The History of Ireland: 17th Century. Bagwell Richard

       Richard Bagwell

      The History of Ireland: 17th Century

      During the Reign of the Stuarts and the Interregnum: From 1603 to 1690

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      2020 OK Publishing

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Table of Contents

       Volume 1

       Volume 2

       Volume 3

      Volume 1

       Table of Contents

Table of Contents

       CHAPTER I MOUNTJOY AND CAREY, 1603–1605

       CHAPTER II CHICHESTER AND THE TOLERATION QUESTION, 1605–1607

       CHAPTER III THE FLIGHT OF THE EARLS, 1607

       CHAPTER IV REBELLION OF O’DOGHERTY, 1608

       CHAPTER V THE SETTLEMENT OF ULSTER

       CHAPTER VI CHICHESTER’S GOVERNMENT TO 1613

       CHAPTER VII THE PARLIAMENT OF 1613–1615

       CHAPTER VIII LAST YEARS OF CHICHESTER’S GOVERNMENT, 1613–1615

       CHAPTER IX ST. JOHN AND FALKLAND, 1616–1625

       CHAPTER X EARLY YEARS OF CHARLES I., 1625–1632

       CHAPTER XI GOVERNMENT OF WENTWORTH, 1632–1634

       CHAPTER XII THE PARLIAMENT OF 1634

       CHAPTER XIII STRAFFORD AND THE ULSTER SCOTS

       CHAPTER XIV WENTWORTH’S PLANS OF FORFEITURE AND SETTLEMENT

       CHAPTER XV CASES OF MOUNTNORRIS, LOFTUS, AND OTHERS

       CHAPTER XVI STRAFFORD’S GOVERNMENT, 1638–1640

       CHAPTER XVII STRAFFORD’S ARMY

       CHAPTER XVIII TRIAL AND DEATH OF STRAFFORD

       CHAPTER XIX THE REBELLION OF 1641

       CHAPTER XX PROGRESS OF THE REBELLION

      CHAPTER I

       MOUNTJOY AND CAREY, 1603–1605

       Table of Contents

      Accession of James. The new era.

      Submission of Tyrone.

The change from Elizabeth to James I. marks the transition from an heroic age to one very much the reverse. The new court was scandalous, and after the younger Cecil’s death public affairs were administered by a smaller race of men, not one of whom gained the love or admiration of his countrymen. Raleigh, the typical Elizabethan, spent thirteen years in the Tower, and died on the scaffold. But outside the sphere of politics the first Stuart reign must be regarded with interest, for it saw the production of Shakespeare’s finest plays and of Bacon’s chief works. Meanwhile England had peace, and silently prepared for the great struggle. Eliot and Pym, Wentworth and Cromwell, were all young men, and Milton was born some three years before Prospero drowned his book. The great Queen died at Richmond very early on March 24. By nine o’clock Sir Robert Carey was spurring northwards with the news, and King James was proclaimed in London the same morning. It was not until the next day that Cecil found time to send Sir Henry Danvers to Ireland, but the news had preceded the official messenger by a full week, so that Mountjoy was quite prepared. Danvers landed at Dublin on April 5, and within an hour after the delivery of his letters King James was duly proclaimed. Oddly enough, Tyrone, who had reached Dublin the day before, was the only peer of Ireland present, and he signed the proclamation which was circulated in the country. Three days later he made submission on his knees to the new sovereign, ‘solemnly swearing upon a book to perform every part thereof, as much as lay in his power; and if he could not perform any part thereof he vowed to put his body into the King’s hands, to be disposed at his pleasure.’ The earl’s submission was ample in substance, and humble enough in form; but Sir William Godolphin, who had brought him to Dublin, warned the English Government that he would not remain a good subject unless he were treated reasonably.[1]

      Excitement about the King’s religion.

      Agitation in the towns.

Neither his relations with his own mother nor with Queen Elizabeth had given any reason to suppose that the new king was attached to the religion of Rome. Tyrone had offered his services to James years before, and was told that he would be reminded of this when it should please God ‘to call our sister the Queen of England to death.’ After his raid in Munster Tyrone wrote in rather a triumphant strain, but still obsequiously, to the King of Scots. This did not prevent James from offering his help to Elizabeth when the Spaniards took Kinsale, for which she thanked him. A rumour that his Majesty was a Catholic was nevertheless widely circulated in Ireland, and caused a strange ferment in the corporate towns. Much stress was also laid upon his descent from ancient Irish kings. During the Queen’s later years mass had been freely celebrated in private houses, and a strong effort was now generally made to celebrate it publicly in the churches. Jesuits, seminaries, and friars, says the chronicler Farmer, ‘now came abroad in open show, bringing forth old rotten stocks and stones of images, &c.’ The agitation was strong in Kilkenny, Thomastown, Waterford, Limerick, Cork, and in the smaller Munster towns; and