WILLIAM AND MAKY.

153

He would permit them, he would command'them, to submit chap.to necessity, and to reserve themselves for better times. If any 168g ' # -man of weight, loyal, able, and well informed, would repairto Saint Germains and explain the state of things, his Majestywould easily be convinced. Would Mountjoy undertake thismost honourable and important mission? Mountjoy hesitated,and suggested that some person more likely to be acceptable tothe King should be the messenger. Tyrconnel swore, ranted,declared that, unless King James were w'ell advised, Irelandivould sink to the pit of hell, and insisted that Mountjoy shouldgo as the representative of the loyal members of the Estab-lished Church, and should be accompanied by Chief BaronRice, a Roman Catholic high in the royal favour. Mountjoyyielded. The two ambassadors departed together, but withvery different commissions. Rice was charged to tell Jamesthat Mountjoy was a traitor at heart, and had been sent toFrance only that the Protestants of Ireland might be deprivedof a favourite leader. The King was to be assured that he wasimpatiently expected in Ireland, and that, if he would showhimself there with a French force, he might speedily retrievehis fallen fortunes.* The Chief Baron carried with him otherinstructions which were probably kept secret even from theCourt of Saint Germains. If James should be unwilling to puthimself at the head of the native population of Ireland, Ricewas directed to request a private audience of Lewis, and to offerto make the island a province of France. **

As soon as the two envoys had departed, Tyrconnel set Tyrconnelhimself to prepare for the conflict which had become inevitable; Irishand he was strenuously assisted by the faithless Hamilton. Srms! e l °The Irish nation was called to arms; and the call was obeyed

* Clarke’s Life of Jaraes, ii. 321.; Mountjoy’s Circular Letter, datedJan. 10. 168$; King, iv. 8. In “Light to the Blind” Tyrconnel’s “wise dis-simulation” is commended.

** Avaux to Lewis, April ■$$. 1689.