had obtained leave from the King to resign the Lieutenancy to Lord Clanricard, he resolved, before his departure, to do away, in favour of the loyal Catholics, every impression made by the King's extorted Declaration of Dunfermline, of which the Bishops had so hypocritically availed themselves, in order to establish their own dominion, under the name and appearance of spiritual power. With this view he declared by an Instrument, now before me,* that the King's act at Dunfermline, was extorted by regicides, and that he would, at all hazards, adhere to the peace of Kilkenny, and assert the validity of it to bind the King, provided the Bishops would revoke their Jamestown Acts, as treasonable violations of the peace, usurping on the King's authority, &c. and that the Lord Lieutenant should be suffered to place garrisons where he deemed expedient.

139. He wished to insist on other articles, as appears by his private letter to Lord Clanricard, one of which was a formal recognition, on the

In the Essex MSS. at Stowe, v. 1, fol. 146.

part of the Bishops, that their spiritual power was limited to the administration of the Sacra! ments; that they had no right to meddle in the affairs of the kingdom; that they were bound to obey any Governor the King appointed; and that they had no power to absolve the people from obedience to a Protestant Lord Lieutenant.

But the most loyal of the Catholic Nobility, advised him that the time was not yet come, and that when it should come, as, from the wild ambition which the Bishops betrayed, it infallibly must come, they would effectually co-operate to that most desirable end.

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140. The answer of the Commissioners to Ormond's Declaration against the extorted Act of Dunfermline, is such as became Irishmen. -I wish the limits I have prescribed to myself, would admit of my giving it here, but I have already exceeded these limits, and time and trouble can never be repaid. It is signed by Nicholas Plunket, Rich. Barnewall, R. Eve

Though Plunket was so much under the government of the Bishops, that he consented to be their Agent to Rome, yet,

Fard, R. Belling, Athunry, Lucas Dillon, Geoffry Browne, Gerald Fennell, and dated Ennis, 20th Oct. 1650.

After expressing their indignation at the conduct of the Bishops, they declare that—

"Albeit we knowe that by those Censures of the Bishops, - his Majesty's authority was invaded, and an unwarranted Government set upp, contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom, and that wee are assured no subject could be justly warranted by that excommunication, to deny obedience to his Majesty's authority in your Excellencie, yet being of opinion, that a Publique Declaration of this kind ought properly, and would with more countenance and authority move from an Assembly than from us, wee most humbly beseech your Excellencie to call an Assembly of the nation, from whom such a Declaration as may be effectual, can only proceed."

141. In consequence of this suggestion, Ormond called that National Assembly which met at Lochrea, Nov. 15, 1650. It was composed of the principal Nobility and Gentry that then remained in the kingdom, "far the greatest part of whom, says Carte, were well affected to the crown, and very averse to the proceed

now seeing the length they had gone, he on all occasions in the Assembly, asserted the royal authority. Clanricard's Memoirs, Carte, v. 2, p. 139.

Dd

"ings of the Clergy."*

He deemed it beneath

his dignity, as the King's Lieutenant, to make any reply to the falsehoods propagated by the Episcopal Rebels of Jamestown, which, however fatally they influenced the mass of the ignorant, were abominated by all men of sense, "knowledge, and integrity, throughout the "nation."t

In compliance however with the wishes of Lord Clanricard, and of the most loyal members of that Assembly, he submitted to them on Dec. 5, his Letter dated the 2d, containing a full, clear, and perspicuous refutation of the Jamestown censures; a Letter which was never answered, and never can; and he informed them that now he had fully resolved to quit the kingdom.

142. The Assembly acknowledged, by a letter dated the 30th, "the great testimony which he "had given of his affection to the nation; and

Carte's Orm. v. 2, p. 135, and the Originals, v. 3, CC. 437, 440, 441, 450, 452.

† Carte's words, ib. and p. 136.

"entreated of him, since he had resolved to "depart, that he would leave the King's power "in safe hands."

He had previously obtained the King's consent to resign the Lieutenancy to Lord Clanricard; and now, wishing to secure him against

the censures, and intrigues, which had frustrated all his own endeavours for the salvation of his Country, he replied, that "if by some “Public Instrument, they would vindicate the King's power from affronts already offered, "and would provide for the future, he would readily comply."

His object was to obtain an unequivocal declaration against the intermeddling of Bishops. But the debates which ensued were protracted; and having intelligence that armed ships would soon be detached to intercept his escape, he commissioned Clanricard to act for the King, as he might be encouraged or deterred by the Assembly, of whose debates he had too much reason to doubt the result; and he embarked for France on the 6th of Dec. 1650.

Alarmed by this decisive measure, and