when his Majesty was expected back. An Interim Committee, and Pym, from his ‘lodging at Chelsea,’[1] managed what of indispensable might turn up.
November 1st. News came to London, to the re-assembled Parliament,[2] that an Irish Rebellion, already grown to be an Irish Massacre, had broken out. An Irish Catholic imitation of the late Scotch Presbyterian achievements in the way of ‘religious liberty’;—one of the best models, and one of the worst imitations ever seen in this world. Erasmus’s Ape, observing Erasmus shave himself, never doubted but it too could shave. One knows what a hand the creature made of itself, before the edgetool could be wrenched from it again! As this poor Irish Rebellion unfortunately began in lies and bluster, hoping to make itself good that way, the ringleaders had started by pretending or even forging some warrant from the King; which brought much undeserved suspicion on his Majesty, and greatly complicated his affairs here for a long while.
November 22d. The Irish Rebellion blazing up more and more into an Irish Massacre, to the terror and horror of all antipapist men; and in England, or even in Scotland, except by the liberal use of varnish, nothing yet being satisfactorily mended, nay all things hanging now, as it seemed, in double and treble jeopardy,—the Commons had decided on a ‘Grand Petition and Remonstrance,’ to set forth what their griefs and necessities really were, and really would require to have done for them. The Debate upon it, very celebrated in those times, came on this day, Monday 22d November.[3] The longest Debate ever yet known in Parliament; and the stormiest,—nay, had it not been for Mr. Hampden’s soft management, ‘we had like to have sheathed our swords in each other’s bowels,’ says Warwick; which I find otherwise to be true. The Remonstrance passed by a small majority. It can be
