With all his diligence Essex had not succeeded in getting rid of the Tories and other disturbers of the peace. Orrery was an alarmist, but he found it hard to get even murder punished. One very bad offender had his bonds cut by an Irish constable, and many local magistrates ‘living in lone houses, fearing their activity might cause revenge, are remiss.’ Lord Massereene reported that the southern part of Londonderry county was full of idle people ‘supporting themselves and their clans by the spoil of others.’ In Connaught Dr. Thomas Otway, Bishop of Killala, was particularly active, and had an equally low opinion of the justices, but approved the conduct of some Scottish iron-workers who cut off the heads of such Tories as they could catch. ‘This chopping of their heads doth much more terrify others from running out than hanging, though that doth pretty well when they come to it, but it is a long time first, they have so many friends not only Irish but English and some of them sitting on the bench ... all our justices are tantum non Presbyterians and I wish they were but tantum nons.’ The Presbyterians, said Otway, were nearly as subtle proselytisers as the Jesuits, and many scandalous papers against episcopacy were in circulation. Even the gentle Margetson reported that there were great meetings for no good, though they were professedly only to ‘hear the word.’ Considering the state of Scotland at the time there was some cause for alarm.[115]
Ormonde returns to the Government.
Irish doctors at Oxford.
Ormonde left London early in August 1677, and paid his first visit to Oxford as Chancellor by the way. He entered the town from the east with at least fourteen coaches and accompanied by the Duchess and several ladies. Anglesey was one of those who travelled with him. It was market day and the High Street was crowded with butchers’ stalls, but the Chancellor halted at St. Mary’s and heard a speech from South, who had long been public orator. From Carfax to Christ Church the street was lined by the undergraduates, more speeches being delivered at various points, and there was a dinner at Magdalen. The next day being Sunday the Lord Lieutenant heard two sermons at St. Mary’s and dined with Bishop Fell at Christ Church. Next day twenty-two degrees were conferred at the Chancellor’s request. Fell had begged him to be merciful, as plenty of unworthy persons might take advantage of such an opportunity, but Ormonde said he would be responsible for his men. They were nearly all more or less connected with Ireland, among them being Lord Longford, Sir Robert Southwell, and Robert Fitzgerald, who played a distinguished part in 1690. Then there was another speech from South, and Ormonde set out at once for Holyhead by the Banbury road. He had to time the journey so that all his coaches could pass by the beach round Penmaenmawr, over which there was no road. At Dublin he was received with great honour. To show his sense of the Duke’s friendly behaviour, Essex had not applied for Lords Justices as he had leave to do, but handed over the sword himself. There was not to be another change as long as Charles II. lived.[116]
FOOTNOTES:
[100] Arlington to Essex, January 6, 1671-2, Stowe MSS., vol. cc. Orrery to Essex, February 3, ib. Burnet’s Own Times, i. 396, 476. The King to Berkeley, April 30, 1672, State Papers, Domestic.
[101] Essex to Arlington, August 24, 1672, Essex Papers. The King to Essex, August 31, ib.
[102] The rules under the 82nd clause of the Act of Explanation are printed in Irish Statutes, iii. 205 sqq., under 25 Car. II. The slight difference in the case of Drogheda seems to arise from the fact that rules had been made for that town by Ossory in 1668, see Essex’s letter of August 17 and D’Alton’s Hist. of Drogheda, i. 191. Essex to Arlington, January 20, 1672-3, and July 19, Essex Papers. Proceedings in the English Privy Council reported by Southwell, ib. July 26. The King to Essex, November 5, 1672, and January 14, 1672-3, State Papers, Domestic.
[103] Essex and Boyle to Arlington, September 21, 1672, State Papers, Domestic. Essex to Arlington and to the King, July 22, 1673, Essex Papers to W. Harbord, ib. March 21, 1673-4; to Danby, February 10, 1674-5, ib. Totty carried his grievances to London, and on June 15, 1675, Essex described him to Coventry as the ‘principal incendiary in Dublin, a trooper many years in Cromwell’s army, wretchedly poor and has patched himself up by presents and otherwise out of collections from several corporations of the city, to encourage and promote these broils.’—Essex Letters, p. 345.
[104] Andrew Marvell’s letter of August 9, 1667, Works, ii. 392. In his Last Instructions to a Painter, 1667, he says Castlemaine was growing old, but she was then only twenty-six. Essex’s three letters to Shaftesbury, March 8, April 12, and May 3, 1673, are printed in full in Christie’s Life, appx. iv. Warrant for the grant, February 26, 1672-3, State Papers, Domestic. Godolphin to Essex, July 16, 1674, Essex Papers, vol. i. H. Coventry cautiously resisted a grant to Nell Gwyn, Essex Papers, ed. Pike, 145.