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foreign countries known by the title of James III., had attempted to invade Scotland, but failed in his expectations; the Catholics were turned out of Limerick on the 19th of March, and were kept out for three weeks and three days. Such was the tyranny observed after the Treaty of Limerick!

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

THE ORANGE MILITARY RIOTS IN LIMERICK IN 1710-STATEMENT OF DR. BISHOP-DEPOSITIONS

SMYTH, THE

PROTESTANT

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STATEMENT OF THE SUSPENSION OF THE OFFICERS AND

OFFICERS AND THEIR PETITION
FINAL DISMISSAL OF MAJOR CHAYTOR.

THE military riots in Limerick in the autumn of 1710, form a curious episode, not only in the history of the city, but in the history of the kingdom generally. They have been recorded not only in the depositions of witnesses who bore testimony to the outrages, which, for successive days and nights, were perpetrated by a band of drunken Orangemen-licentious officers; but in the humble petition of the officers themselves after they had been convicted, and while the danger of a severe retribution impended. Their names were:-Major Chaytor, Captain Jephson, Captain Plaistow, Lieutenant Mason, Lieutenant Bartlett, Lieutenant Conningham, Lieutenant Barry, and Ensign Hunter, of Sir John Wittenrong's regiment; and Lieutenant Wright, Lieutenant Shoebridge, Ensigns Kelly and Blount, of Lieutenant-General Pidcomb's regiment. It appears by the depositions of witnesses before us that, in the dead of night, on the 11th of September, they made terrible noises in the city, in several places, and more particularly below the Bishop's (Protestant) Palace, where they were heard to drink "confusion, damnation, plague, pestilence, famine, battle, murder, and sudden death to Dr. Sacheverell and his adherents." This, they called, in their own profane manner, "the Litany of Health;" adding also, "confusion to all Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons." A representation of the facts was made by the Recorder to Major-General Fairfax, who was old and feeble, and little better able to cope with the difficulty than, in the first instance, to order one sentinel to be placed at the door of the Bishop's residence.

Dr. Smyth made his statement to the Government in a large, bold hand, plain and quick:33

On the 12th of September last, about one o'clock in the morning (as I judge) there came before my house several persons with musical instruments, who sang a song, which (I am informed by those who heard it more distinctly), was a very scandalous one. Afterwards I heard them repeat the words---confusion and damnation-which, I suppose, was when they drank confusion and damnation to Dr.

'White's MSS.

From contemporary MS. depositions, autograph petitions, letters, Thorpe's Catalogue of the Southwell MSS.-Sloane MSS. in the British Museum, &c., &c.

3 Ex-Sloane MSS.-British Museum.

Sacheverel, and all his adherents, and all of his principles, as I was informed they did, by a gentleman, who says, he opened his casement and heard them. They staid before my house a considerable time, and (as the same gentleman informed me, whose depositions are taken before ye mayor and other justices) drank other healths, among which, was the health most prophanely called-the Litany health; wherein, they prayed that plague, pestilence, and famine, &c., might fall on all (and among them, particularly on all Archbishops and Bishops, &c., to the best of his remembrance, and as he verily believes) who should refuse to drink to ye glorious memory of King William. The former of their healths was likewise drunk at one Alderman Higgins's, and neither of them drunk at any other house, as appears by depositions taken as before. The persons concerned in this (as appears upon oath) were Major Cheater, at that time the commanding officer-in-chief of ye garrison, Captain Plasto, Lieutenant Mason, Lieutenant Barkly, and Lieutenant Walsh,' all belonging to Sir John Whittrongue's regiment, and Captain Blunt, of Colonel Rooke's regiment. After this, on ye 21st of this month, about four, as I conceive, in the morning, I and my family were again disturbed by several persons who passed by my house and made a strange unusual noise by singing with feigned voices, and by beating with keys and tongs (as it appears on oath) on frying-pans, brass candlesticks, and such like instruments. Afterwards, on the 24th instant, about the same hour, I was startled out of my sleep (as I was each time before) by a hideous noise, made at the corner of my house, by winding of horns and the hollowing of men, and the cry of a pack of dogs. I lay some considerable time in bed, in hopes they would soon have gone away; but finding they did not, I got out of bed, and opened my window, and stood there for some time, in hopes of discovering who they were (for it was a moonshiny night) but could not. At length the dogs in full cry, to ye number I believe of twenty-three or twenty-four couple or thereabouts, ran by my house, and in some time after returned again, and soon after, in the same manner ran back again, making the same noise. After they had passed by my house the first time, I called to the centinel at my door, and asked him who those men were, and what they were doing; who answered me, that they were officers who had got a fox, and dragged him along, and sent ye dogs after him. What the persons are who were guilty of the second and third riots, appears by the depositions taken before our Justices of the Peace, I cannot but observe that Major Cheater (with others of that regiment, as I think appears by ye depositions) was always one, and in the second riot was accompanied by Lieutenant Barkly,

The gentlemen who from the first gave affront on me, having owned their fault, and asked my pardon, I should never have mentioned it to their prejudice, had it not been for the repeated indignities they have put on me since, which, (if continued) will oblige me to remove with my family out of town, till these gentlemen come to a better temper. Beside these abuses which I have mentioned, I and my family have been frequently alarmed and awakened in the dead of night by soldiers, (as they afterwards appeared to be), who feigned themselves to be spirits; some by stripping themselves naked, and others by putting on white garments, and throwing stones at the centinel at my door, and at other times by throwing stones on the slates of my house, which made an unusual noise when they were tumbling down; and one night particularly, the century was so much affrighted and made such a noise, that I was forced to rise out my bed to encourage him, and to assure him they were no spirits.

All this having been done since ye first abuse that was put on me, and never before having received any such abuses by any officers or soldiers since my first coming to this town, there having been always a good understanding betwixt us, and the officers of all former regiments having been at all times very obliging and courteous to me, which I think myself bound in justice to acknowledge.

This name is stated to be Wright in the depositions and petitions, &c.

* Sic in orig.

For these reasons I cannot but believe that these later outrages were the result of some resentments occasioned by the first abuse; and that the first abuse was occasioned by an opinion they conceived that my principles did not in all things agree with their own.

October the 27th, 1710, at Limerick.

THO. LIMERICK,

We learn moreover from the depositions, that on the 20th of October the riots were renewed, when, some of the officers above named, went through the streets in the night, "beating warming-pans, stew-pans, &c.; and with this uproar and bawdy songs, pretending to serenade the city;" and again they made a set on the Bishop, against whom they appear to have had a violent animosity. The Mayor interposed his authority, in order to check these disgraceful proceedings; but, in return, he received gross insult from Major Chaytor, who was the principal actor, and, apparently, the prime mover in all these doings; and about three or four o'clock a.m. on the morning of the 23rd of the same month, he (Chaytor) with others of the above named officers, hunted a fox through the city, with a pack of about thirty dogs and three hunting horns, disturbing, in a particular manner the Bishop, at whose house they began the noise, and continued it until six a.m. The Bishop drew up the above complaint; and Major-General Fairfax, who seems not to have been able to make an energetic movement to suppress these shameful excesses, wrote to Dr. Smyth in the following

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I was extremely troubled to heare of the greate disorder committed against yr. Ldsp. and the whole garrison of Limerick. The Recorder has given the Lientenant General an account of it, so I need say no more of it. I have ordered another sentinell to be att yr. Lp's. doore; and if I were able I woud wait on you myslf and see if I coud keep better order; but it is a hard matter to do where men are mad and give themselves a liberty to act so contrary, not only to soldiers but to that of Christianity. Yr. Lp. may see by my writing how ill I handle a pen, and be assured that I am in great truth,

may

my Lord,

Your most obedient humble servt.,
J. FAIRFAX.

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Dr. Smyth endorses the letter to the effect that it "concerns some abuses put upon mee by some officers," and that Major-General Fairfax had ordered him "two centinels."

Lieutenant-General Ingoldsby, to whom the Recorder had written, and who is referred to by Major-General J. Fairfax, was one of the Lords Justices of Ireland from 1706 to 1711-the anti-Papal and implacable Lord Wharton was Lord Lieutenant during a portion of the time-the Duke of Ormonde

This letter is sealed with red wax, and an impression of Fairfax's arms-a lion rampant.

after. Ingoldsby, in his private memoranda states, that "he early appeared in Ireland in King William's interest, was made a prisoner in Limerick, and sustained losses here to the amount of twelve thousand pounds, at least, notwithstanding which, he never troubled His Majesty for anything more than to be engaged in his service."

The following is a copy of the petition which was forwarded to the Lords Justices:1

"To their Excellencys the Lords Justices of Ireland. The Humble Petition of the Mayor, Bishop, Aldermen, and Comon Council of the Citty of Limerick.

Humbly sheweth That your Petitioners were several times of late, in a violent manner insulted by several officers of this garrison, viz., Major Cheator, Capt. Jephson, Capt. Wright, Capt. Plasto, Lieut. Mason, Ensigne Kelly, and Lieut. Barkley; that the said officers att one time in the dead of the night, went about this Citty, and under the Bishop's and other Houses, Drank Confusion, Damnation, Plague, Petilence, and ffamine, battle, murder, and sudden death to all Arch Bishops, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, Doctor Sechivorel and all his adherents, at another time in like manner, drunk such like and Bawdy healths, and at the third time in like manner, with a large pack of Doggs and a ffox hunted through the Citty, first abusing the mayor and Corporation when they were celebrateing the anniversary of the twenty-third of October, all wch. pticalarly appear at large by sevll. Informations taken upon oath before the mayor and magistrates of this Citty hereunto annexed [and by memorial of ye Ld. Bp. also annexed]. And since we Complaine against some officers, we can't but acknowledge and make knowne by this Petition, that Collonil Kendol commanding officer of this garrison, behaved himselfe oblidging to this Citty, and took great care and pains to rectifie these abusses.

May it therefore please your Excellencys to order such Releife for your Petitioners in the premisses as your Excellencys in your great Wisdom shall think fitt; and your Petitionrs will ever pray.

Dated under the Comon Seal of the said Citty, at our

Comon Councel Chamber this 27th of October, ano dni 1710."

Annexed are several Depositions taken before Pearce Piercy, mayor, and 3 magistrates, occupying several pages.

The above given List of 11 officers complained against, and mayor's reasons for omitting 2 names.

"Dublin Castle, 2nd Nov. 1710.

Sir, The enclosed Petition and Informations, with a Complaint of the Bishop of Lymerick all in his own hand writing, having ben laid before the Lords Justices, their Excys. imediatly sent for all the officers complained of to come up hither, and suspended them from their commands and pay untill her maties. further Pleasure be known therein, and in the mean time, their Excys. hav comanded me to transmit them to you, to be laid before my Lord Duke, that his Grace may doe therein as he shall judge proper.

You will also herewith receive a Memorial of some of the officers concerned in the Riot, to Lieut. Genll. Ingoldsby, that his Grace may see what they say in their own behalfe. I have nothing else to trouble you with at this time, being very truly,

Sr. your most faithfull
humble servt.,
J. DAWSON:

Mr. Southwell."

Ex Sloane MSS. Brit. Mus. 20720.

The officers returned the following untrue reply:

"To his Excellency Lieutt. Genll. Ingoldsby, one of her magties. Lord Chief Justices of Ireland.

May itt Please your Excellcy, Wee the undernamed officers In the Honble. Sr. John Wittenrong's Regimt., Being Injuriously and falsly Impeached for several misdemeanours (as they are pleas'd to term them), By the aldermen of Limrick for meeting on Septembr last and Drinking the glorious memory of King William with other like Healths, which wee humbly presume do nott In the least argue any disaffection to the present goverment, and some other Innocent proceedings, which, we believe will be specifi'd with additions to your Excellency, nott out of any Conviction of a Crime Committed, But an ambition we shall allways have to bear your Excellency preposess'd with nothing to our disadvantage, as we can on our honours assure your Excellency our Intentions were fair and not levell'd att any particular persons, So we flatter our selves your Excellency will construe our actions as such, your Excelleys favourable determination will be an Extrordinary Obligation to your Excellcys most humble and obedient servtts,

H. CHAYTOR,
GEO. WRIGHT,

THO. MASON,

THO. PLAISTOW,
EDMD. BARTLETT."

Ingoldsby writing to James Butler, second Duke of Ormonde, relative to these military outrages, states that a court-martial would be most likely favourable to their own cloth-orders the officers' pay to be suspended, and hints that His Grace should give directions that the pay, during the suspension, "should be distributed by the Bishop to the poor of the town of Limerick."

Chaytor, and his brothers in arms and in disgrace, who were at length convicted of these doings, lost no time in throwing themselves on the mercy of the authorities; they addressed "an Humble Petition" to Ingoldsby, and as a specimen of utter abasement and trepidation, we do not know that we have ever read a more "humble" document in every particular.2

1 Thorpe's Catalogue of the Southwell MSS.

2 "To His Excellency Lieutenant-General Ingolsby, one of His Majesty's Lord Justices of Ireland. The humble petition of Major Henry Chayter and the several subscribing officers,

Sheweth, That your Petrs, having through Inadvertency & in Excesse of Liquour, acted some Irregularityes in Lymerick for which the Bishop and Corporation have lately exhibited their memorialls against us with several affidavitts relating thereto (to several of which your Petitioners object).

That some of those Irregularitys so complained off were longe since actually forgiven by the Bishop and Corporation, pardon being publickly asked the Bishop for the same on the Exchange in Lymerick, by some of yr. Petis. who since that time have not offered the least affront or abuse to the Bishop or Corporation.

That your Petis. assure your Excellency, and they do Hereby declare upon their Honours, that such indiscretions and errors (as they were really guilty off) were totally owing to Liquours, and that neither of them was committed with any intent whatever to affront, abuse, insult, or disturbe either the Bishop or any member of the Corporation.

That your Petis. have a just resentment of their Irregularityes and are willing to make such acknowlegements to the Bishop and Corporation as your Excellency shall please to order and direct them.

That your Petis. have not only laboured under your Excys, displeasure a long time, but also

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