missioners were named. They began their work in March 1661. They were all in possession of lands taken from the Irish; hence they can hardly have inspired the latter with much confidence. They seem to have done little or nothing to carry out the King's intentions; in fact "their partiality and corruption" to use his own words, "had discredited the Declaration itself."[1]
It became evident that an Act of Parliament alone could bring about some form of settlement.
Writs were accordingly issued for the election of an Irish Parliament. One of its first tasks, and its greatest, was to deal with the land. As the only freeholders, except in four counties beyond the Shannon, were Protestants, and as all Catholics had been cleared from the corporate towns, only one Catholic was elected to the House of Commons,[2] and he was not allowed to take his seat.
From the House of Lords the old nobility were practically all excluded, on the plea that they had been attainted and outlawed in 1641 and 1642, and that these attainders had not yet been formally reversed. It was true that the treaties of 1648 and 1649 had provided for the reversal of these attainders; and that most of these peers had
- ↑ Carte: letter from Charles II. to Ormond re proceedings of the House of Commons with regard to the trials of innocents in 1663.There were difficulties in the way of the Commissioners, as the King's Declaration had not the force of law. But they took care to distribute lands amongst themselves and their friends as reprisals in case they might have to restore any of the Irish.
- ↑ Carte says that no Catholic and but few "fanaticks" were returned. Orrery says "there sat this day (May 8th, 1661) but one Papist Peer." He also says that one Papist and one Anabaptist were chosen for the House of Commons.
