ficers appointed by the crown, gave great offence. In the south, also,
there existed serious disturbances. Men, called "Right Boys" banded
together in order to defraud the Protestant clergy of their incomes. For
this purpose the farmers entered into a combination, under the sanction
of an oath, neither to compound for tithes, nor to assist any clergyman
drawing them. This insurrection commenced in Kerry and the combination
soon extended to Cork and other neighbouring counties, where the
insurgents marched in large bodies, administering their oath in the name
of Captain Right, giving out their laws, and punishing those who broke
their faith. In these proceedings they were secretly encouraged by many
gentlemen of landed property, who hoped from their violence that
their estates might be exonerated from tithes; but when the insurgents
proceeded to limit the rents of land, to increase the price of labour,
and to oppose the collection of hearth-money, then an outcry was raised
by these landlords against their designs, and an act was passed in 1787
for preventing tumultuous and illegal assemblies. Upon inquiry it was
discovered that the clergy instead of receiving one-tenth scarcely
received one-twentieth of the produce, and that the insurrection was
owing to the avarice of the landlords, who charged the peasantry six
pounds an acre for their land, and yet made them work for fivepence per
day. It was also found that some landlords had excited their tenants
to rob the clergy, for the purpose of adding the value of the tithes
to their rack-rents, and that the magistrates had in several instances
connived at the outrages. These troubles passed over, but the same
spirit of disaffection towards the government still existed in Ireland.
And this, perhaps, was increased by the contests which took place in the
Irish parliament between the patriotic band, headed by Mr. Grattan, and
those who adhered to government. It has been seen that at the time the
regency bill was discussed in the British parliament, the Irish were in
favour of the Prince of Wales. An address to him was carried by a large
majority in the Irish parliament, and when the lord-lieutenant refused
to forward it, commissioners were deputed to present it, as before
narrated. Encouraged by his success in the matter of the address Mr.
Grattan proposed several bills of a popular description, which were
carried. But this patriotic bias did not long continue. When his majesty
rec