Page:Studies in Irish History, 1649-1775 (1903).djvu/140

James II that all sections of Protestants would be thus induced to acquiesce in the measures which the King was meditating on behalf of his co-religionists. A contrary result was produced. At all times fiercely hostile to the Catholic faith, the settlers were inevitably disposed to put the least favourable construction upon the actions of a Catholic king; and, while the Puritans denounced the Lord Primate as little better than a Papist, Episcopalians inveighed against Granard as a schismatic insidiously advanced for the purpose of dividing the Protestant interest.

So violent indeed was the disaffection of the colonists, and so widespread were the fears of massacre entertained by the opposite party, that the Lords Justices found themselves compelled, within a few weeks of taking office, to issue a proclamation for seizing the arms of the militia; and this order was speedily followed by others, prohibiting nocturnal meetings and the public discussion of affairs of State. It deserves notice that these proclamations, which have been the subject of much hostile comment, were similar in almost every respect to those directed against the Catholics during the panic of 1678; nor can it be denied that the rebellions of Monmouth in England and of Argyle in Scotland afforded at least as solid grounds for apprehension as the 128