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XVII. THE EARL OF ESSEX TO THE EARL OF ARLINGTON.

MY LORD,

[Stowe MS. 499, fo. 40b.]

Dublyn Castle, Sept 17th, 1672.

My La Powrs Regiment was yesterday shipt. I heard of no disorder among them, but least any thing might happen at parting, as there did at Kinsale, last year upon the shipping of some men for England, I order'd two Troops of Horse to bee drawn up on the Shore, whilst the men were shipping. I am confident yr LoP will hear my character, as of a very severe and ill natur'd man towards the soldierie here, and I confess I am forced in a great measure to bee soe, for there has bin so much remissness in that Part of the Administration of ye Governmt, and so much permission of all men to quarter when and where they please, as I find they take it very ill to bee put into a new method. I am almost tir'd with the applications of some to continue in the quarters where they have long bin, and of others, to permitt some files of men to bee guards for their houses, but I have bin so hardy as to refuse all suits of this nature, it being very important to his Majties Service to keep ye Companies full in their severall Garrisons, not suffring any files of men to reside by perticular Licence in the Officers' houses (wch has hitherto bin indulg'd them) for fear, not only of weakening ye Garrisons, but of giving the Officers opportunitie of making fals musters, for no man can know whether these men are in being, while they are kept at their private Houses.

I make no doubt but I shall receive all ye countenance I can

* It illustrates the occasional difficulties of communication with England that this regiment returned to Dublin on the 20th, "in an ill condition, many of the men have been mad, and some of them are dead," f. 50. On Jan. 3, 1673, the west wind prevented all communications from Arlington reaching Essex-nine packets were due in Dublin. Power's regiment finally reached England on Sept. 28, with the greatest difficulty.

e.g. Orrery. See Letter IV.

expect in my Proceedings here, for it shall I hope be allwais found. that I direct all to his Majties service and to no other end whatever, yet I have bin a litle more perticular upon this subject then the nature of it needed, in regard I know so great a change as tis necessary for mee to make here must of necessitie bring along with it some ill will, but I know in all these cases tis but being a litle resolute at ye first and afterwards all will comply.

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Among other Proposalls for encrease of money in this Kingdome, one has bin offer'd to mee wch meethinks seems the likeliest, but I cannot well judge how practicable it may bee. "Tis This, Wee suppose here that there will this Winter bee great want of Provision in Holland, and therefore, if there were a permission gain'd from England, that this Kingdome might transport beef and other provisions into Holland, not wthstanding the Warr, it might return great profitt to us; tis certain the Dutch will supply themselves some way or other, and is it not better for his Majties subjects to have profitt by it then for others to reap the advantage? There are, I confess, some difficulties in the way, but the discours is too large for a Letter, therefore it shall content mee only to have made the Proposition, and leave it to ye Lops consideration; only this I am confident of, that 'tis not any trick, as the raising of the value of money, or any other litle project (wch can only give a litle relief for ye time) that can restore plenty of money to a country that wants it, but it must bee some solid Foundation of Trade such as perhaps this may prove that can bring plenty of coine into a Kingdome.

The setling of Rules for the Corporacions makes this a buisy time with us here; the generall ones for all Coporacions were pas'd this morning and sign'd by the Councell; one addition wee have made to them not mentioned in my former Letters, wch is ye Oath agt ye taking up of Arms by virtue of ye King's Authorite agt his

b England had been at war with the Dutch since March.

Person. I presume this Addition to this other Oathes here in force will not bee misliked. Wee must make particular Rules for eight or 10 of ye greater Coporacions, and some peculiar ones for this City of Dublyn; wherein I shall not faile of my care to pursue his Majties instructions in this behalf, and to accommodate the Ruls as properly as may bee to ye constitution of each severall Corporacion, tho' I fear our shortness of time, as the greatest circumspection that is possible will not hinder us from falling into some errors.

*

XVIII.-CHARLES R. TO THE EARL OF ESSEX.

[Essex Papers, vol. i. 279.]

Sept. 28.

[All prosecutions in criminal causes on account of the "late rebellion" are to be stopped, as previously ordered in the time of Ormond.]

XIX. THE EARL OF ESSEX TO THE EARL OF ARLINGTON.

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MY LORD,

[Stowe MS. 499, fo. 55.]

Dublyn Castle, 1 Octob. 1672.

I have recd severall Lres from his Majtie concerning the Corporacion of Dundalke. The Lřes themselvs are some of them so contradictory one to the other as by them it appears to be a matter of intricacy; and upon consideration of the business I am apt to fear, if I should pursue the commands I have recd of renewing ye charter of this Corporacion, and restoring all their

This occurs in the English Corporation Act of 1661.

Lands wch were enjoyed by them on 22 of Octob. 1641, it would intrench upon some clauses in the Acts of Settlement and Explanation; sure I am the a Presidt of this will extend further then can be readily foreseen. There are heads enough at worke to take any opportunitie to make a breach into these Acts, and this very thing of Corporacion Lands is the most plausible of any Thing can fix upon to introduce some change in the Acts, and therefor, in my opinion, ought to be ye more narrowly watcht. I have, therefore, for ye present respited any proceedings upon this Letter, and have transmitted my Ld. Dungannon's Petition, who will employ some to take care of his business in England, and upon any further signification of his Majties pleasure (after ye whole shall be thoroughly considered together wth ye consequences of it) I shall readily execute such commands as shall come to mee either by another Letter, or by intimation from yr LoP to proceed upon these wch I have allready reed.

Some of ye Rules for Corporacions are by this Post transmitted to y1 Lop; those for Gallway and Limmerick are ye same, only wth this addition, that for election of Magistrates it shall be by ye Mayor, Aldermen, and comon Councell, and not by a Popular Vote. This we have done conformable to ye first proposals wch. Isent to y1 Lo, and wee have declar'd it only in ye Rules for these two Citys, in regard that in all ye other Citys of Note y constitution of them is so already, and in Gallway it has bin controverted, whether the Freemen in generall have a Vote in ye Election of Magistrates or no; so to setle all we have given ye Rule.

The Rules for this City doe a litle differ from all the others. By ye next yr LoP shall have copys of them too.

a Precedent.

XX. THE BISHOP OF DERRY TO THE EARL OF ESSEX.a

MAY IT PLEASE YOR EXCELLY,

Oct. 4, 1672.

Having receiv'd intimation from my La Massereen That, to make a composure of or contention here should be wth yor Excelley's allowance, I crave leave to Signify to Yor Excelley ye Chieftains of ye Pesbyterians pty here, Mr. Campsie, Mr. Burnside, and Mr. Cunningham, have engaded (in Scriptis), in behalfe of themselves & the rest of their perswasion, that they shall not hold any meetings in their house wthin ye walls, unless they may doe it wthout offence to his Matie & ye Ld Leiut of Ireland. And upon this engagemt I cease all further prosecution, if yor Excelley is pleas'd to allow of it. Their Rabbies, who sent me a challing of despuite, have been wth me, & are over come into a Conference of kindnes, upon better advice waveing what might be obnoxious to censure by authority. So yt I hope we shall return to or former friendlynes of neighborhood. But then I must humbly implore yo' Excelley that they may not return to their former meeting house, wch they engage shall not be, whilst it is an offence to doe it. And may it ever be an offence to yor Excelley, agt all ye importunitys of reconcileing yo Excelley to it, So shall I & my Family, & those Few Royallists & Conformists here, pray for yo' Excelley in peace, as the gratefull returne of yo Excelley's care & candor in this affaire, infinitely obliging ye duty & devotion of him who is, &c.

* See Letters VII. XV. On Oct. 1, Arlington sent directions that the garrison of Londonderry was to be strengthened against the Nonconformists.

CAMD. SOC.

F

VOL. I.

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