they obtained a large tract of land on the lower part of 1610. the river Ban in the vicinity of Derry, which town they rebuilt and called Londonderry. The profuse grant of the whole territory of Innishowen with all the other lands of Sir Cahir O'Dogherty to Sir Arthur Chichester, the adviser of this plantation, tended to estrange the affections of the Irish from their sovereign, and his servants. Sir John Davies has too officiously complimented his sovereign upon this period of his reign, *"This bred such comfort and security in the hearts of all men, as thereupon ensued the calmest and most universal peace that ever was seen in Ireland." + Leland, however, upon the authority of Carte and Chichester's own letters, gives a widely different view of the internal state and spirit of the Irish at this period. "The reformed looked with abhorrence on the partizans of idolatry, and the imps of Antichrist; the Romanists with equal rancour inveighed against he resy and apostacy, the blind ministers of Satan and children of perdition." To consider James, says Hume §, in a more ad- Hume's misrepresentation of * Sir John Davies has written with more truth and impartiality James. than any cotemporary English author. Some degree of partiality must however be allowed on matters, in which he was consulted. Sir Francis Bacon was also advised with; but his advice was not followed. Sir John Davies, through his historical relations, has studiously avoided any mention of religion; well knowing how tender the Irish were upon that subject. † 2 Lel. p. 439, Carte Orm. Chich. letters, mst. Trin. Col, Dub. 2 Lel. P. 441. § Historical reign of that Monarch. 1613. vantageous light, we must take a view of him as the legislator of Ireland. He frequently boasts of the management of Ireland as his master-piece: and it will appear, adds this author, upon enquiry, that his vanity in this particular was not altogether without foundation. The short sketch, with which that historian follows up this observation, is the most false, ignorant, and insulting representation of the Irish nation, to be found in any modern author of respectability. James con liament. Court and Country Twenty-seven years had elapsed since a parliament had been convened in Ireland, when James deemed it necessary to call one for the specious purposes of supporting the plantation lately made, removing grievances, repressing discontents, and securing the administration against all attempts of turbulence and disaffection. The progress of the reformation in Ireland under James, although much more rapid than under Elizabeth, did not yet answer the views of government. Chichester had convinced the king of the necessity of establishing a Protestant ascendancy in the Irish parliament, and pledged himself that, with a plenitude of power to make the previous arrangements, he would, in defiance of numbers, property, and influence in the country, secure it in both houses. So early was the doctrine of managing parliament brought to practical efficiency. Protestants and Catholics were arrayed against each parties in other, according to what in modern parliamentary language would be termed the court and country party. The manoeuvre of government could not be parliament. kept secret from the nation. The Catholics took the 1613. alarm, that it was the design of government to force upon them some additional grievances, especially as it had not vouchsafed, according to Poyning's law, to make any previous communication of the design of summoning the parliament, or of the laws intended to be enacted therein. Accordingly six of the principal lords of the Pale addressed a letter to the king, strongly expressive of their apprehensions, and plainly pointing out to him the consequences, which this rigorous system of government to punish the national adherence to their ancient faith would inevitably produce *. The style of this letter was too free and independent for James's inflated notions of the royal prerogative t. He pronounced it to be a rash and insolent interference with his authority. acquiring ant ascend The lord deputy continued to increase the number Mode of of the new boroughs, for which court candidates were the proteste returned, until he had secured a majority of that party. ancy. Forty new boroughs were created, of which several were not incorporated till after the writs had issued. Violent altercations attended the meeting of this liament, not only upon the election of Sir John Davies. for the speaker of the House of Commons, in opposi par * That letter is to be seen in the Appendix to my Historical Review, No. XV. + In his speech to parliament, 1609, he told them, I would wish you to be careful to avoide three things in the matter of greevance. 1st, That you doe not meddle with the maine points of government, that is my craft, tractent fabrilia fabri; to meddle with that were to lesson me." James's Works, fo. ed. p. 537. 1613. tion to Sir John Everard ("a recusant," says Leland, Secession of the ca from par liament. "of respectable character, who had been a justice of the King's Bench, and on resigning this station, rather than take the oaths, was indulged with a pension,") but also on account of the illegality of many of the returns of the court members, which the country party vehemently protested against. Two hundred and thirty-two members had been returned: six were absent of the remainder one hundred and twenty-five were protestants; and one hundred and one formed the recusant party. The upper house consisted of sixteen temporal barons, twenty-five protestant prelates, five viscounts, and four earls, of which a considerable number, says Leland, were friends to the administration*. The catholic party was so provoked at this factious tholic party majority, that for a time they seceded from parliament; and were only induced to resume their seats by the assurances of the lord deputy, that no other bill should for the present be propounded, than that for recognizing the king's title. The parliament was prorogued, to give time for the violence of passion on both sides to abate. In the mean while, the catholic party dispatched agents to lay their grievances at the feet of their sovereign. The deputy also sent his agents to counteract their efforts t. Two of the catholic * The majority of Protestant members returned to this parliament is very surprizing, considering how very few of the Irish had then given into the reformation. Geoghegan asserts, that there were not sixty down to the reign of James I. The catholic agents were, the lords Gormanstown and Fer agents were, immediately on their arrival, committed 1613. prisoners, one to the Tower, the other to the Fleet. James received the petition of their associates in a most ungracious manner, and, in violation of the independent rights of the Irish parliament, referred the final determination of it to the English privy council. The result of this appeal to the sovereign was a most disgraceful dismissal of the catholic agents; a rejection of their demands; the imprisonment of Sir James Gough, on his return to Ireland, for boasting of the king's promise to grant redress, and the remuneration of Chichester by fresh grants. Chichester thus supported by the king found little difficulty in passing every act, as it was proposed, moy, Sir James Gough, Hussey, Lutterel, and Talbot. The lord deputy's were, the earl of Thomond, Sir John Denham, the chief justice of the King's Bench, and Sir Oliver St. John. * Whoever wishes to form a candid opinion of the conduct of James, is referred to the authentic documents, which are to be found in the Appendix to my Historical Review, Nos. XVI. and XVII. being the remonstrance of divers lords of the Pale to the King concerning the parliament; and the king's speech to the lords of the council before the Irish agents. This latter is a curious specimen of the pedantic raillery of James to the deputies representing the bulk of his Irish subjects. Amongst other quaint taunts, he calls them a body without a head: a headless body; you would be afraid to meet such a body in the streets: a body without a head, to speak.--Nay half a body---What a monster was this---a very bug-bear!---and---what is it to you whether I make many or few boroughs. My council may consider the fitness, if I require it; but if I made 40 noblemen, and 400 boroughs----the more the merrier---the fewer the better cheer. And again: You that are of a contrary opinion must not look to be the law-makers: you are but half subjects, and should have but half privileges. |