XXXI.

CHAP. obftinacy of the Enniskilleners were confirmed by the treachery of Galmoy, who, having taken two youths with commiffions from William, proposed to exchange them for one of his own officers. The latter was returned to him, in confidence of his honourable performance of his part of the bargain; but the former were executed in a moft flagrant breach of faith. The excurfions of the Enniskilleners were fo fierce and fuccefsful, that the terror of their name reached even to the capital; and, having procured arms and ammunition by a victory at Belturbet, and fupplies from Kirk, they became fuch an object, that three armies were employed to attack them at once from three different quarters, under three generals of reputation and ability.

From Belturbet Macarthy, from Connaught Sarffield, and from the north Fitzjames, duke of Berwick, advanced against Enniskillen. From the ignorance of their danger the proteftants of this quarter found their fafety. Informed only of the approach of Sarsfield's army, they rushed against it with a rapidity unexpected and astonishing, furprized the camp, and routed the whole body with great flaughter. To impede the progress of Berwick, whom they found advancing on the other side, some companies were sent to feize a poft; but thefe, carried by their ardour beyond the bounds prefcribed, were furprized and flaughtered; yet, on the approach of the main body, Berwick thought proper to avoid the fhock of these impetuous troops by a retreat. Macarthy with a victorious army, which had fuppreffed lord Inchiquin in Munfter, continued his

progrefs,

XXXI.

progrefs, and invested the castle of Crom, on the CHAP. thirtieth of July. An officer, named Berry, detached to its relief, retired from a fuperior body of the foe, was pursued, was attacked, and was victorious; and, on the arrival of the main bodies on both fides, a general engagement took place near Newtown Butler and Lifnaskea, from each of which places this battle has taken its name. The troops of Macarthy were defeated and pursued with dreadful flaughter by the Enniskilleners, commanded by Wolfey, an officer of Kirk. No quarter in general was given except to officers. Two thousand fell by the fword, five hundred were drowned in the lake, and as many were made prisoners, among whom was the general, desperately wounded, and, in the anguish of grief, expreffing a fear left his wounds might not prove mortal.

CHAP.

CHAP. XXXII.

XXXII.

Irish parliament of James- Repeal of the acts of Settlement Enormous act of attainder-Iniquitous plan of coinageAttack on the universityPerfecution of the protestants-Delay of fuccour from England Progrefs of Schomberg- He encamps at Dundalk-Calamitous condition of his troops-Military operations--Decampment of Schomberg--Difcontents in England--Various operations-Victory of the Enniskilleners-Capture of James's veffels in the bay of Dublin-Surrendry of Charlemount-Landing of King William.

CHAP WHILE the jacobite forces were fo fiercely and fuccefsfully refifted by the proteftants collected at of James. Derry and Enniskillen, James and the principal catho1689. lics were bufy in Dublin in the framing of laws, and a

Parliament

general arrangement of affairs. In the Irish parliament, convened by this monarch, on the seventh of May were only seven or eight protestant members in the upper houfe, of whom three were bishops; and fix in the lower, of whom two were reprefentatives of the univerfity. In his fpeech from the throne the king declared his abhorrence of invading the rights of either confcience or property; and his readinessto affent to wholefome laws in general, and to the

relieving

XXXII.

relieving of fuch perfons as had been injured by the CHAP. acts of fettlement, "as far forth as might be confiftent with reafon, juftice, and the public good." He published a declaration expreffive of the favour fhewn by him to proteftant fubjects, and his protection of their civil and religious rights, affuring all perfons of a free pardon, who should return to their obedience in twenty-four days after his intended appearance in England. If he really intended, as true policy would dictate, to regulate his conduct by fuch rules, the violence of the factions, into whose hands he had fallen, deprived him of the ability. The catholics were determined to push matters to extremity in their own favour, without a decent regard to the intereft of their monarch; and the French ambaffador, d'Avaux, who had accompanied him into Ireland, affected to take the lead, and to dictate, in his council. By the influence of the latter all military preferments were given to Frenchmen; and the former confoled themfelves, in the midst of their indignation at this partiality, by the opportunity afforded them of ruining the proteftants.

Repeal of

fettlement,

Inftead of provifion for the relief of those who had fuffered by the acts of fettlement and explana- the acts of tion, a bill for the repeal of these acts was received in the lower houfe with a tumultuous fhout of joy. Daly, the catholic judge, fpoke against it with fuch feverity, that the commons in a rage ordered him to beg pardon at the bar of their houfe; but were fuddenly fo delighted by falfe intelligence of the furrendry

XXXII.

CHAP. rendry of Derry, that, in an overflow of good humour, they remitted his punishment. In the upper house it was oppofed, on principles of justice and policy, by the proteftant bishop of Meath, who is faid to have thus acted by the private advice of James. This monarch, how greatly foever hoftile to the acts of fettlement, could not be ignorant that the paffing of fuch a bill must prove highly prejudicial to his intereft, as being moft highly offenfive to the English of even his own party; yet, yielding to the combined wishes of the catholic Irish and the French ambaffador, he gave his affent, rejecting every application against the bill of repeal. This bill contained a preamble, which pronounced the Irish clear from any guilt of rebellion, who had taken arms against the existing government in 1641, and a clause, by which were forfeited and vested in the king the real estates of all perfons, dwelling in the British islands, who acknowleged not the king's power, or aided, or correfponded with, those who rebelled against him, since the first of August of the year fixteen hundred and eighty-eight.

Enormous

act of atFainder.

Not contented with an act calculated to deprive of his eftate almost every proteftant of Ireland capable of writing, this parliament proceeded to an act of attainder, which marked the extreme of intemperate conduct. A number of perfons in the fervice of the prince of Orange, thofe who had retired from the kingdom and returned not in obedience to the king's proclamation, and numbers of perfons refident in Britain, thence prefumed to be adherents of

William,