the QUEEN's army, and professed the cause of their rising was to maintain the KING's prerogative and the QUEEN'S religion against the puritan parliament in England, and thereupon both houses of parliament had humbly and earnestly advised his majesty to wipe away this scandal by proclaiming them rebels and traitors; yet no proclamation was set forth to that purpose till almost three months after the breaking out of this rebellion; and then command given that but forty copies should be printed; nor they published till further directions from his majesty."-Rushw. Coll. Part III. Vol. I. p. 775. "This was the more observable by the late contrary proceedings against the Scots; who were in a very quick and sharp manner proclaimed; and those proclamations forthwith dispersed with as much diligence as might be, throughout all the kingdom, and ordered to be read in all churches, accompanied with public prayers and execrations."-Clarend. Vol. 11. p. 550. It was farther alleged,

"That, when 5000 foot and 500 horse had by the parliament and adventurers been designed to be sent as a brigade under Lord Wharton to Ireland; the commanders, money, arms, all prepared for the expedition at the charge of the adventurers, and nothing wanting but a commission from the king to enable Lord Wharton for that service, it could not be obtained from his majesty; by reason of which Limerick was wholly lost, and the province of Munster reduced to great distress.

"That when divers pious and well-affected persons had prepared twelve ships and six pinnaces, with 1000 or more land forces at their own charge for the service of Ireland, and desired nothing but a commission from his Majesty to enable them for it, this commission also was denied; after twice sending to York for it, and the ships lying ready

to sail for three weeks together, at the expence of near 300 pounds a day.

“That notwithstanding the bleeding condition of Ireland, yet divers commanders and officers in pay and actual employment there against the rebels, were called away from that important service, by the express command of the king. That the parliament having made great provisions of cloaths for the poor soldiers in Ireland, for their present succour, 600 suits sending thither, as also a great number of draught horses for the artillery and baggage of the Irish army, were seized and detained by the king's soldiers and servants, and not suffered to proceed.

"That Kettleby the admiral and Stradling the vice-admiral of the ships, directed to lie upon the coast of Ireland to annoy the rebels, and to prevent the bringing to them ammunition and relief from foreign parts, were both called away from that employment by his majesty's command; by which the rebels received powder, ammunition and relief."-Rushw. ubi supra.-" That after the ports of the kingdom had been stopt against the Irish papists by both houses, many commanders, who afterwards appeared in the head of the rebel army, had been suffered to pass by his majesty's immediate warrant."-Hist. Stu. p. 191.

Whether king Charles, like a tender father of his people, was zealous to suppress this monstrous rebellion; or to rescue the distressed and terrified remains of his protestant subjects in Ireland from the hands of their bloody enemies, must be left to every one to judge as evidence shall incline him. There is one fact, not generally taken notice of in the histories of these times, which seems to throw further light upon this dark affair, Sidney earl of Leicester (whom Lord Clarendon represents, as not well looked upon by the parlia

ment, but a man of honour, faithful to the king and heartily solicitous for the succour of Ireland and for his majesty's service there," Clarend. Vol. 111. p. 161, 201,) had some time before been made by the king lord lieutenant of Ireland: the parliament, upon the breaking out of this detestable rebellion was for hastening him over with all possible expedition, affairs in that kingdom requiring his presence but still his departure was deferred: the earl apprehending this delay might be imputed to him as a neglect of duty, writes a letter to the earl of Northumberland to excuse himself, and give the reasons of his delay. An abstract of which follows.

"Lest I should incur the censure of the parliament for negligence in that service to which I have have been designed, I will truly relate to your lordship how I have behaved-I have been impatient of this delay, and diligently solicited my dispatch. When I came to York, I told the king I was come to receive his majesty's commands and instructions for the employment he had done me the honour to confer upon me: I humbly besought him, that I might not be staid at court, because the parliament desired my speedy repair to Ireland, and his service, I conceived, required it, at least that some governor, if I were not worthy of that charge, should presently be sent into that kingdom. The king told me he would think of it. But I confess I did not find his majesty so ready to dispatch me, as I hoped and expected. From that time I did not fail to beseech his majesty to send me away, every opportunity I had of speaking to him divers times I made petition to the king that he would dispatch me, or declare his intention that he would not let me go at all: he said my instructions should be drawn. In expectation thereof I stayed three weeks longer, until the king

came from York. He appointed me to follow him to Nottingham, promising that there I should have my expeditions. I obeyed, and came after his majesty to this town, where I have attended ever since, perpetually soliciting to be dispatched; and beseeching that I might either go to my employment, or have leave to retire to my own house.

It is to no purpose to tell you every passage, but this I do protest to your lordship, that if it had been to save the lives of all my friends and of myself, I could not have done more to procure my dispatch. Nevertheless I have not been able to advance it one step, nor seen any thing to make me hope to have it quickly, till this morning a draught of my instructions was given me to pe ruse."-Bennet's Def. Mem. p. 93.

These strange delays in the king are far from helping to clear him of suspicions of secretly favouring the rebellion.

Further. The truce and cessation of arms, which his majesty, contrary to his solemn promise, entered into with these Irish cut-throats, was a subject not at all favourable to his character as to this matter. "The marquis of Ormond had given the rebels there a very signal defeat: but soon after he received a commission from the king to retreat with our subjects, who have taken arms against us, and to agree with them upon a CESSATION. He accordingly enters into an agreement with those execrable murderers, in the articles of which they are stiled his majesty's GOOD SUBJECTS. To make way for this infamous treaty Sir William Parsons, one of the lords justices, was turned out of his place; as were also Sir John

*Note, This cessation with the Irish rebels was resolved on by the king, long before the parliament's negociation with Scotland; and long before the Scots resolution to levy an army. Vide Inquiry into Glamorgan's Transactions, p. 317.

ment, but a man of honour, faithful to the king and heartily solicitous for the succour of Ireland and for his majesty's service there," Clarend. Vol. 111. p. 161, 201,) had some time before been made by the king lord lieutenant of Ireland: the parliament, upon the breaking out of this detestable rebellion was for hastening him over with all possible expedition, affairs in that kingdom requiring his presence: but still his departure was deferred: the earl apprehending this delay might be imputed to him as a neglect of duty, writes a letter to the earl of Northumberland to excuse himself, and give the reasons of his delay. An abstract of which follows.

"Lest I should incur the censure of the parlia ment for negligence in that service to which I have have been designed, I will truly relate to your lordship how I have behaved-I have been impatient of this delay, and diligently solicited my dispatch. When I came to York, I told the king I was come to receive his majesty's commands and instructions for the employment he had done me the honour to confer upon me: I humbly besought him, that I might not be staid at court, because the parliament desired my speedy repair to Ireland, and his service, I conceived, required it, at least that some governor, if I were not worthy of that charge, should presently be sent into that kingdom. The king told me he would think of it. But I confess I did not find his majesty so ready to dispatch me, as I hoped and expected. From that time I did not fail to beseech his majesty to send me away, every opportunity I had of speaking to him: divers times I made petition to the king that he would dispatch me, or declare his i tention that he would not let me go at all: he my instructions should be wn. In expect thereof I stayed three wee rer, until th