In the grand affair of the fettlement of Ireland, the duke was inclined to do all poffible fervice to the Irish; but, as they not only rejected his advice, but even fell foul of his character, he refolved not to intermeddle in that affair, and his name appeared not in any one committee to which it was referred, till after he was lord-lieutenant; which employment he accepted, after the duke of Albermarle had declined it, or account of the jaring interefts of the different parties. It was the duke of Ormond's entire fubmiffion to the will of his master, which prevailed with him. to enter upon an employment, the inconveni-encies of which he well forefaw; and, fpeaking of it to a friend, faid," Befide many other unpleafant difficulties, there are two difadvantages proper to me; one of the contend ing parties believing I owe them more kindnefs and protection than I can find myself chargeable with; and the others fufpecting I retain that prejudice to them which I am as free from. This temper in them will be attended with clamour and fcandal, upon my moft equal and wary deportment."

Four days after the duke of Ormond was declared lord-lieutenant, the agents of the parliament of Ireland had an audience of the king; when the bishop of Elphin, in the name of the lords, expreffed their joy at the name of a perfon of whom his lordship gave the highest encomia, and under whofe conduct,

he

he faid, the kingdom of Ireland could not but speedily flourish. Sir A. Mervin, in the name of the commons, alfo gave his majesty thanks for having named the duke to be lord-lieutenant; and the news was received in Ireland with public rejoicings.

The parliament of Ireland, in 1662, confidering the great loffes the duke had fuftained by his fervices to the crown, and the expence which his grace muft neceffarily fall into, to fupport the dignity of his poft, made him a prefent of thirty thousand pounds.

The king's marriage deferred the duke's departure for Ireland, to the beginning of July, when he fet out from London, and arrived in Dublin on the twenty-feventh of that month, where he was fplendidly received. And now all things relating to the government devolving upon him, what he had before feen was foon verified; for, though he acted with the ftricteft integrity and impartiality, and kept his mafter's fervice, yet he could not avoid the refentment of numbers, who applied to him for what he could not grant confiftent with his duty. Whence arofe new clamours, and his adminiftration was not only rendered uneafy to him, but the course of his majefty's affairs was interrupted, by fome who were favourably held at court.

An act of fettlement, and fome others, were paffed on the twenty-feventh of Septem ber, when he made an excellent speech, well

adapted

adapted to promote a mutual confidence, and a perfect harmony, between the king and his fubjects; which the two houfes defired might be printed.

One of the first things to which the duke applied himself, was the purging the army by difbanding the difaffected. The Exchequer being empty, he paid their arrears out of his own pocket, as it was a service which admit, ed no delay.

The Fanatics in England, who meditated a new commonwealth, flattered themselves with the affiftance of thefe forces, and with the concurrence of the Prefbyterians, discontented by the act of uniformity, and the refolution of the parliament to fupport the act, put the fectaries upon making an infurrection, hoping frength from Scotland, but more from Ireland, to fupport their attempts. Many of the Irish were, by the court of claims, to be repoffeffed of their eftates; which making the adventurers and foldiers, every one for himself, fear being thruft out of the lands they enjoyed, occafioned great clamours againft the proceedings of that court, and the defigns of the government; and fome of the moft furious fpirits refolving to keep by the fword what eftates they enjoyed, readily engaged with that party.

An infurrection was intended, a confpiracy formed, and a private committee appointed for conducting the affair; but the whole was

discovered

discovered to the duke. Blood was one of the committee. But, notwithstanding this intelligence, the duke owed his prefervation to his own vigilance; for the day pitched upon to feize him and fu prize the caftle was the tenth of March, of which he had notice but the confpirators altering the time, and fixing it on the fifth, his informer was ignorant of the change till near the hour of its defigned execution. The duke, however, was on his guard; of which the traitors having fome information, the attempt was not made. Some of them fled, and others were taken.

In the year 1670, the duke's unalterable zeal for his majesty's fervice, engaged his protection of the Irish Remonftrants. These were the Catholics who oppofed the violences of the pope's nuncio; but the Anti-remonftrants prevailing by the fupport of the English miniftry, that which the duke had offered others, was the ground of general hatred which the Irish Roman-catholics bore his grace.

In the year 1677, the duke of Ormond was for the third time, declared lord-lieutenant of Ireland. He was received by the university with all poffible demonftrations of refpect and esteem by that learned and loyal body, and with very great ceremony by the earl of Effex, who was to refign the fword to him. Soon after his arrival, he laid the foundation of the great hofpital for foldiers; erected Charles-fort, to fecure the harbour of Kinfale; and employed the greatest part of his time in detecting

detecting frauds in the revenue; which, as alfo the forces of the kingdom, he confiderably augmented for the fecurity thereof.

His majefty, at this time thinking to gain over his enemies, took the method to make them more formidable, by putting them into the pofts of power and credit; to which end he defired the duke to refign his post of lordfteward of the houthold. The account of the popifh-plot being fent by his grace, with its extending to Ireland, and a defign upon his own life, occafioned his iffuing proclamations neceffary for the fecurity of that kingdom, and taking other proper methods to that end. Though the duke ufed very neceffary precautions to prevent the threatened commotions, yet his moderation not agreeing with more violent tempers, a defign of affaffinating his grace was ftrongly rumoured, and letters to that purpofe dropt in the streets, in hopes that his own fecurity might pufh him on to feverities; but his firmness of mind was not to be fhaken; and he made use of no harsher means than what were neceffary, had the imaginary danger been real; except againft Tories, of common robbers and murderers, in the per fons of their relations, who protected or cons cealed them.

The lord Shaftfbury (to whose views the duke, in retaining the government of Ireland, was a main obftacle) in a fpeech to the lord's houfe, infinuated that his grace was popishly inclined. This attack from him made the

duke's