Above : Picture Of King James I, Died In 1625

The closing years of the reign of James were marked by some advance in prosperity and in population throughout Ireland as a whole. Irish trade and commerce increased, and tracts long desolate began again to be populated. ” The country,” it was said, ” was full of youth.” In March, 1625, James died, and was succeeded by Charles, his son.

The change of rulers was not followed by any alteration in the Irish administration ; Lord Falkland, Deputy since 1622, was continued in office. Almost from the first, Charles found himself involved in disputes with his English Parliament, tvhich refused to grant him adequate supplies. He was, in consequence, in sore straits for money. It was thought that, in return for such relaxations in the recusancy laws as would secure them in the continuance, as of right, of the toleration which they now enjoyed merely as a favour, some pecuniary assistance might be obtained from the Irish Catholics. Negotiations with certain of the Catholic nobility for obtaining money by the sale of ” Graces ” to their co-religionists, were begun. Dropped for a time, they were renewed in 1628.

In November (1628), the Catholics despatched agents to London, who were admitted to Charles’ presence, and conducted their negotiations with him personally. .The remission of the Sunday fines was refused, probably because they were a source of revenue, but two other important ” Graces,” as well as several minor ones, were promised. The first ! I ! substituted for the Supremacy Oaths a simple Oath of Allegiance to the Sovereign. This oath and no other was to be tendered to the holders of offices ; to members of corporations ; to wards desirous of suing out their livery ; to barristers ; to those seeking university degrees, etc., etc.

The second conceded that a continuous undisturbed occupation \i y. of any land for sixty years might be pleaded as a bar to any Crown claim to such land. This latter ” Grace ” was desired, because the attempted revival by the Crown of certain claims, some of which were based on grants centuries old, and which in many cases had never attained to any reality by actual possession, had created a general feeling of insecurity amongst the Irish land-owners. In return for these concessions, the Irish agents undertook to raise amongst their co-religionists the sum of £120,000 for the King. Charles promised that an Irish Parliament should at once be summoned to confirm what had been agreed on.

Above: King Charles of England

The writs for this Parliament were in fact issued, but, owing to a technical error, they were cancelled, and no fresh ones were sent out. Notwithstanding this, the Catholics paid over the sum of £5,000, and were rewarded by the further relaxation of the recusancy laws. The indulgence was, however, unofficial, and that its continuance could not be counted on soon appeared.

In England the people viewed the open toleration of Popery in Ireland with alarm. The question was raised in the House of Commons, and in April 1629, the Lord Deputy was directed to issue a Proclamation, directing that all Catholic convents, monasteries and schools should be closed, and no priests should be permitted to officiate in public. A good deal of spasmodic persecution followed, several religious houses were confiscated, and several priests imprisoned. But still the orders contained in the Proclamation were not generally obeyed.