CHAP.
XII.

which threatened the state; and it was in consequence of his
own dishonest inactivity that those dangers had become ex-
treme.*
As this accusation rests on no proof, those who
repeat it are at least bound to show that some course clearly
better than the course which William took was open to him;
and this they will find a difficult task. If indeed he could,
within a few weeks after his arrival in London, have sent a
great expedition to Ireland, that kingdom might perhaps,
after a short struggle, or without a struggle, have submitted
to his authority; and a long series of crimes and calamities
might have been averted. But the factious orators and
pamphleteers, who, much at their ease, reproached him for
not sending such an expedition, would have been perplexed if
they had been required to find the men, the ships, and the
funds. The English army had lately been arrayed against
him: part of it was still ill disposed towards him; and the
whole was utterly disorganised. Of the army which he had
brought from Holland not a regiment could be spared. He
had found the treasury empty and the pay of the navy in
arrear. He had no power to hypothecate any part of the
public revenue. Those who lent him money lent it on no
security but his bare word. It was only by the patriotic
liberality of the merchants of London that he was enabled to
defray the ordinary charges of government till the meeting
of the Convention. It is surely unjust to blame him for not
instantly fitting out, in such circumstances, an armament
sufficient to conquer a kingdom.

Perceiving that, till the government of England was settled, it would not be in his power to interfere effectually by arms in the affairs of Ireland, he determined to try what effect negotiation would produce. Those who judged after the event pronounced that he had not, on this occasion. shown his usual sagacity. He ought, they said, to have known that it was absurd to expect submission from Tyreonnel. Such however was not at the time the opinion of men who had the best means of information, and whose interest was a sufficient pledge for their sincerity. A great meeting of noblemen and gentlemen who had property in Ireland was held, during the interregnum, at the house of the Duke of Ormond in Saint James's Square. They advised the Prince

* Burnet, i. 807.; and the notes by Swift and Dartmouth. Tutchin, in the Observator, repeats this idle calumny.

to try whether the Lord Deputy might not be induced to capitulate on honourable and advantageous terms.* In truth there is strong reason to believe that Tyrconnel really wavered. For, fierce as were his passions, they never made him forgetful of his interest; and he might well doubt whether it were not for his interest, in declining years and health, to retire from business with full indemnity for all past offences, with high rank, and with an ample fortune, rather than to stake his life and property on the event of a war against the whole power of England. It is certain that he professed himself willing to yield. He opened a communication with the Prince of Orange, and affected to take counsel with Mountjoy, and with others who, though they had not thrown off their allegiance to James, were yet firmly attached to the Established Church and to the English connection.

CHAP.

XII.

In one quarter, a quarter from which William was justified The in expecting the most judicious counsel, there was a strong consulted. Temples conviction that the professions of Tyrconnel were sincere. No British statesman had then so high a reputation throughout Europe as Sir William Temple. His diplomatic skill had, twenty years before, arrested the progress of the French power. He had been a steady and an useful friend to the United Provinces and to the House of Nassau. He had long been on terms of friendly confidence with the Prince of Orange, and had negotiated that marriage to which England owed her recent deliverance. With the affairs of Ireland Temple was supposed to be peculiarly well acquainted. His family had considerable property there: he had himself resided there during several years he had represented the county of Carlow in Parliament; and a large part of his income was derived from a lucrative Irish office. There was no height of power, of rank, or of opulence to which he might not have risen, if he would have consented to quit his retreat, and to lend his assistance and the weight of his name to the new government. But power, rank, and opulence had less attraction for his Epicurean temper than ease and security. He rejected the most tempting invitations, and continued to amuse himself with his books, his tulips, and his pineapples, in rural seclusion. With some hesitation, however, he consented to let his eldest son John enter into the service of William. During the vacancy of the throne, John Temple was employed in busi

The Orange Gazette, Jan. 10. 168

CHAP.
XII.

Richard
Hamilton

ness of high importance; and, on subjects connected with Ireland, his opinion, which might reasonably be supposed to agree with his father's, had great weight. The young poli

tician flattered himself that he had secured the services of an agent eminently qualified to bring the negotiation with Tyrconnel to a prosperous issue.

This agent was one of a remarkable family which had sent to Ire- sprung from a noble Scottish stock, but which had long been land on his settled in Ireland, and which professed the Roman Catholic parole. religion. In the gay crowd which thronged Whitehall, during those scandalous years of jubilee which immediately followed the Restoration, the Hamiltons were preeminently conspicuous. The long fair ringlets, the radiant bloom, and the languishing blue eyes of the lovely Elizabeth still charm us on the canvass of Lely. She had the glory of achieving no vulgar conquest. It was reserved for her voluptuous beauty and for her flippant wit to overcome the aversion which the coldhearted and scoffing Grammont felt for the indissoluble tie. One of her brothers, Anthony, became the chronicler of that brilliant and dissolute society of which he had been not the least brilliant nor the least dissolute member. He deserves the high praise of having, though not a Frenchman, written the book which is, of all books, the most exquisitely French, both in spirit and in manner. Another brother, named Richard, had, in foreign service, gained some military experience. His wit and politeness had distinguished him even in the splendid circle of Versailles. It was whispered that he had dared to lift his eyes to an exalted lady, the natural daughter of the Great King, the wife of a legitimate prince of the House of Bourbon, and that she had not seemed to be displeased by the attentions of her presumptuous admirer.* Richard had subsequently returned to his native country, had been appointed brigadier general in the Irish army, and had been sworn of the Irish Privy Council. When the Dutch invasion was expected, he came across Saint George's Channel with the troops which Tyrconnel sent to reinforce the royal army. After the flight of James, those troops submitted to the Prince of Orange. Richard Hamilton not only made his own peace with what was now the ruling power, but declared himself confident that, if he were sent to Dublin, he could conduct the negotiation which had been opened there to a happy close. If he failed, he pledged his word to return

* Mémoires de Madame de la Fayette.

rsion whe the ins

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e had be mber. B

a Free

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to Loudon in three weeks. His influence in Ireland was
known to be great: his honour had never been questioned;
and he was highly esteemed by John Temple.
The young
statesman declared that he would answer for his friend
Richard as for himself. This guarantee was thought suf-
ficient; and Hamilton set out for Ireland, proclaiming
everywhere that he should soon bring Tyrconnel to reason.
The offers which he was authorised to make to the Roman
Catholics and personally to the Lord Deputy were most
liberal.*

CHAP.

XII.

It is not impossible that Hamilton may have really meant to Tyrconnel keep his promise. But when he arrived at Dublin he found that sends Mountjoy he had undertaken a task which he could not perform. The and Rice to hesitation of Tyrconnel, whether genuine or feigned, was at an France. end. He had found that he had no longer a choice. He had with little difficulty stimulated the ignorant and susceptible Irish to fury. To calm them was beyond his skill. Rumours were abroad that the Viceroy was corresponding with the English; and those rumours had set the nation on fire. The cry of the common people was that, if he dared to sell them for wealth and honours, they would burn the Castle and him in it, and would put themselves under the protection of France.† It was necessary for him to protest, truly or falsely, that he had never harboured any thought of submission, and that he had pretended to negotiate only for the purpose of gaining time. Yet, before he openly declared against the English settlers, and against England herself, what must be a war to the death, he wished to rid himself of Mountjoy, who had hitherto been true to the cause of James, but who, it was well known, would never consent to be a party to the spoliation and oppression of the colonists. Hypocritical professions of friendship and of pacific intentions were not spared. It was a sacred duty, Tyrconnel said, to avert the calamities which seemed to be impending. King James himself, if he understood the whole case, would not wish his Irish friends to engage at that moment in an enterprise which must be fatal to them and useless to him. He would permit them, he would command them, to submit to necessity, and to reserve themselves for better times. If any man of weight, any man loyal, able, and well informed, would repair to Saint Germains and explain the state of things, His Majesty would * Burnet, i. 808.; Life of James, ii. 320.; Commons' Journals, July 29. 1689, Avaux to Lewis,

einfor

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power

Dach

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Mar. 25.
April 4.

1689.

XII.

CHAP. easily be convinced. Would Mountjoy undertake this most honourable and important mission? Mountjoy hesitated, and suggested that some person more likely to be acceptable to the King should be the messenger. Tyrconnel swore, ranted, declared that, unless King James were well advised, Ireland, would sink to the pit of hell, and insisted that Mountjoy should go as the representative of the loyal members of the Established Church, and should be accompanied by Chief Baron Rice, a Roman Catholic high in the royal favour. Mountjoy yielded. The two ambassadors departed together, but with very different commissions. Rice was charged to tell James that Mountjoy was a traitor at heart, and had been sent to France only that the Protestants of Ireland might be deprived of a favourite leader. The King was to be assured that he was impatiently expected in Ireland, and that, if he would show himself there with a French force, he might speedily retrieve his fallen fortunes.* The Chief Baron carried with him other instructions which were probably kept secret even from the Court of Saint Germains. If James should be unwilling to put himself at the head of the native population of Ireland, Rice was directed to request a private audience of Lewis, and to offer to make the island a province of France.†

Tyrconnel calls the Irish people to

arms.

As soon as the two envoys had departed, Tyrconnel set himself to prepare for the conflict which had become inevi table; and he was strenuously assisted by the faithless Hamilton. The Irish nation was called to arms; and the call was obeyed with strange promptitude and enthusiasm. The flag on the Castle of Dublin was embroidered with the words, "Now or never! Now and for ever!" Those words resounded through the whole island. Never in modern Europe has there been such a rising up of a whole people. The habits of the Celtic peasant were such that he made n sacrifice in quitting his potatoe ground for the camp. H loved excitement and adventure. He feared work far more than danger. His national and religious feelings had, during three years, been exasperated by the constant application of stimulants. At every fair and market he had heard that a good time was at hand, that the tyrants who spoke Saxor /

Clarke's Life of James, ii. 331.; is commended.
Mountjoy's Circular Letter, dated Jan.
10. 168; King, iv. 8. In Light to the
Blind, Tyrconnel's "wise dissimulation"

Avaux to Lewis, April 1. 1689. Printed Letter from Dublin, Fe* 1689; Mephibosheth and Ziba, 1689.

1