence to England. Colonel Leslie of Ballymoney took a protection from General HamUton, and afterwards supplied the Romish camp before Derry with pro visions. Mackenzie, p. 14. " Mackenzie, p. 14, *i " A True and Impartial Account," &o. A servant of Lord Massareene, for a bribe of ten guineas, discovered to the Irish plunderers money and plate to the amount of between three and four thousand pounds, concealed at his lordship's castle at Antrim, which was also rified of all its valuable furni ture. 350 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xix. The Eoraanists held possession of Charlemont, in which was sta tioned a formidable body of nearly three thousand men. To serve as a check on this fort, the town of Dungannon was garri soned by a considerable force, the horse under Captain Stewart of Killymoon,*2 and the foot under Colonel Stewart, the governor of the town, who had several skirmishes with the enemy at Stewartstown and Benburb. Lord Blaney at Armagh con tinued to protect that part of the country frora the marauding incursions of the Irish. But whUe one portion of King James's army were advancuig from Newry towards Dromore, as already mentioned, another portion had proceeded from Ardee towards Monaghan, haring plundered Lord Blaney's house at Castle- blaney, and corapelled his lady, vrith the scattered forces in that neighbourhood, to seek refuge in Glasslough. So soon as Lord Blaney was inforraed of these movements, and of Sir Arthur Eawdon's retreat from Loughbrickland towards Dromore, he dfrected the Protestant companies at Glasslough to proceed to Antrira, by way of Toome, where he intended to unite with them in forming a junction with Sir Arthur Eawdon, and opposing thefr corabined strength to the main body of the Irish under HamUton. With some difiiculty the Protestants succeeded in effecting their retreat from Glasslough, after a sharp encounter with the Eomanists under Colonel Mackenna, in which Captain Matthew AnketeU, a gentleman of Monaghan, and a brave and gaUant officer, was unhappily slain. But news arriring of the break of Dromore, the dispersion of the north-eastern forces, and the retreat of Sir Arthur Eawdon to Coleraine, Lord Blaney was reluctantly compeUed to abandon Dungannon and Armagh ; and, instead of marching towards Tooraoj to proceed directly to Coleraine with his cUsheartened foUowers, reduced from *2 Among the horse was a small squadron under Colonel John Forward of Castleforward, in the Lagan ; of whom see chapter xviii., note 60. When Lord Massareene and the Bishops of Derry and Raphoe sailed from Derry to England, shortly after the shutting of the gates, he purchased their horses, and proceeded to Dungannon, at tbe head of two or three hundred men. See his Case, submitted to parliament, among tbe Harleian MSS., No. 6803, art. 80. A.D. 1689. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 351 eighteen hundred to not more than three hundred horse and as many foot. An attempt was raade, by a body of twelve hundred men from the forts of Charleraont and Mountjoy, to intercept him on his march, at the bridge of Ardtrea, between Dungannon and Moneyraore. But having fortunately gained this pass, only a quarter of an hour before thera, he boldly attacked them as they approached, and compelled thera to retreat with the loss of above hundred men. He then retired unmolested, on the 16th of March, to Coleraine ; and at the sarae time Lady Blaney, with the forces from Glasslough, succeeded in reaching Derry in safety.*^ A small body of Protestants, consisting of seven cora panies under Captain Henry Hunter of Colonel Francis Hamil ton's regiraent, who had been stationed at Markethill, and had rescued the town of Tandragee from being plundered by a troop of Lord Kingsland's dragoons, were compelled to retreat on the eastern side of Lough Neagh, through Lurgan and Glenavy ; but on thefr way to Antrim they were surrounded by a large body of Lord Dungan's horse, and corapeUed to lay down their arras. The men were dismissed under an engagement not to take up arms against ICing Jaraes ; but Hunter, refusing to raake such a promise, was detained and cast into prison.** Coleraine was now occupied by a considerable body of troops, under Major Gustavus Hamilton, as governor ; but their supply of ammunition was scanty, and the town very imperfectly for tified. On three sides it was surrounded by a mud waU pro tected by a wet ditch, and on the remaining side by the river Bann, over which was thrown a temporary drawbridge. The Irish forces, occupied in plunder, advanced very slowly from Belfast. It was not untU Saturday, the 23d of March, nine days after the break of Dromore, that General HamUton arrived at BaUymoney. Here he formed an encampment, and rested his troops for a few days.*^ On the Wednesday following he ap peared before Coleraine with the main body of his army, and, '3 Mackenzie, p. 15. ** See the " Case of Captain Henry Hunter," submitted to the Irish House of Commons in 1710, and printed on a broadside. " MacGeoghegan, iii. 735. 352 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xix. supported by some artUlery, raade a vigorous assault upon the town. But it was so gaUantly defended, that in the evening, under cover of a heavy fall of snow, he vrithdrew his forces to BaUymoney, and being as yet unable to cross the Bann, he sent several detachments to quarter at BaUymena and Antrim. InteUigence haring been received at Coleraine on the foUow ing day that the north-western division of the Irish army, under Lord Galmoy, were raarching from Armagh to effect a junction with Hamilton, arrangements were promptly made by the gover nor for securing the several passes on the river Bann. Eetain- ing for the defence of the town a body of three thousand men, consisting of the regiments of Sir Tristram Beresford, Colonel Francis Hamilton, and others, he ordered Sir Arthur Eawdon's regiment to occupy Moneymore, and its strong castle belonging to the Clotworthy famUy. Colonel Cunninghara was despatched with his regiment to Magherafelt ; Colonel Skeffington occupied BeUaghy and Castledawson, placing one detachment of his regi ment under Lieutenant-Colonel Houston at Toome, and another under Major Mitchelburne at Newferry. Colonel Edmonstone, with part of Adair's regiment, was dfrected to secure the pass at Portglenone, and prevent the enemy from repafring the bridge ; and Sir John MacgiU's regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Whitney, took possession of Kilrea. Thus a Une of coraraunica tion and defence was estabUshed along the entire course of the lower Bann, which cut off all communication between Galmoy, in Tjrrone, and Hamilton, in Antrim, and prevented thefr pro posed junction. During the first week of April no colUsion oc curred between the parties. But early in the morning of Sun day, the 7th of that month, a strong body of Hamilton's forces, under Colonel Nugent, son of the Earl of Westmeath, having secured some boats, succeeded in crossing the Bann about a mUe frora Portglenone, without alarming the Protestant sentinels. Nugent immediately attacked Colonel Edmonstone, who had thrown up some entrenchments, and who, trusting to his guards along the river, was not expecting an attack from that quarter. The trenches were defended with great bravery by Edmonstone and his lieutenant-colonel, Shaw, supported by Sir Arthur Eaw- A.D. 1689. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 353 don, who happened to be in the neighbourhood, and by five com panies from Kilrea, under Lieutenant-Colonel Whitney. But Captain James MacgUl being killed, and another officer despe rately wounded, whUe the number of the Irish crossing the river was continuaUy augmenting, and intelUgence also arriving that Lord Galmoy had advanced to Moneymore, it was deemed inex pedient to prolong the contest. The Protestant forces, accord ingly, effected their retreat over the mountains towards Derry ; Coleraine was abandoned and the bridge destroyed ; the terrified inhabitants foUowed the army, bringing with them what provisions they could ; and, to cripple the resources of the enemy, the whole country from the Bann to the Foyle was burned and laid waste.*^ General Hamilton immediately took possession of Coleraine, re paired the bridge, and placed in it a strong garrison, under the command of Colonel O'Morra, or Moore.*' The small but fortified city of Derry was the only refuge that remained to the Protestants of Ulster, and every preparation was now raade by their eneraies to wrest it frora them. King James, who had arrived in DubUn in the end of March, set out for the North on the 8th of AprU, at the head of twelve thousand men and a considerable train of artiUery. On the following day he arrived at Armagh ; thence he proceeded to visit the garrisons at Dungannon and Charleraont, where he spent a few days. He reached Oraagh on the 14th,*8 and frora this place he sent for ward his troops to force the passage of the river Finn, above Strabane, at the bridge of Clady, in order to gain the side of the Foyle on which Derry is situated. Through the traitorous ne glect of the noted Lundy, the Protestant forces stationed at this *' Mackenzie, 19-21. "A True and Impartial Account," &c. Sir A. Rawdon, one of the most intrepid and intelligent leaders of the Ulster Pro testants, suffered so much from fatigue in this skirmish, that he fell into a dangerous sickness, and was reluctantly compelled to retire from Derry into England. " CoUonel Edmonstone also contracted those distempers in the trenehes at Portglenon, of which he afterwards died at Culmore, April the 14th, having behaved himself there, and on all other occasions, with great gallantry and resolution." Mackenzie, p. 21. " MacGeoghegan, iii. 736. '8 Macpherson's " Original Papers." Dublin, 1775, Svo, pp. 183, 184. VOL. II. Z 354 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xix. important pass, being unsupported, were compeUed to give way. A few days afterwards, King James and his army advanced to St. Johnston, vrithin five miles of Derry, and immediately placed the city in a state of blockade. The progress of events during this meraorable siege, which dates its commencement from the 18th of April, is so weU known, that the more remarkable incidents alone need be noticed. The first movement of Lundy and his council was to take steps for the surrender of the town to King James, and articles for this purpose were actually drawn up. But the great body ofthe soldiers and the inhabitants, headed by a gallant Pres byterian officer. Captain Adam Murray, were so indignant at this base proposal of a surrender, that the project was defeated, and Lundy was compeUed to fly from the town in disguise. The re solute raen of Derry now prepared for an obstinate defence of their city. Major Baker and the Eev. George Walker of Do noughmore, near Dungannon, were chosen joint governors, the one in the raUitary and the other in the ciril department. The garrison was found to consist of about seven thousand men and three hundred and fifty officers, who were formed into eight re giraents, and appointed to their respective stations on the walls and bastions. An accurate account was taken of the provisions and other stores, and above a thousand of the aged and infirm, with women and chUdren, took protections and retired from the town. Seventeen Episcopalian clergymen, mostly curates, and eight Presbyterian ministers, remained in the city.*^ Of the colonels and field-officers, the majority were EpiscopaUans, but by far the smaUer number of the captains and inferior officers were of that persuasion ; whUe among the soldiers and inhabitants there were fifteen Presbyterians for one EpiscopaUan. Though this propor tion is somewhat reduced by the High Church writers, yet aU accounts concur in representing an overwhelming majority of the M These ministers were the Rev. Messrs. Thomas Boyd, minister of Agha doey, William Crooks of BaUykeUy, John Rowat of Lifford, John Mackenzie of Cookstown, John Hamilton of Donagheady, near Strabane, Robert Wil son of Strabane, David Brown of Urney, and WiUiam GUchrist of Kilrea. The last four ministers died during the siege. Mackenzie, p. 64. A.D. 1689. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 350 defenders of Derry as members of the Presbyterian Church .''<' The cathedral, being the only place of worship vritlun the walls,^' was occupied by both parties on the Sabbath — the Episcopalians in the morning, and the Presbyterians afterwards ; "the latter, enter ing at twelve, had two sermons there every afternoon, besides two or three other raeetings in other parts of the city. In their assembUes there were, every Lord's-day, considerable collections for the reUef of the poor people and the sick and wounded sol diers, who had otherwise perisht for any care was taken of them ; and they had the use of the cathedral every Thursday."^^ After 5" Mackenzie, preface, p. vii. Boyse's "Vind. of Osborne," pp. 24, 25. Slingsby Bethel's "Providences," &c. London, 1697, 18mo, p. 87. ^ It appears that the Presbyterians of Derry, in 1672, had commenced to build a place of worship in the city, but that the bishop, Dr. Robert Mossom, opposed its erection ; as, in August of that year, I find Alderman John Craigie, an elder from Derry, stating to the presbytery " that the late differ ence between the bishop and them was referred to his majesty by the lord- lieutenant, and that they were advised to forbear their meeting-house within the walls, untU his majesty's pleasure were known." (MS. Min. of Pres.) They were subsequently obliged to build their house in the suburbs, which was of course destroyed at the investment ofthe city. 52 Mackenzie, p. 32. The rise and progress of historical error may be seen, on a small scale, in the successive accounts which have been given re specting the use of the Derry cathedral by the two religious parties in the city. Maekenzie merely says — " that there might be a good understanding and harmony among the besieged, it was agreed to by Governor Baker that the conformists should have the cathedral church one-half of the Lord's-day, and the nonconformists the other half." Sir John Dalrymple, referring solely to this statement, and possessing no additional means of information, embellishes it by saying — ("Mem. of Gt. Brit.," heart : lus words were s-ufter than oil, yet were they drawn swords."^ " Lastiy," writes Bishop King to the Presbyterians, " I have one thing which I would more es pecially request of you, that you would beUeve that I sincerely and heartily desire and study the good of your souls, and that I have in this treatise endeavoured to promote it, and, by Grod's assistance, ever shaU, in aU my undertakings. And if you had the same apprehensions with me, you would not wonder at my concern in tiiis matter ; for how is it possible that any man that has a real for the purity of &od's worship, should not have his spirit moved within bivn to see a weU-meaning people so strangely misled as to content themselves to meet together, perhaps for some years, vrith a design to worship Gx>d, and yet hardly ever see or hear anything of Grod's immediate appointment in thefr meeiiiigSw Now. ro my thoughts, this is manifestiy the case of many of you ; since a man may fi^uent some meetings amongst you for some years, and never hear a prayer, a psahn, or chapter, which has been immediately dictated by Giod, and never be caUed on to bow his knee to Grod, or see either minister or people ad- dr^ themselves to him in that huinble posture, Lastiy, never see any body offer to administer, or desire to receive the food of life in the Lord's Supper. These are melancholy reflections to me, who beUeve that &c~i has required these in his worship ; and, therefore, I hope yoa vriU rake it in good part, thai I endea vour ro restore them to yon.'"*! A work such as this, and coming from such a quarter, even though circulated in private, could not long remain in obsenriiy, or witiiout an answer. Contrary to Ms own wish, as the bishop himself alleges in a subse.:juent vindication of it, this "Dis course' was immediately reprinted in London, and scon became known throughout the kingdom. The first person who replied to it was the Bev. Joseph Boyse of Dublin, whose writings, in vindication of the Irish Presbyterians against the Bev. Gfeoi^ Walker, and against Bishop King himself, in his controversy with » Piaim Ir. 21. f- King's "DiseonTse concerning the InTeniions of Men in tie Wcpship of God. " Itbedir., Londmi, 1657. l?nio, pp. 1?7. Is5. 408 HLSTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xx. Manby, have been noticed in the preceding chapter.^^ In the beginning of the year 1694, he iDublished "Bemarks on a late Discourse of WiUiam, Lord-Bishop of Derry, concerning the In ventions of Men in the Worship of God."^^ In this reply, he follows the bishop closely through all the parts of his work, and not only refutes his reasoning, but exposes the inaccuracy of those statements which were uijurious "to the character of the Presbyterians. Mr. Boyse was no unworthy opponent of the bishop. Fully equal to him in learmng and dialectic skUl, he displayed acuteness and perspicuity of no ordinary kind, whUe his pleasing and vigorous style, remarkable for that period, added rauch to the cogency of his reasoning. This reply was soon after followed by a siraUar work, though not of equal value, frora the pen of the venerable Presbyterian minister of Derry, the Eev. Eobert Craghead, who, after having been minister of Donoughmore, or Castlefui, in the county of Donegall, for above thirty years, had been reraoved to that city in the year 1690. It bears this long title, which is, at the same time, an analysis of its contents — "An answer to a late book, entitled, ' A Discourse concerning the Inventions of Men in the Worship of God,' by WUUam, Lord-Bishop of Derry. Wherein the author's arguraents against the manner of pubUc worship performed by Protestant dissenters, are exarained, and by plain Scripture and reason confuted ; his mistakes as to raatters of fact detected, and some important truths concerning the spirit of prayer and external adoration, &c., rindicated."^* In his dedica tion to " The mayor, aldermen, and burgesses of Derry, of the Presbyterian persuasion," he apologises for being compelled to vindicate their worship, and defend himself and thera, whom the bishop, he says, "had made black as heathens, for denying due adoration to God, and casting his Word out of our assembUes." " And since," he adds, " we are now set out to the world as worse than the most degenerate and barbarous people that ever '2 Chap, xix., note 8, and note 33. »3 Dublin, 1694, 4to, pp. 191. Reprinted in his collected works, folio, vol. ii. p. 67, he once more endeavoured to support both his facts and his arguments against the animadversions of Mr. Boyse, with occasional references to those of Mr. Craghead. To this tract no answer was returned by Mr. Boyse ; but Mr. Craghead replied to it in 1697, in " An Answer to the Bishop of Derry 's Second Admonition to the Dissenting Inhabitants in his Diocese, es pecially as to matters of fact relating to the Public Worship of God, wherein his misrepresentations are again discovered."^" In this pamphlet, he produces a number of satisfactory vouchers, ex pressly contradicting several of the bishop's alleged facts, and he proves how unfounded were raost of his charges against the Presbyterians of his diocese. This second admonition was likely to open a new and fertile source of controversy between the contending parties — the ques tion of church-government. Por, shortly after its appearance, "8 Dublin, 1695, 4to, pp. 69 ; also reprinted in his works, vol. ii. p. 123, &,o. =» Dublin, 1695, 4to, pp. t!2 .ind 61. I" [Edin.] 1697, 4to, pp. 166. It is dedicated to Junios Lennox, Esquire, mayor of Derry, one of his elders, and contains, among other letters, ono from Mr. Boyse, closing the controversy between him and the bishop. A.D. 1690. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 413 there was published an anonymous work, entitled, " A Modest Apology, occasioned by the importunity of the Bishop of Derry, who presseth for an answer to a query, stated by himself in his Second Admonition, concerning joining in the Public Worship established by law. By a Minister of tho Gospel, at the desire of some Presbyterian Dissenters.""! In this Uttle work, some of the usual arguments against prelatical governraent, as against a prescribed liturgy, with its kneeling at the Lord's Supper, and the sign of the cross in baptism, and against the reordination of ministers by the EstabUshed Church, are stated in a condensed form, and in a popular style. It at first eUcited no reply ; but a second edition haring been pubUshed five years afterwards, an anonymous writer, calUng lumself " An Episcopal minister, in the diocese of Derry," ventured into the field, and, in 1702, published a short and feeble answer, entitled, " Bemarks upon the Book called the Modest Apology .""^ With this pamphlet the contro versy occasioned by the bishop's " Discourse" raay be said to have terminated, after it had called forth nine different pubUca tions, and had extended over a period of as many years. As in nearly aU similar cases, much good, and not a Uttle evil, resulted from this protracted controversy. In the former point of view, it confirmed the Presbyterians in the conviction that thefr simpler forms of worslup were in closer accordance vritli the Word of God, and much freer from " human inventions," than those of the Episcopal Church. And it no doubt stimulated them to pay increased attention to some things on which the bishop had animadverted, such as the catechising of chUdren, the erection of places of worship, the settlement of additional minis ters, the more becoming celebration of pubUc worship, and the more punctual administration of the Lord's Supper."^ On tho " Glasgow, 1696, 12mo, pp. 109. Another edition appeared in 1701, with a postcript, pp. 180. «3 [Dublin] 1702, 4to, pp. 28. «3 Bishop King himself, in his letter to Bishop Lloyd in 1696, referred to in previous notes, boasts of having " forced the Presbyterians to reform mafiy things," in whioh there, was some truth, and, ho adds, "to speak much more moderately of us and our worthies than formerly." This latter good effect 414 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN cii.vp. xx. other hand, tliis controversy, which grew the keener the longer it continued, occasioned many evils, which perhaps more than counterbalanced aU the good that had resulted from it. It ex cited animosities among Protestants at a time when union and mutual confidence were most desirable. It occasioned much irritating declamation frora the pulpit on both sides, which would not have otherwise occurred ; the bishop, on the one hand, fol- lovring up his attacks on Presbyterian worship, by preaching agauist the sin of schism,"* and the Presbyterian mmisters, on the other hand, defending their position as Nonconformists, and pressing their objections to the constitution and worship of the Established Church. Moreover, there can be Uttle doubt that Bishop King becarae more and more imbittered against the Presbyterians, whom he had found not so pUant as he had ex pected, and who were so numerous and influential in his dio cese. One great object of his policy, after this discussion had closed, was to lessen thefr influence by every means ui Ms power ; and, in so doing, he hesitated not to have recourse to most unworthy expedients. He prejudiced the government against them by exaggerated accounts of their opposition to the Estab lished Church ; he laboured to deprive the ministers of the royal grant, or, at least, to have it distributed in an invidious and unpopular manner ; he strenuously resisted their obtaining an act of toleration on the Uberal terms which the king and his ministry were anxious to grant ; and he never ceased tUl he had succeeded in depriring the Presbyterians of the ciril privileges which they were now enjoying, from the repeal of the oath of of the controversy was, however, soon neutralised by the vehemence with which the bishop now attacked them from the pulpit. 8' Bishop King, writing to two of his Episcopal correspondents, thus alludes to his sermons at a parochial visitation of his diocese, held shortly after the close of this controversy : — " I had great crowds of dissenters every where, and entertained them with a discourse, generally showing the no- necessity of a separation on their own principles." "The subject was the sin of making sects, and the no-necessity of it. I examined all their pretences, and showed them, if all true, they would not, according to Scripture, justify a separation." A.D. 1692. CHURCH ].\ IKELAND. il5 supremacy, and in subjecting them to the same galling disabilities under which thefr brethren in England then lay. It is worthy of remark, that while Bishop King was thus cen suring the aUeged neglect of the Presbyterian nunisters, and affecting to be most anxious for their reformation, he was em ployed in the \isitation of an adjoining diocese, wluch disclosed so many gross offences among the beneficed clergy, that one would think Ids reforming efforts raight have been exhausted with in the pale of his own Church. The state of the united dioceses of Down and Comior had be come a pubUc scandal to the Church in Ulster, whether Episcopal or Presbyterian. The bishop had not been within his charge for twenty years."^ He had resided nearly all that time at Ham mersmith, near London, where he had become so naturalised, that his title as Bishop of Down and Connor had been sunk in the more appropriate one of — the Bishop of Hammersmith. Here, too, he becarae noted for his simoniacal practices, openly dis posing of the benefices and preferments in his gift to the highest bidder. This evil example of the bishop produced its unavoid able results among his clergy. Many of them were partakers vrith him in his sin of simony, several were charged vrith incon tinence, and many vrith non-residence and neglect of their pas toral duties. Various efforts had been made, immediately after the Eevolution, to remedy these evUs. Applications were raade to the Irish government, and to the Archbishop of Armagh, by the nobiUty and gentry of those dioceses, to compel this unworthy prelate to reside and discharge his episcopal duties. But he per tinaciously resisted every attempt. So early as the year 1691, it was proposed to appoint a coadjutor to hira in the see ; but TUlotson, archbishop of Canterbury, when this proposal was made to him by Boyle, the Irish primate, resolutely ojiposed it, " as an example of very Ul consequences ;" and he very properly declared, that it would be " much fitter to have the bishoprick made void for the bishop's scandalous neglect of his charge.""" Yet, although the authorities both in Church and State were '•¦'• Harris's " Works of Sir James Ware," vol. i. p. 213. «« Birch's "Life of Tillotson," p. 267. 416 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xx. thus fuUy cognisant of the evU, and of the only effectual remedy, it was above two years more before any step was actually taken. At length, in October 1693, a memorial, from the respectable portion of the clergy of Down and Connor, was presented to Lord Sydney, the lord-lieutenant, praying for a speedy redress of the grievances under which the Church had so long been suffering in that part of Ulster. As the ordinary resources of ecclesiastical law had been tried in vain, it was found necessary to have recourse to the royal prerogative to meet this extraordi nary emergency. Accordingly, in the following month of De cember, an ecclesiastical comraission from the crown passed the great seal, empowering Dopping, bishop of Meath, Wiseman, bishop of Dromore, and King, bishop of Derry, to hold a royal visitation of these dioceses, and giving them fuU powers to ad monish, suspend, and deprive every clerical deUnquent, from the bishop down to the humblest ricar, whose guilt should be estab Ushed to thefr satisfaction. In the end of February 1694, Bishops Dopping and King opened this commission at Lisburn, and, with the exception of a short recess at Easter, they continued thefr sittings to the raiddle of April. It wUl be enough to state briefly, frora an authentic unpublished document,"'' the results of this unusual, though salutary exercise of the royal prerogative. The chief offender. Dr. Thomas Hackett, the bishop, was deprived of his sees " for seUing of ecclesiastical livings and preferments in his gift, and many other crimes committed by him in the exercise of his episcopal jurisdiction.""^ The Archdeacon of 6» I refer to a valuable paper which I found among the MSS. in the British Museum. See " LandsdownMSS.," No. 446, art. 36, folio 124, s From the original in the State Paper Office, London. The following passage, in u, letter of the Bishops of Meath and Derry, from Lisburn, to Lord Capel, one of the lords-justices, also preserved in tho State Paper Office, is curious and instructive, as giving their view of the peculiar state of these dioceses, and containing excellent advice on the choice of a suitable 420 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap xx. person to fill the v.ncant see :— " The dioceses are large in compass, filled with dissenters (of whom many have been made so by the bishop's and clergy's neglect ;) the two cathedrals, and most of the parish churches, out of repair ; the diocese of Down being a key and inlet to the malcontents of Scotland, and the Presbyterians that come from thence ; and in one part of it there being one Houston, a clergyman, that preaches up the Solemn League and Covenant, accusing the people of Scotland of perjury, in not sticking to their league, and having a congregation of five hundred resolute fellows that ad here to him. So the disorders of this pl.ace wUl require a learned, moderate, prudent, and well-tempered person for the cure of them.'' The first appoint ment of a bishop was made in conformity with this judicious advice ; but, un fortunately. Bishop Foley died before he had been a year in this see. The next appointment, as the reader wUl see in the following chapter, was in direct opposition to it. Bishop Walkington being a violent, hot-headed man, and a bigoted High-Churchman. A.D. 1695. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 421 CHAPTER XXI. A.D. 1695-1701. Political parties in Ireland — Lords-Justices differ respecting the payment of the Royal Bounty — A bill prepared for ihe ease of Protestant Dissenters — Efforts of ihe Presbyterians to obtain a legal toleration — Boyse's work in favour of it — Bishop PuUen's answer io Boyse — Bishop Dopping on the Sacramental Test— Boyse's rejoinder in reply to both bishops — Proceed ings in parliament on attempting io introduce a Toleration Act — Bishop King's hostility to the Presbyterians — Changes in the Irish government — Lord Galway and others appointed Lords- Jtistices- Bishop Pullen re- s^^es the controversy on toleration — Synge's Address on the same subject — M'Bride's reply to both of these opponents — Synge's defence of his Ad dress — Parliament again meets — Measures of tlie Commons in favour of Foreign Protestants — French refugees settled in Ireland — Proposal of the Commons io modify ihe Aci of Uniformity — Presbyterians increase in numbers and influence — Tliey begin tobe harassed in various ways — Walk ington made Bishop of Down and Connor — His character — His petition against the Presbyterians — M'Bride's synodical sermon — Proceedings of the Lords-Justices thereon — Imprisonment of a minister in Galway — Grievances of the Presbyterians arising out of their ma/rriages — Earl of Rochester appointed Lord-Lieutenant — Address of the Presbyterians io him — His answer. LoKD Sydney, the lord-Ueutenant, after his rupture with the commons, and the abrupt prorogation of parUament in Noveraber 1692, becarae so unpopular, that he was soon after recaUed. In the beginrung of the foUowing year, the government of Ireland was again entrusted to three lords-justices. Two of these, to wit. Sir Cyrd Wyche and Mr. Duncombe, were favourable to what was called the Irish party, whUe the other. Lord Capel, who was also the principal person in the administration, sup ported the English interest. It is not easy to coraprehend the distinguishiog principles of these two parties, both of whom were Protestants, and ardent supporters of the Eevolution settlement. The Irish party appear to have taken their narae from a professed 422 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap xxi. desire to maintain inviolate the articles of the treaty of Limerick, and protect the Irish, who had surrendered on the faith of it. Had they been firm and sincere in maintaining this Une of policy, it would have conferred on them, as a party, the highest honour. But it is to be feared that this profession was little more than a party badge, adopted with the view of casting reproach on the other party, as the only violators of that treaty ; for almost all the departures from its stipulations, of which the Eomanists justly complained, are equaUj^ chargeable upon them as upon their poUtical opponents. This Irish party were, moreover, staunch supporters of High Church principles, save those of passive obe dience and non-resistance. They were consequently hostUe to the Presbyterians ; and, though far from being Jacobites, they ultimately subsided into what is well known as the Tory party. From the beginning of WilUam's reign, they may be considered, when out of oflice, as the opposition of that period, arrayed generaUy against the measures of the EngUsh administration. The EngUsh party, on the other hand, acted in unison vrith the authorities in England, who were sometimes at variance with the Iting with regard to the treaty of Limerick, and too much dis posed to depart from its engagements. They were, in general, the friends of toleration and of religious Uberty, though sin cerely attached to the EstabUshed^ Church, and were nearly identical with the English Whig party of the Eevolution school. With this latter party the Presbyterians steadily co-operated. As the lords-justices belonged to these opposite parties, their difference of opinion very much irapeded the governraent of the country. It encouraged factious proceeduigs on various ques tions ; and, as Lord Capel suffered rauch frora iU health, his coUeagues carried out, with obvious reluctance, the poUcy of Kfrig WUUara and his EngUsh ministers, and, in some respects, they appear to have actually thwarted his views. A cfrcumstance connected with the royal bounty grant to the Presbyterians wUl iUustrate this colUsion of opinion among the Irish authorities. During the year 1694, no payments out of this grant were made to the ministers ; and, early in the foUow ing year, the trustees, under the royal patent, petitioned King A.D. 16'J5. CHURCH IN IREL.W'D. 423 WilUam that these arrears nught be paid up, and the future pay ments rendered more punctual. Wlien this petition was laid before the lords-justices, thefr party feelings wore immediately displayed. Sir CyrU Wycho and Mr. Duncombe were of opi nion that the grant should be withdrawn, and no further pay ments made to the ministers ; hence, it is not improbable that the suspension of the grant had been owing to their underhand influence. But Lord Capel diff'ered entfrely from thera, and wrote to the Duke of Shrewsbury, the secretary of state, in London, urgently recommending the continuance of the grant. This mterference was successful, and, in AprU 1695, the trustees and other mimsters wrote to Mr. Vernon, private secretary to the duke, thanking liim for his " late contributing to obtain his ma jesty's gracious grant for the continuance of his royal bounty. "i Suc£ a raarked difference of opinion as thus existed among the heads of the Irish government could not be permitted to continue long ; and, as it was found necessary to summon a new parUa ment in 1695, a previous change in the administration became mdispensable. Accordingly, iii place of lords-justices, the go vernment was coraraitted to Lord Capel, as lord-deputy, in the raonth of May, and preparations were iraraediately raade for a new election, and for convening the parUaraent in the course of the year. Among the questions which were to come before this new par Uament, that of extending legal protection to the Presbyterian Church was one. Though the attempt raade in the preceding parUaraent had been defeated by the bishops and thefr supporters in the lords, unless it were accompanied by the exclusion of the Presbyterians from all public offices, the king and his advisers continued to be stUl in favour of a Uberal toleration act for Ire- 1 The following documents, connected with this incident, are in the State Paper Office : — 1 . Petition to King William from Alexander Hutchinson, Archibald Hamilton, Robert Craghead, Robert Henry, and William Adair, in behalf of themselves and the rest of the Presbyterian ministers in the North of Ireland. ,2. Letter from Lord Capel to the Duke of Shrewsbury, Feb. 15, 1694-95. 3. Letter from Henry Livingstone, Alex. Hutcheson, John Frieland, William Adair, John M'Bride, Francis Iredell, Archibald HamUton, and Robert Henry, to Mr. Vernon ; from Belfast, AprU 17, 1695. 424 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xxi. land, free from such an unjust and impoUtic exclusion. These views were warmly supported by the lord-deputy, and it was hoped that his influence, joined to the obrious justice and ex pediency of the measures in such a country as Ireland, would ensure its success. But these expectations were destined to be once raore cUsappouited. The Irish party were now begmmng to adopt more unreservedly the maxims, and to act upon the poUcy of the English Tories towards dissenters. They were headed, not only by the bishops, but by the lord-chanceUor of Ireland, Sir Charles Porter, and by Sfr Eichard Cox, then one of the justices of the Court of Comraon Pleas. Accordingly, when the Irish privy-councU were preparing sucli biUs as the deputy recommended for the approbation of the EngUsh govern ment, prior to thefr being submitted to the Irish parUament, Lord Capel laid before them the draft of an act "for the ease of Protestant dissenters,"^ similar to the one which had been pre pared under Lord Sydney three years before. So Uberal a raeasure was iraraediately opposed by the sarae party who had defeated the previous biU. On this occasion, the opposition in the councU was led by Sfr Eichard Cox, who, whUe he professed it to be his opinion that " aU friends to the state should have a free toleration of their reUgion," repeated the usual sophism, that, " as there was no test in Ireland, it was necessary for the security of the EstabUshed Church to exclude from ofiices, or any share in the government, all those who would not conform to the Church estabUshed by law." He therefore moved that a clause should be added to the proposed bUl, to exclude Presby terians from aU pubUc ofiices, civil or mUitary, and this motion was carried against the governraent by the majority of the coun cil, to the great raortification of the lord-deputy.^ This adverse vote, however, did not deter Lord Capel frora proceeding vrith 2 So early as 1693, I find, from an entry in the State Paper Office, that a bill, with this title, had been drawn out in England, and sent over for con sideration to the then lords-justices. It was probably the same as that now brought forward by Lord Capel. ' Han'is's " Works of Sir James Ware,'' vol. ii. ; " Writers of Ireland," p. 216. A.D. 1095. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 425 the measure, and bringing it before parliament so soon as it should meet. WhUe this bUl was under the consideration of the council, the Presbyterians were not inactive. The leading members of their Church in DubUn urged the northern ministers and people to assist them in obtaining an act of toleration from the approach ing parUament. Letters were written to the several presbyteries in Ulster, recommending thera to unite in an application for that purpose to the king himseK, then conducting in person the siege of Namur, in Flanders. The records of the presbytery of Lagan, the only one whose minutes for this year are extant, will show the manner in which this appUcation was generaUy received, and the arrangements raade for carrying it out. That presbytery, at thefr meeting at St. Johnston, on the 2d of July, resolved unani mously — " That a commissioner be sent forthwith to Flanders, in order to suppUcate the king for our legal Uberty, and for his aUowance to suppUcate the government here for a redress of our particular grievances. And that this commission be chosen by the general committee, in Belfast, from these three ministers, the Eev. Eobert CampbeU, minister of Eay, in DonegaU, the Eev. WiUiam Adair, rainister of Antrira, and the Eev. John M'Bride minister of Belfast." They also recommended that the commis sioner, when appointed, should proceed by way of Scotland, and "consult Mr. Secretary Johnson and the Eev. Mr. WUUam Carstafrs, and crave thefr assistance and advice in managing this affafr." -All these arrangements, it may be presuraed, were duly carried into effect prior to the raeeting of parUament. At this crisis, the Presbyterians employed the press to plead the cause of toleration before thefr countrymen. The Eev. Mr. Boyse once more came forth as their advocate, and, early in the year 1695, he pubUshed a short statement of their clairas, though without affixing his name, entitled — " The case of the Protestant Dissenters in Ireland, in reference to a BUl of Indulgence, repre sented and argued."* The foUovring outline of this exceedingly * This very rare tract, comprised in three pages folio, without a title-page, 9 in Trinity College libr.iry, Dublin. I am not aware of any other copy being 426 HISTORY OF THE PliESBYTEltlAN chap xxi. rare tract, in the words of the author, will exliibit the reasonable demands of the Presbyterians, and the strong grounds on which he rested their case. He exhibits their views as embracing two objects. " First, they desire such a bUl as may give them a full security for the free exercise of reUgion according to thefr con sciences. For granting them such a bUl, the foUowing reasons are humbly offered : — I. Such a biU is necessary for the common' Protestant interest in this kingdom," that is, it was necessary for encouraging Protestants to settle in Ireland, thereby increasing thefr number, and for ensuring their union. " II. It is highly reasonable in itself, because — (1.) The early zeal of the Protestant dissenters ia defence of the constitution and of religion caUed for it. (2.) Foreign Protestants have the same Uberty granted them by an act of the last parUament in Ireland. (3.) The Papists in this kingdom enjoy the Uberty of their reUgion by virtue of a pubUc treaty. (4.) Either the worship of Protestant dissenters must be tolerated, or suppressed by the strict execution of penal laws. (5.) The Protestant dissenters of Ireland are the only per sons in the three kingdoras to whom one great end of his ma jesty's declaration is yet unaccorapUshed, riz., the making a law to cover aU Protestants from persecution on the account of reU gion. Second, they desire that there raay be no such clauses annexed to this bUl as would disable thera from serving their king and thefr country. Many who are for a biU of liberty, yet think it needful to annex some such clauses to it as may inca pacitate thera for any ciril and military offices, for which they aUege the example of England, and think fit the same test to be imposed here. But that such a test here is highly inexpedient, will appear from these considerations. I. The Sacramental Test in England was chiefiy designed against the Papists. II. Such a test is against the common Protestant interest of Ireland. There would be no greater wisdom in setting up such a test, than in needlessly cutting off one arm, when probably we shaU have use for both to defend us. III. It does not seem agreeable to the now extant. It is not included in Boyse's collected works, published in 1728, probably because a copy could not even then be found. A.D. 1095. CHURCH IN IREL.\ND. 427 judgment of the parUament of England that any such test should be imposed here, eke they would have inserted it in their act repeaUng the oath of supremacy. IV. Such a sacrament test is as unreasonable as it is dangerous. For, (1.) If the BiU of In dulgence be clogged with this test, instead of being a favour to Protestant dissenters, it wUl be rather a great hardslup upon ¦ thera, and put them into worse circumstances than they are in at present. (2.) The receivmg the sacrament is no fit test of ad mission to ciril and miUtary offices. (3.) The EstabUshed Church wiU be no ways endangered, though the BUl of Indulgence should pass without any such severe clause to disable Protestant dissenters from serving thefr country. The Idngdora had been entfrely lost if the dissenters had not, at Ennislullen and Derry, concurred to preserve it." This powerful and seasonable appeal did not long remain un noticed. The first opponent it caUed forth was Dr. Tobias PuUen, grandson of the Archbishop of Tuam, and forraerly FeUow of Trinity CoUege, Dublin. He had probably fia-st come into contact with Presbyterians when resident at Earaelton, in Done gaU, as rector of TuUyaughnish ^from 1677 to 1682, or perhaps a few years later. In 1694, he becarae bishop of Cloyne, and, in May 1695, was translated to the see of Dromore, in the county of Down. He was thus once more brought into communication with the Ulster Presbyterians ; and to this numerous party in his new diocese his reply to Mr. Boyse would not prove a favour able introduction. He did not, however, attach his name to it, but published anonymously, " An Answer to a Paper, entitled ' The Case of the Protestant Dissenters of Ireland, in reference to a BUl of Indulgence, represented and argued.' "^ In this pamphlet, Bishop PuUen takes very high ground. He admits, indeed, vrith apparent readiness, the propriety of granting a legal toleration to the Presbyterian Church, but he neutraUses this admission by describing the proposed toleration as a favour which the EpiscopaUans were " inclined to grant, more out of compUance with the iraportunity of those that desire it, than any 5 Dublin, 1695, folio, pp. 6. 4 428 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. .xxi. sense of its reasonableness, as parents humour thefr children, in giring them things that are pleasmg to their palates, though prejudicial to thefr healths, only because they eagerly desfre them." That in reality he was opposed to any act of toleration, is erident from the warmth and eagerness with which he endea vours to overthrow every argument of Mr. Boyse in its favour. He argues that toleration would only multiply sects, encourage the Eomanists, and weaken the Protestant interest in Ireland. He represents the Presbyterians as, of aU others, the least deserv ing of being tolerated, on account of the conduct of thefr brethren in Scotland, both at the period of the Covenant, and more recently at the Eevolution. He insists that their services in Ireland had been amply compensated without the additional boon of a toleration. They have received, he says, " more than ordinary raarks of royal favour, partly by the free liberty that is granted thera throughout the kingdom for the pubUc exercise of their religion, and for the buUding of meeting-houses even in corporate towns, [yet he objects to this liberty, by raere con nivance, being secured by law,] as also by his majesty's bounty, in allovring yearly hitherto a considerable sum for the main tenance of thefr rainisters." He rather insultingly assures thera that " the experience they have had of the tenderness of Episco palians towards thera heretofore, ought to be a sufficient argu ment and security to them of future kindness," without the formality of a law. In a vein of sarcastic frony, which would have done honour to Dean Swift hiraself, he asserts that a Tole ration Act was opposed by raany EpiscopaUans, in order " that they may stUl have it in their power to show their tenderness to their dissenting brethren ; and may prevent or repress the mis demeanours that sorae Nonconforraists raay possibly be guUty of, if they had a legal toleration !" Not less singular is his vindica tion of using the Lord's Supper as a fitting test for ciril offices, which he rests on the unimportance of the act of comraunion. "Why," he tauntingly asks, "should the state employ those that refuse to give so trivial and inconsiderable a mark of corapliance with its orders ?" Only let these stiff-necked Presbyterians con form to the EstabUshed Church by the paltry act of violating a.d. 1095. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 429 their conscientious conrictions, and apostatising from their be loved national church, and then the state will employ thera in keeping the peace, collecting the taxes, and fighting the battles of thefr country ! Scarcely had this paraphlet appeared, when another bishop took the field against the Presbyterians' claim for a legal toleration, as stated by Mr. Boyse. Dr. Anthony Dopping, the bishop of Meath, mentioned in the preceding chapter as presenting ad dresses, equaUy loyal and devoted, to King Jaraes and to King WiUiam, pubUshed a tract, but, like his brother prelate of Dro more, without affixing his name to it, entitled, " The Case of the Dissenters of Ireland considered in reference to the Sacramental Test."" This new opponent did not discuss the question of toleration, which he professed himself wiUing to concede. He appUed hiraself principaUy to show that, if granted by parUament, it must be accompanied by a Sacramental Test excluding the Irish dissenters from aU pubUc offices. On this topic he foUowed very nearly the course taken by Bishop Pullen, enlarging on the dangerous principles of the Presbyterians, as evinced in the Covenant, and showing the manifold dangers to which the Es tablished Church would, as he thought, be certainly exposed, by their continuing to hold any post in the pubUc service, however humble, after receiving the benefit of a legal toleration. The appearance of these pamphlets, nearly at the same time, plainly indicated the organisation of a party prepared to defeat, in the approaching parliament, the Uberal intentions of the king and his ministers towards the Presbyterians. It became neces sary, therefore, vrithout loss of tirae, to refute the objections -urged by these influential writers against the proposed toleration; and Mr. Boyse forthvrith pubUshed another pamphlet, entitled, " The Case of the Protestant Dissenters of Ireland in reference to a BUl of Indulgence, vindicated frora the exceptions aUeged against it in a late Answer."'' Haring already intimated the principal grounds on which each party rested their case, it is « [Dublin] 1695, folio, pp. 6. ' Dublin, 1695, folio, pp. 13. RepubHshed in his "Works," vol. ii. p. 361, &c. 430 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xxi. unnecessary to refer to the contents of this rejoinder. It is enough to say, that Mr. Boyse carefully and, as wUl now be generaUy admitted, conrincingly replied to Bishop PuUen, and, in the latter part of his work, to Bishop Dopping, and that he placed the claims of the Irish Presbyterians to obtain a toleration act, free from the sacramental test, in the clearest light. It was in the midst of this controversy that the Irish parUa ment was opened by Lord Capel on the 27th of August 1695. He lost no tirae in having the question of toleration brought under its notice. On Tuesday, the 24th of Septeraber, the Earl of Drogheda obtained leave from the House of Lords to bring in " heads of a bUl for ease to dissenters," which appears to have been the same as that which had been brought before the coun cU, and its object defeated by the vote of the majority. But, on the day on which it was introduced, the former opponents of the measure were in fuU force to defeat it once more. Out of forty-three peers who were in attendance, there were no less than twenty-one of thera bishops, including, of course. Bishop King of Derry, vrith the two paraphleteers, Pullen and Dopping. The High Church party immediately showed thefr strength by carry ing a resolution postponing the consideration of the biU till the following week.^ The friends of the measure appear to have been disheartened by this vote, and to have deemed it vain to attempt to carry the measure in the face of such opposition. The subject was, therefore, aUowed to drop in the Lords. But, at the same tirae, it was brought before the House of Commons under a different form. At the opening of each session of par Uament, it was customary to appoint a committee to consider what EngUsh acts, not in force in Ireland, should be adopted here, and to report thereon from tirae to tirae to the house. Ac cordingly, on the sarae day on which the subject had been brought before the House of Lords, the committee of the com mons reported that, in thefr opinion, the English Act of Toleration ought to be enacted, and made a law in Ireland, with such altera tions as raight be necessary to adopt it to the state of the king- 8 " Journals ofthe Irish Lords," vol. i. p. 512. a.d. 1695. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 4.31 dom. This was substantially the same proposal which was sub mitted to the lords. For the English Act of Toleration did not impose any ciril disabUities on dissenters. These had been created by the Sacramental Test Act, passed nearly twenty years previously. The effect, therefore, of extending the former act to Ireland, would have been to afford the Presbyterians all the legal protection which they desired, vrithout subjecting them to the loss of any civil privUeges afready enjoyed by them. But the opponents of the measure proved to be as numerous and resolute in the commons as they had been in the lords. A debate arose on the question, which, by developing the relative strength of the two parties, appears to have convinced the government of the impossibiUty of obtaining such a liberal measure of toleration as they wished. They consented that the debate should be ad journed,' but it was not resuraed on the day appointed ; and the great party struggle on the irapeachraent of the lord-chanceUor (Porter), whicli immediately foUowed, may probably have con tributed to dfrect the attention of the coramons from the subject. At aU events, it was not discussed again during the remainder of the session, which was not closed tUl the month of Deceraber. The great argument urged by the bishops and thefr adherents in both houses was, that the EstabUshed Church would not be safe if the Presbyterians were tolerated, without being stript of every office, ciril and raUitary. Yet the results of the last two parUaments might have conrinced every unprejudiced person how groundless such a plea was. The Presbyterians, with their friends in the EstabUshment, were, as a party, so powerless in either house, that, even when supported by government influence, they were unable to carry a single point. How could a body so poUtically weak endanger the stabUity of the Established Church ? Enjoying a free toleration, they would, on the contrary, have proved, as the result has shown, its friends and supporters in the time of real danger. The pretext, that it was necessary to ex clude them frora office for fear of their overturning the Estab Ushment, could not, at aU events, have been decently urged in the lords by their infiexible opponent. Bishop King. He, at ' "Journals of the Irish Coramons," vol. u. p. 685. 432 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xxi. least, was fully aware how very powerless they were, even when favoured by the crown. Writing to an English bishop about a year afterwards, he did not hesitate to say, " The dissenters' in terest in this kingdom is really in itself very weak and low, as sufficiently appeared in the last session of our parUament, in which all their interest joined the lord-deputy's, the speaker of the House of Commons ;!" and aU his adherents could not carry any thing that we had not a mind to ; and, indeed, there were hardly ten dissenters in the house." In the same letter, he pitifuUy bewaUs the scanty measure of favour which the Irish govern ment had extended to the Presbyterians, and represents it in the raost invidious Ught. " It has been the business of most of our governors," he writes, " since the Eevolution, to make an interest for dissenters. My Lord Capel did it aboveboard, and professed that he had the king's commands so to do it, which intimation did thera raore serrice than aU the other ways he could have in vented ; for everybody here has a mighty deference to his ma jesty's pleasure." Yet the only instance he produces of the ex traordinary favour shown to these undeserving Presbyterians is the foUovring : — " To give an instance of ray lord's bias that way, there needs no more but to look over the Ust of sheriffs made last year by him, and it wUl appear that if he could flnd a dis senter in the whole county, the meanest contemptible feUow in it, he was sure to be naraed sheriff, though the great raen of the county looked on it as an affront, and reraonstrated frora thefr quarter-sessions against it." Bishop King then represents the members of his own Church as so unstable and selfish, that un less these dissenters were discouraged, the EpiscopaUans were ready to become Presbyterians the moment they saw that their worldly interests would be proraoted by the change. " Now," he feeUngly exclaims, " if we have such governors stiU put upon us, 'twiU be unpossible, whatever reason or Scripture be against schismatics, to hinder their multiplying ; for most people value thefr interest above thefr religion. And if dissenters be picked out for places of honour, trust, and profit, whUst thefr equals are '» Robert Rochfort, Esq., attorney-general, and afterwards chief-baron of the exchequer. A.D. 1696. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 433 passed by, many will daily qualify themselves as they see their neighbours do. I know not how things are in England with the Church, but I can assure your lordship this is the case here, and that it is a great disservice to his majesty in many respects."ii It is easy to trace in these splenetic complaints the working of that jealousy of the Presbyterians, and that ill -concealed hostility to their Church, which could be satisfied only by thefr expulsion from every " place of honour, trust, and profit," and by confer ring on EpiscopaUans, attached merely by interest to their Church, a monopoly of the honours and emoluments of the public service. Not long after the prorogation of parUament, the Presbyterians lost the steady supporter of their claims to toleration — the Lord- Deputy Capel. He died near DubUn in the end of May 1696; and, in opposition to the vrishes of the EngUsh admimstration, the government of Ireland, by an old act of parUaraent, devolved on thefr opponent the lord-chanceUor, Sir Charles Porter. Being too powerful to be altogether reraoved frora office, the Iting, to counteract his influence, constituted him one of the three lords- justices who were appointed to govern Ireland, and associated with him the Earl of Montrath, a supporter of the English in terest, and the Earl of Drogheda, who was said to be an ad herent ofthe Irish, or the chanceUor's party.^^ This arrangement was only of short duration. The sudden death of the lord-chan- ceUor, in the month of December following, occasioned another commission to be issued to new lords-justices. The chief responsibUity of this goverment rested on the Earl of Galway ; for, of his two coUeagues in office, Lord VUUers, afterwards Earl of Jersey, was absent on the Continent, eraployed in the nego tiations which ended in the peace of Eyswick; and it was some time before his other coUeague, the Marquis of Winchester, afterwards Duke of Bolton, came over to Ireland, and when he did corae, lie exercised but little influence on the course of affairs. 13 The government of Ireland was, therefore, in reality conducted by Lord Galway during the next four years. 11 King's MS. correspondence. 12 Cox's " Correspondence of the Duke of Shrewsbury," p. 112. 13 Ibid, p. 655. 434 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHAP. XXI. This nobleman was a native of France, of the Ulustrious family of Eurigny, who had long been among the acknowledged heads of the French Protestants. At the revocation of the edict of Nantes, he had been compelled to fly to Holland, where he was hospitably received by WiUiam, then Prince of Orange. He ac companied the king in his expedition to England, and afterwards to Ireland, where he distinguished himself at the head of his countrymen in the battle of the Boyne, and was rewarded with the post of Ueutenant-general and the title of viscount, and after wards Earl of Galway. He was devotedly attached to King WiUiam, and, frora education and conriction, he was a warm friend to toleration, and disposed to favour the Presbyterians, who were so nearly aUied in doctrine, government, and worship, to his mother church in France. But he had little experience in political affairs, and scarcely any knowledge of the country he governed; and though sincerely desirous of discharging his high trust to the satisfaction of his king, and for the welfare of the people of Ireland, his administration was far from proving suc cessful or popular. It was confldently expected that these new lords-justices would have assembled the parUament early in the year 1697. The Presbyterians were already bestirring themselves once more to obtain a Toleration Act. In the prerious November, a ge neral coraraittee of delegates from the several presbyteries met at Belfast, in order to draw out an address to the king, praying for thefr " legal Uberty." They agreed to despatch one of their number to England to present it in person to his majesty, and to draw his attention, and that of his ministers, to the painful position in which they stiU stood in the eye of the law. At the same time, the prospect of a parUament roused the High Church party to renew their efforts for opposing the passing of a Tolera tion Act such as the Presbyterians desired. The controversy on this subject was accorduigly resumed, and Bishop Pullen, after a long sUence, pubUshed anonymously a defence of his former paraphlet in reply to Mr. Boyse's aniraadversions.i* The bishop's « Its title was, " A Defence ofthe Answer to a Paper entitled, ' The Case A.D. 1697. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 435 tone had now grown much keener since the publication of his former tract ; and he stooped to make use of several gossiping stories to the discredit of certain Presbyterian ministers, some of which stories were altogether unfounded, and others greatly exaggerated. On the ground of these calumnies, which, even at the worst, inciUpated only indiriduals, and not the body at large, he endeavoured, in the usual strain, to show the danger of granting toleration to Presbyterians, vrithout depriving them of their pubUc offices. He again enlarged, with the greatest seriousness, on the excessive tenderness of the EstabUshed Church towards Nonconformists, because they had not long ago seized, imprisoned, or banished their ministers as intruders into the parishes of the national clergy. With equal gravity he pro poses the foUovring expedient for protecting the Idngdom against the importation of Presbyterian principles from Scotland : — " Therefore, for the preservation of the piibUc peace and safety of the nation, 'tis advisable that we should deal with their preachers at thefr first coming over, as 'tis usually done with those that come from a country infected with the plague. They should all be obUged to perform their quarantine, and undergo some reUgious tests and probations before they be pubUckly aUowed to preach in thefr conventicles."i5 Bishop Dopping, the other Episcopal opponent of toleration, having died in the spring of this year, his place was suppUed by a younger and raore effective eontrovprsiaUst, who, by bfrth, edu cation, and connexions, was a thorough Churchman. His father, and his father's brother, had both been prelates of the Irish Church ; he himself made his way to a raitre, and died an arch bishop, and both his sons also became bishops : such were the rare Episcopal honours which feU to the lot of the favoured famUy of the Synges ! The Eev. Edward Synge had been edu cated at Oxford, and at this time held several beneflces in the dioceses of Cork and Cloyne. When the question of toleration had been discussed in 1695, he had prepared a tract upon the ofthe Dissenting Protestants of Ireland in reference to a BUlof Indulgence, ' from the exceptions kitely made against it." [Dublin 1697,] folio, pp. 2?. 15 PuUen's "Defence," &c., p. 8. 436 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN • chap xxi. subject. But, as the failure of the proposed bill in parUament had suspended the controversy for a time, he refrained from sending it to the press. " But," as he states in his preface, " be cause it is not improbable but that our dissenting brethren wUl, now the parliament meets again, endeavour to gain the sarae point which before they aimed at, it is hoped that these papers may at least be as seasonable now as they would have been had they been pubUshed at the tirae when they were written." On the eve of the opening of parUament his tract appeared, under the title of " A Peaceable and Friendly Address to the Noncon formists, written upon their desiring an Act of Toleration with out the Sacramental Test."i" Mr. Synge appears to have been an amiable raan, raoderate in his riews, raild and courteous in his language, and disposed in general to favour the Nonconformists, if the phantom of the " Church in danger," which has misled so many excellent men, both before and since, had not deluded hini into the adoption of the intolerant measure of excluding them from all public offices. The greater part of his paraphlet consists of an expostulation vrith the Presbyterians on the unreasonableness of their separation frora the coramunion of the EstabUshed Church. He touches the real question at issue only very briefly in the conclusion ; where, notwithstanding all his " peaceable and friendly" counsels, he decidedly opposes the granting of any toleration to them, except they be at the same time excluded frora " aU the places of trust, power, and profit in the coraraon- wealth,'' an exclusion whicli he insists is absolutely necessary for protecting the Episcopal Church frora being overthrown by them in Ireland, as their brethren had so recently done in Scotland. This renewal of opposition to their clairas, in order to influence the parUament, could not well be overlooked by the Presby- i« Dublin, 1697, 4to, pp, 10. The preface bears the date of July 15, 1697. It was reprinted in Dublin in 1732-33, when an effort was made for the repeal of the Irish Sacramental Test Act ; and a letter from the author, then Archbishop of Tuam, was appended to it, declaring that his views were still unchanged, that the Presbyterians vvere rightly excluded from all public offices, and that they ought never to be permitted to hold any place of trust orcmolument. A.D. 1697. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 437 terians. Their former advocate, Mr. Boyse, did not reappear in this controversy, but his place was not unworthUy supplied by a minister in Ulster, the Eev. John M'Bride. He was a native of Ireland, and educated at the university of Glasgow, where he was enroUed in the year 1666. Some time after the year 1670, he was ordained by the presbytery of Tjrone to the pastoral charge of the Presbyterians in the parish of Clare, near Tandragee, in the county of Arraagh, among whom he officiated nearly twenty years. At the death of the Eev. Patrick Adair in the year 1694, Mr. M'Bride became his successor in the Pres byterian Church of Belfast, stUl the only one in that town, and over this church he presided for another period of above twenty years. So soon as Bishop PuUen's last pamphlet had appeared, he had written a reply to it, but had resolved to lay it aside, untU the pubUcation of Mr. Synge's " Address" compeUed him to send it to the press, together with an answer to the latter ; and, in the autumn of this year, he pubUshed in one pamphlet " Animadversions" on both these pieces, without prefixing his name.i^ Mr. M'Bride is perhaps not so poUshed or vigorous a writer as Mr. Boyse, but he is quite as able and expert a dis putant. He carefuUy reviewed the arguments and the aUega tions of both writers, refuting the one and exposing the gross inaccuracy of the other, especially of those calumnious reports to which the bishop had given too ready credence. The foUow ing passage from his prefatory address to the reader vrill afford 1' Its full title was as follows : — "Animadversions on ' The Defence of the Answer to a Paper entituled, ' The Case of the Dissenting Protestants of Ire land in reference to a Bill of Indulgence, from the exceptions made against it.' Together with an Answer to ' A Peaceable and Friendly .Address to tho Nonconformists, written upon their desiring an Act of Toleration without the Sacramental Test.' " Printed in the year 1697. 4to, pp. 118. This pam phlet was most probably printed in Belfast, as the art of printing had been introduced there in the previous year by Messrs. James Blow and Patrick Neill from Glasgow, at the invitation of the sovereign of the town, who joined in partnership with them. The place of printing was not given in the title-page of the above pamphlet, the printers being probably apprehen sive that the High Church party might take steps to break up or injure their concern, if they had been known to print works reflecting on the Established Church. 438 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap xxi. a specimen of his style of writing, and exhibit the well-grounded confidence he had in the justice of his cause : — " The people we plead for are not the idle and consuming caterpiUars of the nation, but industrious labourers, ingenious artists, and honest traders ; whose reUgious principles will abide in thefr strength while one jot or tittle of the law of God endures, because they adore the fulness of the Holy Scriptures as the perfect and only ride of faith and manners. They believe the necessity of a standing Gospel ministry in the Church, to whose dfrective authority they subrait theraselves, not by an iraplicit faith, but by a judgment of discretion. All God's holy ordinances and instituted worship they embrace, but their fear towards God is not taught by the coraraandraents of raen. Their doctrine bears conformity vrith that of the Eeformed Churches abroad, and har moniously agrees with that of Ireland, declared in her convoca tion in the year 1615, excepting in what relates to prelacy and ceremonies. They are vriUing to give unto Cajsar what is Csesar's, and unto God what is God's. They profess their Cre- denda, Petenda, and Agenda, ought all to be regulated by the Word of God. These principles we believe are able to abide a fiery trial. And as their principles are true, so their petitions are modest. Episcopal grandeur, jurisdiction, or revenues, are not deraanded for their ministers or by them. A Uberty to serve God according to these foresaid principles, with a reUef from some penal laws forraerly framed against them, and that no new ones be forged to their prejudice, is all they require. And if such modest requests may be vrith Christian conscience denied a people of such principles, we leave to the determination of our Judge, that standeth at the door, if raen should give sentence against us." Any attempt to give an outUne of this satisfactory defence of the character and claims of the Irish Presbyterians would be as uninteresting as it is unnecessary at the present time. It was too pointed and effective to reraain unnoticed. Mr. Synge resuraed the pen, and, in the end of the following year, he pubUshed a defence of his address in reply to Mr. M'Bride. '^ 18 It is entitled, "A Defence of the Peaceable , ind Friendly Address to the Nonconformists against tho Answer lately given to it. In which the obliga- 1697. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 4.39 Without retracting in the least his opposition to the granting of any BUl of Indulgence to Presbyterians, unless accompanied by thefr exclusion from aU public offices, he expressed hiraself in this pamphlet iu such unexceptionable terms on the abstract question of toleration, that I cannot refrain from laying before the reader the foUowing passages : — " But smce all that has been said and written iu this controversy [respecting conformity to the Episcopal Church], does not convince them [the Presby terians], I tiiink it is very fit that they should be left to stand or faU to their own master, and that a full and free Uberty should be granted them to serve God according to those prui- ciples which he [Mr. M'Bride] mentions, with a relief frora all penal laws whatsoever, as long as they are ready to give the civil government the same assurance that other subjects do of thefr loyal and peaceable demeanour. For to persecute or punish men that are peaceable and obedient to the ciril govern raent on account of their raistakes in raatters of religion or the worship of God, is what I have never failed to declare against, wherever there was any occasion for it. And God is my wit ness, that I had not the least thought or design tending that way, when I writ or pubUshed my Address to the Nonconformists." This pubUcation closed the discussion of the Presbyterians' claims for toleration, which had been protracted through nearly three years, and which terrainated at the very tirae when their griev ances for want of such toleration began to be seriously felt. Alienation was now rapidly increasing between the Episcopalians and thera. The overwhelming infiuence of the one party, and the weakness of the other, had now been clearly ascertained ; and the stronger party were not proof against the temptations to oppression wluch so often accompany the possession of power. It was in the midst of this revived controversy that the Irish parUament was opened by the lords-justices in the end of July 1697, and it sat without interruption for four months. There is no trace, however, of any attempt having been made in either tion to conform to the constitutions of the Established Church is maintained and vindicated, the Answerer's objections solved, and his calumnies re futed." It is dated Cork, October 1, 1698. Dub. 1698, 4to, pp. 56. 440 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap, xxi, house to introduce the question of toleration. Yet, on one or two incidental points, the commons certainly displayed a liberal and tolerant spfrit. Thus, they proposed to continue for ten years longer, and with additional privUeges, an act for natu- raUsing foreign Protestants, principally Nonconformists, which had been re-enacted for a Umited period in 1692.^^ This resolution they foUowed up by presenting an address to the lords-justices, praying that a foreign Protestant minister might be appointed, at a reasonable salary, in every parish where fifty families of such Protestant strangers might be settled.^" These measures were designed principaUy for the encourage ment of French Presbyterians. During the sway of Cromwell, under whom Ireland enjoyed profound tranquilUty, and was rapidly advancing in the arts of peace, a few famiUes of French manufacturers and traders had settled in DubUn, and, for some years after the restoration of Charles II., had maintained araong them a mimster of thefr national Church. But the congregation decreasing, and becoming unable to support a minister, the Irish government offered to grant a salary to a French pastor, provided they would adopt a French version of the English Uturgy in their worship, and conform in other respects to the Established Church. They accepted the offer in the year 1666, on the conditions pro- is By the act 4 Will. & Mary, chap. 2. This act, in section 3, secured to them ' ' the free exercise of their religion, and liberty of meeting together pubUckly for the worship of God and of hearing Divine service, and perform ing other religious duties in their own several rites used in their own coun tries." 20 "Journals of Irish Commons," vol. ii. p. 919. In the State Paper Office there is a memorial from the French Protestants to the government, dated in January 1696, from which it appears that the king had previously promised to grant salaries to their ministers. This resolution ofthe commons, therefore, was passed, as necessary for carrying out the royal promises in a constitutional manner. The above memorial is from " The French Churches, which observe the discipUne of the Churches of France and Geneva," and gives the following Ust of their ministers and congregations in that year :—" Dublin, 2 ministers; Cork, 1; Waterford, 1; Caterlow, [Carlow,] 1 ; Portarlington, 1 ;" aU with endowments of £50 por annum'. It is added that there was "a French colony established at Castleblayney about two years, upon promise of a minister being allowed them." A.D. 1697. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 441 posed ; and at the same time St. Mary's Chapel, attached to St. Patrick's Cathedral, was appropriated to their use. On the re vocation of the edict of Nantes in 1682, a large accession of French refugees resorted to DubUn. But these new-comers, by reason probably of the persecution under which they had suffered so rauch, were too ardently attached to the principles and usages oi thefr national Presbyterian Church to join with their countryraen previously settled there in the use of the EngUsh liturgy. They therefore formed theraselves into a separate congregation, and a benevolent nobleman prorided them vrith a suitable house for thefr worship ; but the penalties for nonconformity were crueUy brought to bear upon these peaceable exUes, because they de clined the use of the Coraraon Prayer-book ; thefr Church was broken up, and thefr rainister seized and imprisoned, nor could he obtain his Uberty untU he promised to abandon his country men and leave the kingdom.^i At the Eevolution they enjoyed, as a matter of course, fuU liberty of worship. When King WilUam was in DubUn, after the battle of the Boyne, two French ministers, Messrs. EosseU and Abbadie, and four elders, appUed to his raajesty, on the 23d of July, for the grant of any Popish chapel which might be forfeited to the crown for conducting their worship ;2^ and, some time afterwards, the chapel which had been occupied by the Jesuits was appropriated to thefr use.^' It was in favour of these nonconforming French Protestants that the act which guaranteed to them ample toleration had beeh passed by the Irish coramons in 1692, and was now renewed in 1697 — a boon which, whUe it was thus freely conceded to the French Presbyterians, was pertinaciously withheld from their Scottish brethren. Encouraged by these favours, it may be added, French nonconforming congregations sprang up, not only 21 See "An Apology for the French Refugees established in Ireland." Dub. 1712, 4to, p. 6 ; and M'Bride's " Animadversions," &c., p. 49. 22 See " Addit. MSS." in the British Museum, No. 9708, p. 160. 23 Perhaps this application may h.ive been from the Conformist congrega tion using the English liturgy. But the French Nonconformists, in their " Apologj'," p. 16, referred to in a previous note, seem to say that it had proceeded from their friends, and that the Jesuits' chapel had been granted to them at the solicitation of Sir Charles Meredyth. 442 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xxi. in the metropolis, but also in Carlow, Cork, Waterford, Port- arUngton, Lisburn, and other places. It does not appear that the resolution of the commons to grant endowments to the mi nisters of these congregations was embodied in any act of par Uament. It was, however, carried into effect, and salaries were paid to French Protestant ministers from this period downwards, so long as any French congregation existed in Ireland.^* The Irish commons took another step in this year, which in dicated a desire on their part to extend some Uttle additional protection to their Presbyterian feUow-countrymen. By Queen Elizabeth's act of uniforraity, then stUl in force, all persons were required to attend their respective parish churches under certain penalties. In reviewing the several Irish acts against the Eoman ists, the commons, whUe they proposed no relaxation of that act with regard to them, adopted a resolution, that its penalties should not in future be enforced against those who should sub scribe the declaration requfred in the room of the oath of supre macy.^ This was one step in the right dfrection, though not a very iraportant one, as the act of Elizabeth had now been obso lete in that respect. Had this resolution been incorporated into an act of parUament, it would have repealed one class of penal ties under which the Presbyterian's lay, and might have been foUowed by the abolition of the remaining ones. But it served only to indicate the temper of the House of Commons at this crisis. It was not even renewed during the session of 1698, the last meeting of parliament in this reign ; so that, with the soU tary exception of the EngUsh act for abrogating the oath of supreraacy in Ireland, the legal disabiUties of the Presbyterians 2* The latest notice I have met with of French ministers in Ireland, and their salaries, is in the year 1822, when the Rev. John Letableu, minister of the Conformist congregation in St. Patrick's, Dublin, received a salary of £160 per annum, though the congregation had become extinct in 1816. The Rev. C. Vignoles, minister at Dundalk, received £60, and the Rev. Charles Vignoles, minister at Portarlington, received £50. Liber Hibernise part VU. p. 312. There was also a nonconforming French Church in Dub lin, whose chapel is stUl standing in Peter Street, but it had probably ceased to exist pior to that year. 25 " Journals of Irish Commons," vol. ii. p. 984. A.D. 1697. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 443 continued to be the same at the close as they had been at the coraraenceraent of King WiUiam's reign. But while thefr poUtical position in Ireland thus remained un changed, the Presbyterians had been rapidly advancing in nura bers and infiuence, and their Church had extended itself beyond its former Umits. In the principal towns of Ulster, such as Lon donderry, Belfast, Carrickfergus, and Coleraine, they had become members of the several corporations, and had attained to the highest municipal offices. New congregations sprang up in various directions; houses of worship were erected or enlarged; vacant congregations were graduaUy supplied vrith ministers, principally frora the EstabUshed Church of Scotland ; and efforts were made, principally by the erection of a philosophical semi nary at KilUleagh, under the care of the Eev. James M'Alpine, to afford facUities for young men to prepare for the ministry in thefr native land. New vacancies were created every year by the death of one or other of the eminent fathers of the Church, who had assisted in her reconstruction after the rebellion of 1641, and had presided over her councUs during the dreary reigns of the restored Stuarts. In the year 1694, the Eev. Patrick Adafr of Belfast was removed from the scene of his labours, and, in the foUowing year, the venerable Thomas HaU of Lame. In 1697 died the Eev. Anthony Kennedy of Templepatrick, and the Eev. Henry Liringston of Drumbo, a relative of the cele brated John Livingston of KilUnchy, and, soon after, the Eev.. Eobert Cunningham of Broadisland, near Carrickfergus, vrith the Eev. WilUam Crooks of BaUykeUy, and the Eev. Thomas Boyd of Aghadoey, both of whom had endured the horrors of the siege of Derry ; these aged ministers, aU ordained prior to the year 1660, were now caUed away to receive the reward of thefr " faith and patience." But thefr places were suppUed by active and diUgent successors, who were indefatigable in water ing the vine which those faithful men had planted in Ulster, and which the storms of persecution had only caused to strike its roots raore deeply into the soil, and spread its boughs raore widely over the land. As the Church extended itself, new arrangements in its ex- 5 444 HISTORY OE THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xxi. ternal government becarae necessary. To secure a more efficient oversight, the five original presbyteries were now, in the year 1697, distributed into two particular synods, or sub-synods, as they were sometiraes called, which were appointed to raeet at Coleraine and Droraore in the months of March and October of each year. At the sarae time, the presbytery of Antrun having becorae too large, in consequence of the rapid extension of the Church in that district, was divided into two, and the new pres bytery was called the Presbytery of Belfast, that town being the ordinary place of its raeeting. This arrangeraent of six presby teries, two sub-synods, and one general synod, continued through out the reraalnder of King WiUiam's reign ; but the continued extension of the Church rendered it necessary to enlarge this platform of government in the first year of the foUovring reign. This steady progress of the Presbyterian Church was not viewed with fridifference by the narrow-minded portion of the clergy of the EstabUshment. In several parts of Ulster they began, on various pretexts, to annoy and harass the Presby terian laity, as weU as the ministers. It is from this year, 1697, when it was seen how powerless the Presbyterians were in par Uaraent, and how remote was the prospect of their obtaining legal protection, that presbyteries and synods had reason to complain of new grievances.2" Thus, in some places, they would not be permitted to bury thefr dead as forraerly, unless the Episco paUan clergyman should officiate at the funeral, by reading the burial serrice of the Uturgy — a test of conformity which the Presbyterians decUned to adopt. In other places they were cora pelled to serve as church-wardens, and take certain official oaths contrary to their conscientious convictions — a grievance which was not rendered raore tolerable, by observing that the Eoman ists were, for the most part, exempted from it. They were also prohibited in certain places from haring schoolmasters of thefr own coraraunion to instruct their famiUes, aU teachers being requfred to conform to the EstabUshed Church. And efforts now began to be made, for the first time, to deter the » MSS. Minutes of Synod. a.d. 1697. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 445 ministers from celebrating marriages among their own people, although they had invariably done so, after due proclamation of bans, since thefr flrst settlement in the kingdom. The same jealous interference with the civil rights of the Presbyterians now began to be manifested in various places. As might be expected, from the hostile influence of Bishop King, the city of Derry had its fuU share of these sectarian jealousies and bickerings. Encouraged by him, one Thomas Moncrieff, an alder man, in the end of this year, laid a formal complaint before the lord-chancellor, to the effect, that the Presbyterian members of the corporation, being the majority, appointed none to raunicipal offices but raerabers of thefr own Church ; in particular, he aUeged that he hiraself had been once passed over in the election of raayor, for no other reason than his being an EpiscopaUan, and referring for the truth of these aUegations to Bishop King. The corporation vindicated theraselves triuraphantly from these unfounded charges, and traced them to their true source — the ill-wUl of the bishop. But, ovring to his predorainant influence in the castle, their elections of raayors and sheriffs, when they happened to faU on Presbyterians, were frequently set aside by the Irish government, and were made a pretext for soon after giving the EpiscopaUans a monopoly of all the corporate offices throughout Ireland.^'' In proportion as the more bigoted of the Episcopalian clergy harassed the Presbyterians in these and other respects, the latter, as was to be expected, becarae less and less forbearing towards the former. Attempts at oppression on the one side not unfrequently led to rude inciviUties, and perhaps insults, on the other, and very unpleasant coUisions in some places were often the result. From a fragment, which has been preserved, of a letter of Bishop King of Derry, such an unseemly state of matters appears to have existed at Belfast, though, in all proba bUity, the statement, as it affects the Presbyterians, is greatly exaggerated, proceeding, as it does, from one who was not very ^ In oori'oboration of this statement, I have inserted in the Appendix an extract from the records of the corporation of Derry, for »hich I am indebted to my nephew, Edward Reid, Esq., ofthat city. 440 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xx;. scrupulous or exact in his charges against thera. In the year 1695, Dr. Edward Walkington, forraerly a feUow of Trinity College, DubUn, and at that time holding a beneflce in Ulster, was elevated to the see of Down and Connor. Lord Capel, then lord-deputy, had used his best efforts to procure a liberaUy- minded clergyman for these dioceses, and recommended Dr. Walkington as such a person to the EngUsh government. He describes him as " a very excellent and constant preacher, of a sober and a good Ufe, and a man of great moderation and temper, which wUl render him the more agreeable to the dis senters in the North, where his residence has been for some years past."^^ Lord Capel, however, must have been sadly deceived with regard to the tolerant character of this clergyman ; for his serraon, preached in Dublin at the consecration of a bishop, only two years preriously, might have shown "what spirit he was of," and how very iU-fitted he was for being " agreeable to the dissenters of IJlster."^^ Early in the year 28 From the original letter of Lord Capel, in the State Paper Office, London. It appears, from another letter of his lordship to the Archbishop of Canterbury vindicating Dr. Walkington from some reports unfavourable to his character, that he had resided from the year 1684 in the diocese of Armagh . 2S I refer to " A Sermon preached in Christ's Church, Dublin, at the con secration of John, Bishop of Ossory. By Edward Walkington, D.D., Arch deacon ofthat Diocese ;" Dub. 1693, 4to. It is on " Neglecting to hear tbe Church ;" an ominous text for all dissenters in the mouth of a churchman, and this sermon does not falsify the omen, as the following extracts will show. After upbraiding Presbyterians for setting up altar against altar, he gives utterance to this offensive insinuation : — " I am tempted to believe that there is something more than religion and conscience at the bottom of these matters, that lawn-sleeves, and caps, and surplices, are too mean a quarry for these men to fly at, and that crowns and sceptres, I mean monarchy in general, is the true and real grievance ;" (p. 15.) Referring to Presbyterianism, he says, " This holy discipline was born and bred in popular tumult, and I helieve it will be hard to show that ever it got footing anywhere by any other means ;" (p. 16.) FinaUy, he does not omit to add the usual High Church dogma, that those only have any claim to God's- covenanted mercy who receive holy ordinances from the hands of Episcopalian ministers ! (p. 21.) Had this sermon been brought in due time under the notice of Lord Capel; it is certain he never would have recommended its author to the see of Down a.u. 16-08. CHURCH IN IKELAND. 447 1698, he appears to have consulted Bishop King of Derry on some points of ecclesiastical law. The bishop, writing in reply from DubUn in the month of May, takes occasion to say — " I understand that the people of Belfast are very refractory, and do many irregular things ; that they will not consent to enlarge thefr church lest there should be room for all the people ; that they bury in spite of the [law] in the Church without prayers, and corae in with their hats ou ; that they break the seats, and refuse to deUver thefr coUection for briefs, according to the order of councU, to the church-wardens. I thinli it is advisable," adds this rigorous bishop, who appears to have had informers against the Presbyterians m aU parts of the prorince, " to ob serve [notice] as many of these passages [occurrences] as you can ; put them into affidarits duly sworn, and send them up here to me or Sir John CoghUl, and we will see what may be done for you. Tu ne cede malis, &c., is a good rule.''^" How far Bishop Walkington acted on these suggestions, so full of hostiUty to the Presbyterians of BeKast, does not appear, though the foUowing occurrence shows that he was no reluctant disciple of such a master. In the raonth of Septeraber following, he forwarded to the governraent a petition, containing several complaints against the Presbyterians of his diocese. It was sent, not as might have been expected, in the usual course, to the lords-justices of Ireland, these noblemen being probably sus pected of not proving thorough enough tools of the hierarchy ; it was transmitted to the lords-justices of England, at the head of whom was the Archbishop of Canterbury, then administering the government in the absence of the king in HoUand, who were doubtless expected to lend a more wilUng ear than their Irish coUeagues in office to coraplaints against dissenters. They contented themselves, however, with simply referring the petition to the heads of the Irish government, with instructions to inquire into the allegations contained in it. The following extract from this petition, which has never been printed, vrill exhibit the and Connor, and thereby much irritation and mischief would havo been prevented. ™ King's MS. Oorrespondentfe. 448 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHAP. XXI. spirit of jealous hostiUty now actuating some of the dignitaries of the EstabUshment, and the length to which these zealots were prepared to go, in order to oppress the Presbyterians. Bishop Walkington says, in his petition — " There is great dissatisfaction given at the unreasonable liberty taken by the dissenting minis ters and thefr elders in these parts, viz., in the North of Ireland, under colour of that connivance which they have from the go vernment for the free and undisturbed exercise of their reUgion. For they are not content to assemble themselves in their several meeting-houses to worship God in their own way, but they pro ceed to exercise jurisdiction openly, and with a high hand over those of thefr own persuasion. They generaUy everywhere cele brate the office of matrimony, by whicli means the settlements made upon such marriages, and the titles of children to thefr in heritances, who are born of persons who are so joined together, are rendered disputable at law.^i They celebrate the sacrament of the Lord's Supper in congregations so formidably numerous, by gathering the inhabitants of ten or twelve or more parishes together to one place, when they preach in the fields, and con tinue there a great part of the day together. They openly hold thefr sessions and provincial synods for regulating of all matters of ecclesiastical concern, and have set up at KilUleagh a phUosophi cal school, in open violation and contempt of the laws : By which bold and unreasonable attempts, and the probable con sequences of them, if not prevented by your lordships' wisdom and care, your petitioner and his clergy wUl be extremely dis couraged in thefr endeavours to reclaim the erroneous, and reduce several weU-raeaning persons to a right and sober judgment con cerning the worship and discipUne of the EstabUshed Church. For all arguments drawn from the necessity of obedience and submission to human laws wiU be of no force with those that are made to beUeve that the liberty that they assume, being hitherto without check, is not only from the connivance but ap- " The bishop does not venture to say that Presbyterian marriages were invalid. He knew well that the best lawyers were of opinion that they were perfectly vaUd ; but as the question had not been tried, he was safe in hazard ing this very qu.ilified assertion, that they were "disputable .it law." A.D. 1698. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 449 probation of the government. Your petitioner, therefore, humbly prays, that your excellencies would be pleased to undeceive these forward men, by putting such a stop to the liberties that they assume, as your lordships think most convenient for the good of the kingdom, and the safety and honour of the estabUshed reUgion : And that, whatsoever measures your excellencies would have to be taken by your petitioner for the asserting the Church's right, and reforming these abuses, your excellencies would be pleased to signify it to my lords the bishops that are of the councU, to be by them coramunicated to the petitioner."^^ After this petition had been despatched to England, a circum stance occurred, whicli was eagerly seized on by the sarae party as another grave offence against the authority and jurisdiction of the EstabUshed Church. The Eev. Mr. M'Bride of Belfast, having been the moderator of the previous synod, had, agreeably to the usual practice, opened the annual meeting of the synod in 1698 with a sermon. He chose for his subject the apostolic synod at Jerusalem. In the conclusion of this discourse, he took occasion to assert the right of the Church to hold siraUar assem bUes of her office-bearers, and to show that the validity of such meetings did not depend on the sanction of the civU power. As his sentiments on this topic were not only complained of, now when they first appeared, but were afterwards appealed to by the Irish House of Lords as one of the grounds on which they then caUed for additional restrictions on Presbyterians, it becoraes necessary to quote the foUowing short paragraph, containing all that the preacher advanced on this subject, that the reader raay see what was then deeraed a serious ground of complaint : — "From the pattern of this assembly at Jerusalem, we are in formed that the want of a caU or commission to assemble from secular power, (we being perraitted to raeet), doth not make our meeting unlawful before God, as sorae raay fancy ; nor doth the want of a civU sanction to our acts make them void ; for this as» sembly had neither, yet was blessed of the Lord. The civU magistrate, we confess, may and ought to call ministers to their 32 Preaorved among the Wodrow MSS. in the Advocates' library, Edin burgh. Rob. iii. 3-5, vol. xxviii., 4to, No. 41. i ">0 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xxi. work, and protect them in it ; yet this is necessary only to the weU-being, but not to the being of such meetings. The primi tive church, for the first three hundred years, enjoyed no such privilege raore than we, yet wanted not thefr assembUes, nor dare we condemn them as unlawful. And as we have reason to bless God that we are permitted to meet in peace, though not com manded so to do, let us, as we have hitherto endeavoured, so be have ourselves as to give no just ground of offence ; for sure we can do nothing prejudicial to the civU interest, if we keep with in our own sphere, and pursue the just ends of our meeting, which are the preservation of truth and peace, and promoting hoUness among ourselves, and those over whom the Lord hath set us ; for certainly such will be found to be best subjects who conscientiously raind these duties." This sermon was heard at the synod with much acceptance, and the raanuscript, having been obtained from Mr. M'Bride, was printed and published vrithout his concurrence. Prefixed to it was the foUovring title, which it is necessary to give in fuU, be cause it forraed in itself a special ground of complaint against its author. It was entitled — "A Serraon before the Provincial Synod at Antrim, preached June 1, 1698. By Mr. John M'Bride, minister of Belfast. PubUshed at the desire of some persons then present."^^ So soon as this pubUcation appeared. Bishop Walkington im mediately added it to his Ust of Episcopalian grievances. He for warded a copy, vrith a formal complaint against it, to the Irish lords-justices, who had already received his petition frora the EngUsh government. In the beginning of October, Mr. M'Bride was summoned to DubUn, and the bishop was invited to substan tiate his charges. Bishops King of Derry, and Pullen of Dro more, with other persons of note hostile to the Presbyterians, pressed the lords-justices, whose impartiality they cfreaded, to refer the investigation of these raatters to the privy-council, where the influence of the bishops was paramount. But they declined adopting this interested suggestion, on the ground that M [Belfast], 1698, 4to, pp. 20. A.... 1698. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 451 the petition had been referred to them expressly by the English authorities. They therefore retained the investigation in their own hands, calUng in the assistance of certaUi of the judges, and several bishops. On Monday, the 10th of October, they held a court for this purpose in the castle, at whicli were present the Lord-Chancellor Methuen, Sfr Eichard Pyne, chief-justice of the court of king's bench, Chief-Baron Doyne of the exchequer, the Archbishop of DubUn, and no fewer than five other bishops, among whom, of course, was the complainant. Bishop WaUdng- ton; the Eev. Mr. M'Bride, and the Eev. Mr. Boyse, who appears to have been another object of Episcopal ire, were also present. The foUowing account of the proceedings on this occa sion has been preserved. "Mr. M'Bride was first interrogated about his serraon then produced, who confessed the preaching, but not the printing thereof, whereof he convinced them. There was only one sentence in it condemned, viz ' That 'tis lawful for the ministers to assemble in synods without the command of the raagistrate, (if permitted), &c.' He desiring the parenthesis to be read, the objection was answered and nothing said to the contrary, or to any other part of the serraon by any of the six bishops who had full power and Uberty to except against it. The rest of the coraplaints were answered, so that both Mr. M'Bride and Mr. Boyse were disraissed without a censure ; only 'twas requfred that they should recommend peace to their brethren and people, and that they should behave themselves respectfuUy towards the estabUshed clergy, which ever has been our practice before and since."^''' A contemporary letter, still extant, though never before pubUshed, furnished the following additional particulars : — " Mr. M'Bride was demanded if the serraon was preached by him, the chanceUor showing it to hira. He owned it was. He was asked, whether it was printed by his order ? To which he answered. No. He was accused for the title-page its caUing him ' mimster of Belfast,' and their meeting ' a provincial synod.' He repUed that the title-page was not his, 3* "Sample of Jet-black Pr tic Calumny, in Answer to a pamphlet called, -A Sample of True Blue Presbyterian Loyalty.'" Glas. 1713, 4to, p. 68. 452 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap xxi. but thefrs who printed the sermon. — Then, as to the matter of the petition, being questioned about the school at KUlUeagh and that divinity was taught in it, he told them no divinity was taught there. And as to the phUosophy school there, it was no raore than what was done in the reign of Charles the Second, in whose tirae there were two such schools ;^^ and he added that Mr. M|Alpine had a Ucense for his school. The Bishop of Down and Connor asked, frora whora ? He repUed from Mr. M'NeiU, chanceUor to the diocese. Mr. Macbride was dismissed with an advice to him and his brethren to carry rectably towards the EstabUshed Church, and to them [the bishops in Ulster] to carry moderately."^" Such was the issue of Bishop Walkington's querulous petition against the Presbyterian rainisters of Ulster. It must have been mortifying, both to himself and his Episcopal brethren, to find that, after aU their efforts, no restraints were laid on the free exercise of discipUne and government in the Presbyterian Church. The lords-justices proved themselves to be impartial and in-, dependent men. They appear to have been sincerely desfrous of preserving peace between the two Protestant Churches, ready to defend the Established Church from every improper inter ference vrith its rights and iramunities, but, at the sarae tirae, prepared to protect the Presbyterians in the enjoyraent of every reasonable privUege they could claira. They had scarcely disposed of this case, when their attention was caUed to another colUsion between the two parties, which unexpectedly occurred in so very reraote a locaUty as the town of Galway. It appears that sorae Presbyterian famiUes from Ulster, having recently settled 'there, and being joined by some of the miUtary in the garrison of simUar principles, had inrited the Eev. WUUam Biggar, then nunister ofthe Presbyterian Church in Limerick, to preach occasionally, and adrainister ordinances among them. Mr. Biggar's risit proving unpalatable to the M One was at Antrim, under the Rev. Thomas Gowan ; see chap, xviii. note 43. The other was at Newtownards, under the Rev. John Hutchinson, Presbyterian Loyalty," p. 505. "i Wodrow MSS., referred to in note 32 above. A.D. 1698. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 453 Episcopalians there, the dormant penalties of the laws against nonconformity were forthwith brought to bear upon him. He was apprehended, carried before the mayor, and committed to prison. But the Archbishop of Tuam,^'' Dr. John Yesey, a native of Coleraine, in Ulster, hearing of the affafr, wrote to the raayor on the inexpediency of such a suraraary procedure, and Mr. Biggar was immediately Uberated, and permitted to return to his charge at Limerick. The case was then brought before the lords- justices, by a memorial from the raayor and corporation of Gal way, praying that, as there had not been any raeeting of dis senters there for the last twenty years, the Presbyterians should be prohibited fr'om creating a division araong the Protestants, to weaken thefr interest in the raidst of so many Eomanists. At the same time, the Presbyterian ministers of Dublin laid a cora plaint before the government of the harsh treatment which thefr brother, Mr Biggar, had received from the ciric authorities of that town. The lords-justices sent for Mr. Biggar, and having examined him on the subject, found that he had confined him self strictly to the preaching of the Gospel, and that he had not given any unnecessary offence to the EpiscopaUans. They sent him back to Limerick, and dfrected that for the present no Pres byterian minister should preach in Galway. They iraraediately laid the whole case before the EngUsh government, to be sub mitted to the king, and prayed that his majesty's pleasure might be conveyed to thera for their future guidance in the matter.^^ What cUrections were returned to them cannot now be ascer tained. But it is probable that the prohibition against preaching in Galway was removed by order of the king ; for, not raore than two years after this period, there was not only a Presby terian congregation regularly organised there, but a minister duly ordained to that charge. During the remainder of their stay in Ireland, the administra tion of these lords-justices continued to be characterised by the ^ See oh.ap. a., note 43. ^ From the letter of the lords-justices, the Marquis of Winchester and Lord Galway, to Mr. Secret.iry Vernon, dated '31st Dec. 1698, preserved among the state papers in Dublin Castle. 454 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap xxi. same integrity and impartiaUty. The Presbyterians, therefore, felt encouraged to bring before them such grievances as from time to time were imposed upon them ; one of the most annoy ing of which arose out of the prosecutions which the High Church clergy in several places had now begun to institute against them in the prerogative courts on account of their mar riages. The rainisters were libelled for continuing to celebrate the marriages of thefr own people according to the forms of their National Church in Scotland, and heavy penalties were iraposed upon thera. The parties married were UbeUed as guUty of for nication, and condemned either publicly to confess themselves guUty of this crime in thefr respective parish churches, or com pound for this penance by a heavy fine to the officer of the bishop's court, whUe all who refused to subrait to these degrading alternatives were pronounced to be Uring in fornication, their marriages declared void, and their children as iUegitiraate. No atterapt, however, was made by the clergy who instigated these prosecutions to have the alleged invaUdity of these marriages tried in the ciril courts, for the very obvious reason that, as the law was then understood, they were held to be perfectly valid and legitimate contracts, though irregularly entered into, and exposing the parties to ecclesiastical penalties. The synod met at Antrim in 1699 took into consideration this growing grievance; and having occasion to thank one of the lords-justices, the Marquis of Winchester, recently created Duke of Bolton, for serrices rendered to the Church during a recent risit to England,39 they resolved that their deputation should, at the same time, apply to their excellencies " for continuing their Uberty, and exemption from molestation on account of marry ing." The result of this appUcation to the lords-justices does not appear ; but the grievance in question was not abated, owing, probably, to the short period during which they continued to preside over the government of Ireland. The Tory party were now rapidly regaining the ascendency ui England, and the Idng 59 It is probable that the services rendered by the Duke of Bolton were con nected with the renewal of the patent for the Royal Bounty, which took place at this time. See note 16 of ch.aptcr xx. A.u. 170^-1. CHURCH IN IRELAND. 455 was compeUed to yield to the pressure, and dismiss his favourite ministers. It was some time before this change was felt in Ireland. In the summer of 1700, the Earl of Eochester, a decided Tory and High Churchman, was selected by the mUiistry and the king for the Irish government,*" and at the close of the year he was for maUy appointed lord-Ueutenant, though he did not risit Ireland tUl the autumn of the following year. The former lords-justices continued in office tUl April 1701, when they were recalled, and the Archbishop of Dublin, and the Earls of Drogheda and Mount Alexander, were appointed in their room till the new lord-Ueu tenant should arrive. This change of government portended no good to the Presbyterians, but they resolved not to be wanting in thefr duty to " the powers that be," and to continue their efforts for obtaining legal protection and security. At a meet ing of the general committee of the synod, held at Belfast in the beginning of September, they resolved, through their brethren in DubUn, to present a congratulatory address to the lord-Ueutenant on his arrival in Ireland, which occurred a few days afterwards. On the 20th of that month, thfiir deputation, consisting of the Eev. Francis IredeU and the Eev. Alexander Skiclafr, ministers in Dublin, were introduced by the Earl of Drogheda to his excellency, and presented the address " in the name of the Presbyterian ministers and people in the North of Ireland." In it they express their hope that, under his rule, they would continue to enjoy " that indulgent favour and protection which his most gracious majesty and his royal consort, of ever- blessed memory, were pleased to grant to thera, and which hath been hitherto aUowed." Fully aware that their position had now becorae critical, and that their opponents would eagerly erabrace this conjuncture to injure thera in the estimation of the govern ment, they proceed to say : — '' And seeing none are more bound to zealous loyalty by principles of conscience and gratitude than we, whereof we have given convincing evidences, we firraly resolve, in our several capacities and stations, not only to main- '« Grimblot's " Letters of WiUiam III.," Ac, vol. ii., p. 429. 456 HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN chap. xxi. tain the safety and honour of his sacred majesty's person and go vernment, but also cheerfuUy to pay aU the respect due to your exceUency's great character; hoping that the prudent modera tion of your government wUl uicrease and confirm the high and good opinion we now have of you, and shall obUge us to satisfy your exceUency that the favours we receive are not abused. And if the contrary be suggested, we hurably presume that your native candour and justice wUl persuade you to hear us before you entertain any other thoughts of us than that we are his majesty s sincerely loyal subjects, and under your excellency's direction and command." The reply of the lord-Ueutenant to this address was more than usuaUy brief; it was to this effect : — " I thank you gentlemen. I shaU be careful to discharge my duty to his majesty in the high station he has set me in ; and I hope I shall not give you any occasion to alter your favourable opinion of rae."« *i The above Address to the lord-lieutenant is preserved among the Wodrow MSS. in the Advoeates' library ; (Rob. iii. 3-5, 4to, MSS., vol. 28,) together with the following interesting letter from Mr. Iredell to the Rev. Mr. M'Bride of Belfast, written immediately after their interview with his excellency : — "Rev. and dear brother, — Yesterday morning I was with the chancellor [Methuen] who is not well ; he approves of our addressing the lord-lieutenant. When he was in England, he says, by order from the king, he waited often upon the lord-Ueutenant to inform him of the state of the kingdom, when he endeavoured to possess him how much it was for the peace of the kingdom that Protestant dissenters, if peaceable, be defended from insults. The chancellor says he cannot find but that the lord-lieutenant has the same prudent affection for dissenters that other governors have had. The chancellor seems still to be a friend, and promises good things, but says we had need to carry warily. Lord Drogheda took your letter in very good part, and ordered me to return you thanks. He said your address was very well. He found fault with nothing in it, tho' he did with that of the ministers here, and made them amend it. And this day Mr. Sinclair and I were introduced by him to the lord-lieutenant between ten and eleven of the clock, who ordered his secretary to read it publickly. His answer was to this purpose [as given above]. This in haste from your affectionate brother,