Ormond, on the contrary, was rewarded by being ap pointed lord-lieutenant, by a present of L30.000 from the Irish parliament, and by his son being called to the House of Peers. Another source of discontent now arose : the execution of the act of settlement, though it was intrusted to English commissioners, unconnected with Irish inter ests, was said to be performed in a partial and unjust man ner ; and the discontents thus originating were carried so far as to produce several conspiracies, one of which had for its object the seizure of Dublin castle ; they were all how ever frustrated.
In 1665, a bill of explanation of the act of settlement was brought into parliament ; but it was not without a great deal of difficulty and management, that, even with this bill, Ormond could obtain the passing the act of settlement ; and that only on the assurance, that whatever was objection able in it should be removed by the discretionary power which was vested in the governor and council.
Narrow and short sighted views on political economy, acting in unison with the opinion that Ireland, as a con quered country, ought in every respect to be sacrificed to England, gave rise to an act prohibiting the importation of Irish cattle into England. As some counterbalance to this unjust and impolitic measure, Ormond gave every encou ragement to Irish manufactures, especially to the revival of that of linen, which had been established by Went worth.
The conduct of Ormond, through the whole period of his command, and after he became lord-lieutenant, had been marked by wisdom, moderation, and justice ; but though thus distinguished, and though his attachment to the royal cause was undoubted, he could not escape from the intrigues and machinations of that junto in England, known by the name of the cabal. He was obnoxious to them on those very accounts which made him the favou rite of every real friend of his country ; their schemes against him were deeply laid, and at last they succeeded in bringing him into disgrace with the king. The charges against him were examined before the privy council ; but they were so evidently unfounded, that Charles restored him to the government of Ireland, in which he continued, in spite of the intrigues which were still carried on against him, the difficulty of keeping the Catholics quiet, and other circumstances, which would have puzzled, and probably been the ruin of a man possessed of less firmness, circum spection, and honesty, than Ormond, till James II. ascend
ed the throne.
Two lords-justices were appointed to succeed Ormond, and it soon became evident that their situation would be surrounded by difficulty and danger. The Catholics, ex ulting in the known character and principles of James, were extremely violent in their language and measures, while the Protestants found themselves exposed to their rancour, in consequence of an order from the king, that the militia, who were all of this persuasion, should be disarm ed, under the pretence that they might favour the rebel lion of Monmouth. The apprehensions of the Protestants were but too well founded; they were haunted every where, and upon every occasion,by informers ; the most absurd and impolitic accusations were brought against them, and their lives were thus rendered miserable from conti nued apprehension.
The designs of James to subvert the Protestant religion added to their alarms, while they whetted the bigotry and persecuting spirit of the Catholics. Their designs could no longer be doubted. Three Protestant judges were re moved, and three Irish Catholics raised to the bench, who, as well as some Catholic lawyers, were admitted into the privy council. The revenues of all the sees that became vacant, were set apart for the maintenance of Catholic bish ops ; and all the priests of that religion were directed to appear publicly in the dress of their order. in further proof of James's views and principles, Tyrconncl was ap pointed lord lieutenant, a man who professed the most de voted attachment to the Catholic religion, but whose con duct was profligate in the extreme, as well as tyrannical and brutal. Tyrconnel lost no time in taking such mea sures as he thought would ruin the Protestants, and re establish the Catholic religion in all its pristine glory and i power. And his measures were not concealed, irresolute, or half executed ; on the contrary, they were boid, open, and to the point, evidently conceived and executed with a thorough knowledge that they were such as the king not merely approved, but was determined to carry through. The charters were taken from several corporations, new ones given, in which the members were to consist of two-thirds Catholics. Attempts were made to deprive Dublin of its charter, and to introduce Catholics as profes sors into the university ; but these failed.