160

HISTORY OP ENGLAND.

CHAP.

xn.

1689.

The Pro-testantsin theSouth un-able toresist.

neither a very numerous nor a very opulent class. We canhardly suppose that they were more than a fiftieth part of theProtestant population of Ireland, or that they possessed morethan a fiftieth part of the Protestant wealth of Ireland. Theywere undoubtedly better treated than any other Protestant sect.James had always been partial to them: they own that Tyrcon-nel did his best to protect them; and they seem to have found fa-vour even in the sight of the Rapparees.* Yet the Quakers com-puted their pecuniary losses at a hundred thousand pounds.**

In Leinster, Munster and Connaught, it was utterly impos-sible for the English settlers, few as they were and dispersed,to offer any effectual resistance to this terrible outbreak of theaboriginal population. Charleville, Mallow, Sligo, fell intothe hands of the natives. Bandon, where the Protestantshad mustered in considerable force, was reduced by LieutenantGeneral Macarthy, an Irish officer who was descended fromone of the most illustrious Celtic houses, and who had longserved, under a feigned name, in the French army.*** Thepeople of Kenmare held out in their little fastness till they wereattacked by three thousand regular soldiers, and till it wasknown that several pieces of ordnance were coming to batterdown the turf wall which surrounded the agent’s house. Thenat length a capitulation was concluded. The colonists weresuffered to embark in a small vessel scantily supplied with foodand water. They had no experienced navigator on board:but after a voyage of a fortnight, during which they werecrowded together like slaves in a Guinea ship, and suffered the

* U A remarkable thing never to be forgotten was that they that werein government then”— at the end of 1688—“seemed to favour us andendeavour to preserve Friends.” History of the Rise and Progress of thePeople called Quakers in Ireland, by Wight and Rutty, Dublin, 1751. Kingindeed (iii.17) reproaches the Quakers as allies and tools of the Papists.

** Wight and Rutty.

*** Life of James, ii. 327. Orig. Mem. Macarthy and his feigned nameare repeatedly mentioned by Dangcau.