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"mand all our mayors, constables, sheriffs, judges, &c., " &c., to act as faithful subjects, and to seize the bodies or body of each and every Jesuit, seminary priest, and "other priests who have received their ordination in foreign parts, and commit them to close confinement "until our viceroy or his deputy shall have inflicted on "them just and deserved punishment.

"But if any of the aforesaid Jesuits, seminary priests, "or others shall, before the aforesaid 10th day of De"cember next, present himself before our viceroy, or any "other of our officers of state, signifying his desire to 66 frequent our churches, according to the spirit of our "laws, we will give permission to such Jesuits, seminary "priests, and others, to tarry in our kingdom, and return "thereto as long as they shall continue faithful to the "observances which we prescribe. Such persons shall "have and enjoy all the privileges belonging to our "faithful and loving subjects."

"Given at Westminster, July 4, 1605."

This proclamation was followed by an oath of abjuration, cast by the king's own hand, in which the pope's power to depose the prince, or grant away any of his territories, or absolve his subjects from allegiance, or authorize them to bear arms, with other current charges upon Catholics, was expressly repudiated. Pope Paul V., then new in the chair of Peter, being consulted as to the oath, issued his brief in 1606, declaring that Catholics "could not, with safety to their consciences or the Catholic faith, take this oath." The authenticity of this paper being questioned by certain pliant, conforming Catholics, the same pontiff the following year confirmed its edict by another. To these papers James put forth an elaborate reply, quoting the fathers and canonists with great confidence as being all on his side. Not content with arguing the matter with Cardinal Bellarmine and Father Suarez, he prepared to establish his opinions by all the forces of the state.

In his deputy, Arthur Chichester, he had a zealous agent of tyranny, the pleasures of whose life were twofold, hunting down priests and seizing confiscated estates to his own use.

In 1607, through the infamous Baron of Howth, this deputy and Cecil charged the northern Irish chiefs as intriguing with Spain and the pope. Cited to Dublin, O Neil, O'Donnell, (Roderick,) and their nearest of kin fled from Lough Swilly to Normandy, whence they passed on to Rome, never to return. In 1608, Cahir O'Doherty of Innishowen, fearing the same fate, rose in arms, and after a six months' war, died by assassination. On these most insufficient grounds the six counties of Derry, Donegal, Armagh, Tyrone, Fermanagh, and Cavan were declared confiscated to the crown, and James prepared to plant them with a population, which, in the polity of Providence, became the mortal enemies of his children. James I. brought in the race who drove James II. out. As Kerry, Limerick, Waterford, and Cork had been parcelled out twenty years before to the Kings, Butlers, Boyles, and Raleighs, so the lands of the O'Reillys now went to the Hamiltons, of the McGuires to the Folliots and Gores, of the O'Donnells to the Cunninghams, of the O'Dohertys to Chichester, of the O'Neils to Lindseys, Stewarts, and Brownlows, and the city of Columbcille to the fishmongers of London. Above eight hundred and eighty-five thousand acres of arable land thus changed hands and lords, almost as quickly as in the course of nature the summer stubble is covered with the winter's frost.*

Not content with reducing Ulster to the fate of Munster, Chichester, in James's name, issued, in July, 1610, the following proclamation:

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"Whereas the peace of this kingdom has been imperilled by seminarists and priests, who go beyond seas for the purposes of education, and on their return

"inculcate doctrines calculated to imbue the minds of "the people with superstition and idolatry, we strictly prohibit all, save merchants and sailors, from passing

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*For the security of his Ulster plantation, James, in 1611, founded the order of baronets, giving to each the ancient blazon of the O'Neils -"a hand sinister, couped at the wrist" as a distinctive crest. But Derry and Enniskillen proved stronger against his posterity than all the baronets were for them.

66 over to other countries, on pain of incurring the royal "indignation and the other penalties decreed against "those who transgress the laws of this realm. Where"fore we command all noblemen, merchants, and others, "whose children are abroad for educational purposes, to "recall them within one year from date hereof; and, in 66 case they refuse to return, all parents, friends, &c., "sending them money, directly or indirectly, will be "punished as severely as the law permits."

Ulster and Munster being put out of the contest, and Connaught being rather remote from England for immediate subjection, the Catholics of Leinster were left alone to fight the battle of the church. In 1607, the Baron of Devlin, one of their ablest men, was imprisoned on charge of collusion with O'Neil; in 1608, he was liberated, and from thenceforward his friends wisely preferred parliamentary to armed opposition. The Parliament convened in 1613 gave them an opportunity to test this policy, which they very resolutely did. They set up a candidate of their own for the speakership, and cast ninety-seven votes for him; the castle candidate, Sir John Davies, had one hundred and twenty-seven. The contest became so hot that James fond arbitrator that he was! summoned the heads of both parties to England. The "recusants," as the Catholics were called, caught a terrible philippic in Whitehall, and for a session seceded from the packed Parliament.* In the session of

The

* James, in his speech, accused them of having Peter Lombard ("whom you call a doctor") as their agent at Rome, and Dr. Hollywood in Ireland; of giving their souls to the pope and their bodies to the King of Spain! He wanted to know whether they ever expected to have "the kingdom of Ireland like to the kingdom of heaven! great Chief Justice Coke added, at the end of the royal speech, "May God destroy this Irish people, who cause your crown to tremble on your head!" Preston, Plunkett, Talbot, and Gough were the Irish deputies. At this time many of the Irish hierarchy were obliged for personal safety to reside abroad. 'But," writes O'Sullivan, "in order that there may be priests in all parts of the kingdom to attend to the cure of souls, a salutary plan has been set on foot; for the better understanding of which we are to recollect that in Ireland there are four archbishoprics and a large number of bishoprics; and that at the present day (A.D. 1621) they are all held by ringleaders of heresy; and that Catho

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1615, they again appeared, voted to legalize the confiscation of Ulster, and, in part, countenanced the withdrawal of military and civil commissions from all officers professing the Roman Catholic religion. To some of these "recusants," part of the spoils of the Celtic chiefs was given, and thus a contention was bred between the Norman and Milesian Catholics, which has not since been entirely eradicated. It would, however, be against the record to assert that the "recusant" party did not do good service to the Catholic cause. They were a protection to all the clergy who remained at home; they held in check bigoted executive and judicial officers, and often at great risk to themselves. In 1622, the policy of enforcing the oath of supremacy was again introduced into Parliament. The "recusants" again refused to take it, and were summoned by the Lord Deputy Falkland to appear before him and the council in the Star Chamber, on the 22d of November. "After the judges had explained to them the nature, reason, and equity of the oath, our bishop (Usher) delivered himself in a grand speech on the occasion; wherein he demonstrated that the king was the supreme and only governor within his dominions, distinguishing between the power of the keys and of the sword, and showing that they by no means clashed together; that the jurisdiction of a Roman pontiff over the universal church was a usurped and unjust jurisdiction, and quite overturned the foundation upon which it was built. Some

lic prelates are not appointed to their titles unless in some few instances, for this reason, that without the ecclesiastical dues it seems that such a number of bishops could not support their rank and consequence. For which reason four archbishops, who have been consecrated by the Roman pontiff, appoint priests, or clerks, or persons of the religious orders, for vicars-general in the suffragan bishoprics, with the sanction of the apostolic see. These latter again appoint others for the charge of the parish churches. And Eugene Macmagauran, the Archbishop of Dublin, and David O'Carney, of Cashel, encountering great perils and immense labors, are personally feeding the sheep belonging to their archbishoprics. While Peter Lombard, Archbishop of Armagh, and Florence O'Melconry, of Tuam, (who for many reasons is unable to live safe from the English in Ireland,) have intrusted the care of their provinces to vicars."

*

of those who were called to hear the sentence præmunire (transportation) pronounced against them, were convinced by his reasons, and submitted willingly to take the oath." A printed copy of this discourse was presented to the king, and Usher was soon after presented to the primacy. Whether his logic, or the præmunire, convinced those who took the oath the reader may conjecture.

In 1625, Charles I. succeeded his father. The same year he married Harrietta Maria of France, a sincere and practical Catholic. The Catholics, ever hopeful of deliverance, saw in this event new promises of relief and protection; in entertaining which they were again disappointed.

The first Parliament called by Charles, in 1626, reenacted James's abjuration oath of 1605, and even added a supplement draughted by one Berkely, which required them to deny the pope's supremacy "over the Catholic church in general, and myself [the swearer] in particular." Nor was this test theoretical. In 1629, while the Catholics were celebrating mass in Cork Street, Dublin, the Protestant archbishop, with the mayor and a file of musketeers, were sent to disperse them; "which they did, taking away the crucifixes and ornaments of the altar, the soldiers hewing down the image of St. Francis." The priests and friars being captured, the people assailed the pursuivants with stones and clubs, and a reënforcement had to be sent to secure the prisoners. Under the same deputy, (Falkland,) "eight Popish aldermen of Dublin were clapped by the heels for not assisting the mayor;" the revenues of the corporation of Waterford were escheated for "obstinately choosing a succession of 'recusants' for their chief magistrates; "t and a proclamation issued, forbidding, on pain of imprisonment, all friars and priests "to teach, preach, or celebrate their service in any church, chapel, or other public oratory, or place, or to teach any school in any

*Ware's Irish Bishops, vol. i. p. 102.

† Leland's History of Ireland, vol. ii., reign of Charles.