Page:A letter to the Right Hon. Chichester Fortescue, M.P. on the state of Ireland.djvu/14

 throne, and her title to the Crown, were the Protestants. In relating the events of the year 1570, Froude says:—

But while any favour to Roman Catholics was at that time full of danger, Elizabeth is justly open to censure for not using any proper means for promoting the Reformation in Ireland, and, in case of failure, for not leaving the Catholic Church undisturbed. 'The churches,' says Hallam, 'were allowed to go to ruin; the benefices fell to strangers, or to conforming ministers of native birth, dissolute and ignorant, as useless to teach as the people were predetermined not to listen.'

The state of affairs at the commencement of the reign of King William the Third was not very different. The English and Scotch deposed James the Second, and settled the Crowns of England, Ireland, and Scotland upon King William and his heirs, being Protestants. The Irish declared for King James, and were defeated at the Battle of the Boyne, at Londonderry, and at Limerick.

That the victory was terribly abused; that laws of proscription were passed; that the two Houses of the