ractices were not stopped, there would soon be at Dublin a reign of
terror similar to that which he had seen in London, when every man held
his life and honour at the mercy of Oates and Bedloe. [169]

Clarendon was soon informed, by a concise despatch from Sunderland, that
it had been resolved to make without delay a complete change in both
the civil and the military government of Ireland, and to bring a large
number of Roman Catholics instantly into office. His Majesty, it was
most ungraciously added, had taken counsel on these matters with persons
more competent to advise him than his inexperienced Lord Lieutenant
could possibly be. [170]

Before this letter reached the viceroy the intelligence which it
contained had, through many channels, arrived in Ireland. The terror
of the colonists was extreme. Outnumbered as they were by the native
population, their condition would be pitiable indeed if the native
population were to be armed against them with the whole power of
the state; and nothing less than this was threatened. The English
inhabitants of Dublin passed each other in the streets with dejected
looks. On the Exchange business was suspended. Landowners hastened to
sell their estates for whatever could be got, and to remit the purchase
money to England. Traders began to call in their debts and to make
preparations for retiring from business. The alarm soon affected the
revenue. [171] Clarendon attempted to inspire the dismayed settlers with
a confidence which he was himself far from feeling. He assured them that
their property would be held sacred, and that, to his certain knowledge,
the King was fully determined to maintain the act of settlement which
guaranteed their right to the soil. But his letters to England were in
a very different strain. He ventured even to expostulate with the
King, and, without blaming His Majesty's intention of employing Roman
Catholics, expressed a strong opinion that the Roman Catholics who might
be employed should be Englishmen. [172]

The reply of James was dry and cold. He declared that he had no
intention of depriving the English colonists of their land, but that
he regarded a large portion of them as his enemies, and that, since he
consented to leave so much property in the hands of his enemies, it was
the more necessary that the civil and military administration should be
in the hands of his friends. [173]

Accordingly several Roman Catholics were sworn of the Privy Council;