PART II. thousand houses were deftroyed 30. But this calamiA. D. 1666. ty, though feverely felt at the time, has eventually contributed to the health, fafety, and future conveniency of the inhabitants of London, by the judicious method obferved in conftructing the new buildings31; and, what is truly remarkable, it does not appear that, during the whole conflagration, one life was loft either by fire or otherwife. THOUGH the moft judicious hiftorians leave us no room to fuppofe that either the catholics or the court had any concern in the fire of London, the very fufpicion of fuch a confpiracy is a proof of the jealousy entertained of the meafures of government. This jealoufy was chiefly occafioned by the feverities exercifed against the Prefbyterians and other non-conformifts, who ftill compofed the majority of the people of England; and by the fecret favour fhewn to the Catholics, who, though profcribed by many laws, feldom felt the rigour of any. THE non-conformifts in Scotland were, if poffible, ftill more harfhly treated. In confequence of the introduction of epifcopacy, a mode of worship extremely obnoxious to the great body of the Scottish nation, three hundred and fifty parish churches had been at once declared vacant. New minifters were fought for all over the kingdom, and the churches filled with men of the moft abandoned characters. No candidate was fo ignorant or vicious as to be rejected. The people, who were extremely devoted to Burnet, ubi sup. 30. King James's Mem. Clarendon's Life. 31. The streets were not only made wider, and more regular than formerly, but the houfes were formed of lefs combuftible materials, the ufe of lath and plaifter being prohibited. XII. their former teachers (men remarkable for the aufte- LETTER rity of their manners and their fervour in preaching) could not conceal their indignation against thefe in A. D. 1666. truders, whofe debaucheries filled them with horror. They followed the ejected clergymen to the woods and mountains, where multitudes affembled to liften their pious difcourfes; and while this pleafure was allowed them, they difcovered no fymptoms of fedition. But when the Scottish parliament, which was wholly under the influence of the court, framed a law against conventicles, fimilar to that fevere act passed in England, the people took the alarm:-and the cruelties and oppreffions exercifed in enforcing this law, at lafted roused them to rebellion 32. THE inhabitants of the western counties, where religious zeal has always been more ardent than in any other part of Scotland, rofe in arms, to the number of two thousand, and renewed the Covenant. They conducted themselves, however, in a harmlefs and inoffenfive manner, committing no kind of violence, nor extorting any thing by force; and they published a manifefto, in which they profeffed their loyalty and fubmiffion to the king, and only defired the re-establishment of Prefbytery and their former minifters. As most of the gentlemen of their party in the Weft, had been confined on fufpicion of an infurrection, they marched toward Edinburgh, in hopes of being joined by fome men of rank; but finding themselves deceived, many difperfed, and the rest were marching back to their own country, when they were attacked 32. Not only fuch as frequented conventicles were punished to the utmost rigour of the law, but when it was found that the head of any family did not regularly go to church, foldiers were quartered upon him, till he paid a due attendance. Burnet, book ii, A. D. 1666. Nov. 28. PART II. by the king's forces, and routed at Pentland Hills. A confiderable number of prifoners were taken, and treated with great feverity: ten where hanged on one gibbet at Edinburgh, and thirty-five before their own doors, in different parts of the country 33. ALL thefe men might have faved their lives, if they would either have renounced the Covenant or discovered any of their affociates; but, though moftly perfons of mean condition, they adhered inviolably to their faith and friendship. Maccail, one of their teachers, fuppofed to have been deep in the fecrets of his party, was put to the torture, in order to extort a confeffion, but without effect. He bore his fufferings with great conftancy; and expiring under them, feemed to depart in a transport of joy. "Farewell fun, "moon, and stars," faid he ;-" farewell kindred and "friends; farewell weak and frail body; farewell "world and time: welcome eternity, welcome an"gels and faints, welcome Saviour of the world, and "welcome God the judge of all 3+ !" Thefe words he uttered with a voice and manner that made a great impreffion upon all that heard him, and contributed not a little to inflame the zeal of his partizans. Conventicles continued to be attended in defiance of all the rigours of government, though these were extended to a degree of feverity that was difgraceful to hu manity. THE ftate of Ireland was no lefs deplorable than that of Scotland; but the miferies of the Irifh proceeded from other caufes. Those it must now be our business to trace. CROMWELL having expelled, without distinction, all the native Irish from their three principal provinces 33. Burnet, vol. i. book ii. 34. Id. ibid. Munfer, Munfter, Leinfter, and Ulfter, had confined them to Connaught and the county of Clare. And although those who had thus been expelled were generally Catholics, many of them were altogether innocent of the maffacre which had drawn fo much odium on their countrymen of that religion. Several Proteftants too, and the duke of Ormond among the reft, who had uniformly oppofed the Irish rebellion, were alfo attainted, because they had afterward embraced the king's caufe against the parliament. To all thefe unhappy fufferers, fome relief feemed due after the Reftoration; but the difficulty was, how to find the means of redreffing fuch great and extenfive grievances. THE most valuable lands in Ireland had been already measured out and divided, either among the adventurers who had lent money to the parliament for the fuppreffion of the popifh confpiracy, or among the foldiers who had accomplished that bufinefs. Thefe men could not be difpoffeffed; because they were the most powerful, and only armed part of the inhabitants of Ireland; because it was neceffary to favour them, in order to fupport the Proteftant and English intereft in that kingdom; and because they had generally, with feeming zeal and alacrity, concurred in the king's Reftoration. Charles, therefore, iffued a proclamation, in which he promised to maintain their fettlement: and he at the fame time engaged to yield redress to the innocent fufferers 35. THERE was a confiderable quantity of land ftill undivided in Ireland; and from this and other funds, it was thought poflible for the king to fulfil his engagements, without difturbing the present landholders. A 35. Carte's Life of the Duke of Ormond, vol. ii. Hume, vol. vii. LETTER Court XII. A. D. 1666. PART II. Court of Claims was accordingly erected, confisting altogether of English commiflioners, who had no connexion with any of the parties into which Ireland was divided; and the duke of Ormond, being fuppofed the only perfon whofe prudence and juftice could compofe fuch jarring interefts, was created lordlieutenant. The number of claims prefented spread univerfal anxiety and alarm; but after a temporary ferment, all parties feemed willing to abate fomewhat of their pretenfions, in order to obtain ftability. Ormond interpofed his authority to that purpose. The foldiers and adventurers agreed to relinquish a fourth of their poffeffions: all thofe who had been attainted on account of their adherence to the king were restored, and fome of the innocent Catholics 36. IN confequence of this fettlement, Ireland began to acquire a degree of compofure, when it was difturbed by an impolitic act, paffed by the English parliament, prohibiting the importation of Irish cattle into England. Ormond remonftrated ftrongly against that law. He faid, that the trade then carried on between England and Ireland was extremely to the advantage of the former kingdom, which received only proviñons, or rude materials, in return for every specics of manufacture; that if the cattle of Ireland were prohibited, the inhabitants of that ifland had no other commodity with which they could pay England for their importations, and must therefore have recourfe to other nations for a fupply; that the industrious part of the inhabitants of England, if deprived of Irish provifions, which made living cheap, would be obliged to augment the price of labour, and thereby 36. Id. ibid. render |