We must remember that in this interval of a fortnight occurred the terrible massacre, on Island Magee, by the Presbyterian garrison of Carrickfergus. Upon this islet, accessible on the land side at low water, dwelt three thousand souls. On the night, some say of the 1st, some of the 6th of November, the Covenanters surrounded the island on three sides, driving the entire population, with sword and bayonet, towards the clefts of the high, rocky sea-coast. The entire population, "men, women, and children, were cruelly massacred," says Carte; some were killed on the shore, the rest drowned in the tumultuous waves of the North Channel. We hear much of Sicilian Vespers, of St. Bartholomew's day, of Albigensian massacres; but what English book mentions the slaughter of the three thousand Catholics at Island Magee?"

*

So closed the year 1641, than which no poor year was ever more slandered. The "great Popish massacre was an invention of the Puritans to inculpate the queen and her friends, to throw discredit on the king's "graces," and to justify their own military preparations. The credulity of that age, in which Oates, Bedlow, and Dangerfield were educated, was easily imposed on. Even grave historians have adopted the inventions of the Puritan broadsheets of 1641 and 1642. The Earl of Warwick sets down the number massacred at two hundred thousand souls; Sir John Temple at three hundred thousand; the historian Rapin, at one hundred and fifty-four thousand; Clarendon, at forty or fifty thousand; Milton at eighty thousand; Hume at forty thousand; Carte at twelve thousand; Dr. Warner at four thousand and twenty-eight, which "in his conscience," he takes to be an exaggeration! Such are the discrepancies of the strictly Protestant historians. Let us consider the true basis of calculation-the then population of Ireland. In 1641, the total was but one millon four hundred and

*The tradition of Ulster relates that three of the male inhabitants only escaped, and that from them the Catholic McGees of the north of Ireland are all descended. It is a source of pride to the present writer that the blood of that martyr clan flows in his veins.

Sir William Petty's Survey, in Dublin Society's Library. Dr. Lingard has proved that there is no mention whatever of a Protestant massaere in the state papers of 1641!

forty-six thousand; of which, by Protestant computation, the Protestants were as two in eleven, or two hundred and twenty-five thousand in all the four provinces. Of these fully one half lived in Dublin and other walled towns, which the English never lost, and, at most, but twenty thousand were residents in Ulster. We are told by a contemporary that six thousand, out of the single county of Fermanagh, were saved, notwithstanding that it was the county of Lord McGuire, whose recent seizure must have excited the indignation of his wide-spread clansmen. But why argue upon it? Whoever will examine candidly the evidence of the pretended massacre will find that it has no wide foundation. Instances of individual revenge, of unnecessary bloodshed, no doubt there were; the old proprietors, in some cases, washed out the title deeds of the Puritan farmers in their blood, and some of the inhabitants of Portadown, Monaghan, and other towns, were butchered by the conquerors; but a general or even local "massacre" never occurred. With Warner we assert, "it is easy enough to demonstrate the falsehood of the relation of every Protestant historian of the rebellion," * and with Edmund Burke, who examined, with Dr. Leland, the entire evidence, we must express our utter astonishment that writers of "pleasant histories" should yet venture to reprint the fifty times refuted lies of the Puritan "broad sheets." †

During the winter of 1641, O'Moore and his coadjutors were not idle. In March, the lords of "the Pale," for the sake of peace, tried one last remonstrance, which took its name from Trim, where it was agreed on. This document recites the grievances of the body, protests their loyalty, and prays for relief. It was received by the king's commissioners, but no answer was returned. At Kells, in the same neighborhood, a provincial synod for Ulster, summoned by the primate, Hugh O'Neil, assembled. With a politic motive this synod suggested a national council, and adjourned to meet it at Kilkenny, on the 10th of May following. On the 8th of April, King Charles, in his speech to Parliament,

* Warner's History of Ireland, reign of Charles I.

t Prior's Life of Burke.

declared that he "would never consent to the toleration of the Popish profession, or the abolition of the laws then in force against Popish recusants." He expressed his determination of crossing the channel personally to head the forces against "the detestable rebels." The Puritan Parliament, however, withheld his supplies for their own reasons, and at the same time induced the Scotch Parliament to send over two thousand five hundred men, under General Monroe, who landed at Carrickfergus, on the 15th of April, one week after the king's speech was delivered.

Under these circumstances, the Irish hierarchy assembled at Kilkenny, on the 10th of May, and proceeded to deliberate on the state of the kingdom. The archbishops of Armagh, Tuam, and Cashel, six bishops and five proxies, were present. As the only remaining estate of the Celtic constitution, as members of an order which in that age possessed throughout Europe legislative powers, and as the actual guides of the body of the people, their right to do so is indisputable. This august council issued a manifesto to the Catholics of Ireland, calling on them to confederate for the common defence. They then ordained the following basis of confederation:

“I. Whereas the war which now in Ireland the "Catholics do maintain against sectaries, and chiefly "against Puritans, for the defence of the Catholic reli"gion, for the maintenance of the prerogative and "royal rights of our gracious King Charles, - for our "gracious queen, so unworthily abused by the Puritans,

''

for the honor, safety, and health of their royal issue, "for to avert and repair the injuries done to them,"for the conversion of the just and lawful safeguard, "liberties, and rights of Ireland, — and, lastly, for the "defence of their own lives, fortunes, lands, and posses"sions;—whereas this war is undertaken for the foresaid "causes against unlawful usurpers, oppressors, and the "enemies of the Catholics, chiefly Puritans, and that "hereof we are informed, as well by divers and true re"monstrances of divers provinces, counties, and noble"men, as also by the unanimous consent and agreement

" of almost the whole kingdom in this war and union,"we therefore declare that war, openly Catholic, to be "lawful and just; in which war, if some of the Catholics "be found to proceed out of some particular and unjust "title,covetousness, cruelty, revenge, or hatred, or any "such unlawful private intentions, we declare them "therein grievously to sin, and therefore worthy to be punished and restrained with ecclesiastical censures, if, "advised thereof, they do not amend.

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"II. Whereas the adversaries do spread divers ru"mors, do write divers letters, and, under the king's "name, do print proclamations, which are not the king's, by which means divers plots and dangers may ensue "unto our nation; we therefore, to stop the way of un"truth, and forgeries of political adversaries, do will and "command that no such rumors, letters, or proclama ❝tions may have place or belief until it be known in "a national conncil, whether they truly proceed from "the king, left to his own freedom, and until agents of "this kingdom, hereafter to be appointed by the National "Council, have free passage to his majesty, whereby the "kingdom may be certainly informed of his majesty's "intention and will.

"III. We straightly command all our inferiors, as "well churchmen as laymen, to make no alienation, "comparison, or difference between provinces, cities, "towns, or families; and lastly, not to begin or forward "any emulations or comparisons whatsoever.

"IV. That in every province of Ireland there be a "council made up, both of clergy and nobility, in which "council shall be so many persons, at least, as are coun "ties in the province, and out of every city or notable "town two persons.

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"V. Let one general council of the whole kingdom "be made, both of the clergy, nobility, cities, and nota"ble towns, in which council there shall be three out of every province, and out of every city one; or where "cities are not, out of the chiefest towns. To this "council the provincial councils shall have subordi "nation, and from thence to it may be appealed, until

"this National council shall have opportunity to sit 66 together.

"VI. Let a faithful inventory be made, in every 66 province, of the murders, burnings, and other cruelties "which are permitted by the Puritan enemies, with a "quotation of the place, day, cause, manner, and per66 sons, and other circumstances, subscribed by one of public authority.

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... VII. We do declare and judge all and every "such as do forsake this union, fight for our enemies, accompany them in their war, defend or in any way "assist them, to be excommunicated, and by these 66 presents do excommunicate them.

VIII. We will and declare all those that murder, "dismember, or grievously strike, all thieves, unlawful "spoilers, robbers of any goods, to be excommunicated, " and so to remain till they completely amend and sat"isfy, no less than if they were namely proclaimed ex66 communicated.'"

Before admission into this confederacy, the following oath was prescribed to be publicly taken on the holy evangelists, before the altar of a church:

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"I, A. B., do profess, swear, and protest before God " and his saints and angels, that I will, during my life, "bear true faith and allegiance to my sovereign lord, "Charles, by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, "France, and Ireland, and to his heirs and lawful succes"sors; and that I will, to my power, during my life, de“fend, uphold, and maintain, all his and their just pre"rogatives, estates, and rights, the power and privilege of "the Parliament of this realm, the fundamental laws of "Ireland, the free exercise of the Roman Catholic faith and "religion throughout this land, and the lives, just liberties, "possessions, estates, and rights of all those that have "taken, or that shall take, this oath, and perform the con"tents thereof; and that I will obey and ratify all the "orders and decrees made, and to be made, by the su66 preme Council of the Confederate Catholics of this "kingdom, concerning the said public cause; and I will "not seek, directly or indirectly, any pardon or protec