same success, that the Harlot boasted of to Socrates, That she could find more followers that he, notwithstanding all his philosophy, because (as that great man answered) she proposed the loose way of vice and wickedness, while himself preached the rugged part of virtue.

In England she since got her parliaments to pass what laws she pleased to that purpose, and to turn Protestants too for company, as being the easier way to Heaven; for 'till then, the silly Papists thought themselves very happy, if they could reach thither at any rate, not only like Pilgrims on foot, but with a continual exercise of tedious fastings; large alms-deeds, frequent confessions, austere penance, and over and above all this, a full and free restitution to the utmost of their power, whensoever they had injured their neighbours; but upon a new Protestant discovery of the northeast passage to Paradise, they found they might go to Heaven in coaches, and be secured of the land of promise without that superstitious foppery, which could avail them nothing. Wherefore this edifying doctrine of Gospel liberty, so charming tor its novelty and, so agreeable to flesh and blood was immediately received into England with open arms; and for fear the changeable people should offer at any time to prefer the Flesh pots of Egypt before this heavenly manna, it was therefore estab lished by dint of law,

But in Ireland the incorrigible fools were more steady and fixed in their ancient way of worship; for altho' in Henry the VIII's time they were strangely imposed upon, and made believe that the chief Quarrel this K. had with the Pope was

purely about civil affairs or matters of temporal government; were confirmed in this opinion, because the king himself and his English parlia ment too, who had declared for him against the Pope, were at the same time all professed Roman Catholics, for which reason the Irish Parliament made no scruple to pass several extravagant acts against the papal jurisdiction, or the same in effect that had passed before in the parliament of EngJand; yet having had time to consider of what they had done, and finding that all the Catholics of Europe exclaimed against their proceedings, they no sooner met again in Parliament, which was the third of Philip and Mary, but they unanimously repealed and abolished all the said statutes.

Queen Elizabeth therefore knowing that the Irish could not be again surprized the same way: but on the contrary were resolved against all innovations in religion, caused a packed convention to assemble under the notion of a Parliament, which for the most part consisted of such members as she believed might be easily won, or imposed upon, nat to thwart her designs, For in this convention all possible care was taken that very few of the most eminent peers, and as few of the leading commoners, of the kingdom, should meet; by which means, and some other subsequent devices, matters were so contrived, that several acts were then pawned upon the people for granting to that Queen the absolute disposal of ecclesiastical livings, especially of bishopricks, for enjoining her new oath of supremacy, and utterly abolishing the Pope's jurisdiction. And to complète the work for esta blishing instead of Mass her book of cominon A 5

prayer

prayer, with severe penalties upon such as should oppose any branch of their precious reformation, Now that these pretended statutes were gained by tricks, and sinister ways and not by the free and legal consent of the representative body of the nation, plainly appears from this undeniable truth, that not one in five hundred of the natives was then Protestants, or became so during Q. Eli zabeth's reign, which could not possibly have hap pened, no more than it did in England and Scot land, had the Irish lords and commons freely consented to the enacting of such laws. And for a further confirmation of this truth, it is to be observed, that while those lived that sat in said convention, and knew very well that no such acts were passed by them, this Queen never ventured to put them in execution, nor indeed to make any great noise there were such statutes in being, until after the Spanish armada, which came to invade her in the Year 1588 was utterly defeated.

That Spanish cloud was no sooner dispersed than Q. Elizabeth resolved to fall upon the Irish with all the severity imaginable, in order to force her pretended reformation upon them; first, she prosecuted some on pretence of having relieved a few Spaniards cast by stress of weather upon the coast of Ireland; then she ordered others to be seized on for having harboured Catholic bishops, priests and friars; and a great many more were questioned for having been at Mass, or not coming to the Protestant meetings, as they were enjoined by the said pretended acts, of parliament.

The nobility and gentry of Ireland particular

ly the Earl of Tyrone and several others of the leading men of the nation, were strangely alarmed at this illegal way of proceeding; for they plainly saw there was no choice now left but either to, abjure their religion, or to stand in their own just defence against the arbitrary encroachments of that usurper. They chose to venture upon the latter, and the rather because of the encouragement they received not only from the Spaniards, who promised them mighty succours, but also from James the 6th King of Scotland, who tho' bred a Protestant, yet as well to revenge his mother Queen Mary's barbarous murder, the undoubted heiress of the Crown of England and Ireland, as also to divert and weaken the English, in case they should oppose his rightful succession, sent them underhand more effectual supplies from time to time than the Spaniards did, notwithstandingt heir great promises.

Hereupon a war ensued, which lasted several years, and ended not 'till Queen Elizabeth was piring. The Lord Montjoy, then her deputy of Ireland, finding she was despaired of by her physicians, and not knowing what revolution might happen in England upon her death, employed some friends under-hand to make overtures to the Earl of Tyrone of a general amnesty for himself and all his adherents, the free exercise of their religion, and a full enjoyment of their estates and fortunes, on condition that they would speedily lay down their arms. Tyrone and his party accepted of these terms, and were thereupon every one of them restored

Tyrone's War,

restored to their former possessions, which they peaceably enjoyed for several years after. The summer following, Tyrone goes for England, to submit himself in person to King James, who now succeeded Queen Elizabeth in the English throne, where he was not only well received by the King, as Baker observes, but also had a proclamation is3sued in his favour, that he should be used by all men with honour and respect.

This King, while in Sotland, gave great hopes to the English Catholics, and to the Pope, of his favourable intentions towards their party, and promised him his protection and favour, in case he succeeded Queen Elizabeth, nay, there was an express letter under the king's hand and -seal sent to Clement the 8th then Pope, to assure his holiness of his Majesty's inclination to become Roman Catholic, when he was settled on the Eng Jish throne, as Sanderson and several others men tion, but with this addition of their own, that the letter was sent by the fraud of the Scotch secretary of state but however it was, 'tis most certain, "that the king was soon diverted from all this by the fraud and wicked artifice of the English secretary, crook-backed Cecil, by whom, after the said letter was brought out of the Pope's cabinet, his Majesty was prevailed upon to shew that party no manner of countenance, but on the contrary, to pass very severe laws against them upon the ac count of the horrid powder plot, which was soon after framed by the contrivance of that crafty mi

nister

The Powder plot. In his King James Edt, London, 1656, page 48.

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