after
the Great Fire. In return for their charity, they were assured that this
was a mere pretence to keep up the cattle trade with England; and
accordingly an Act was passed in which the importation of Irish cattle
was forbidden, and termed a "nuisance," and language was used which, in
the present day, would be considered something like a breach of
privilege. The Duke of Buckingham, whose farming interests were in
England, declared "that none could oppose the Bill, except such as had
Irish estates or Irish understandings." Lord Ossory protested that "such
virulence became none but one of Cromwell's counsellors;" and he being
the eldest of the Duke of Ormonde, and having Irish interests, opposed
it. Several noble lords attempted to draw their swords. Ossory
challenged Buckingham; Buckingham declined the challenge. Ossory was
sent to the Tower; the word "nuisance" remained; some members of the
"Cabal" said it should have been "felony;" and the Irish trade was
crushed. Even the Puritan settlers in Ireland began to rebel at this,
for they, too, had begun to have "Irish interests," and could not quite
see matters relative to that country in the same light as they had done
when at the other side of the Channel. At last they became openly
rebellious. Some soldiers mutinied for arrears of pay, and seized
Carrickfergus Castle--ten of them were executed, and peace was restored;
but the old Cromwellians, both in England and Ireland, gave considerable
anxiety to the Government; and, indeed, it seems marvellous that they
should not have revolted more openly and in greater force.

So many complaints were made of Ormonde's administration, that he was
now removed for a time. He was succeeded by Lord Berkeley, in May, 1670,
a nobleman whose honest and impartial government earned him the respect
of all who were not interested in upholding a contrary line of conduct.
The Catholics offered him an address, which was signed by two prelates,
who held a prominent position, not only in their Church, but also in the
history of the period; these were Dr. Plunkett, Archbishop of Armagh,
and Dr. Talbot, Archbishop of Dublin. Colonel Richard Talbot, who was
afterwards created Earl of Tyrconnel by James II., had been, for some
time, the accredited agent of the Irish Catholics at the English court;
he now (A.D. 1671) attempted to obtain some examination into the claims
of those who had been ejected from their estates during the
Commonwealth. After s