tober, 1680, and so closely confined, that none of his
friends could have access to him. He spent his time in prayer, and his
gaolers were amazed at his cheerfulness and resignation. His trial took
place on the 8th of June, 1681; but he was not allowed time to procure
the necessary witnesses, and the court would not allow certain records
to be put in, which would have proved the character of his accusers. Six
of the most eminent English lawyers were arrayed against him. The legal
arrangements of the times deprived him of the assistance of counsel, but
they did not require the judges to help out the men who swore against
him: this, however, they did do.

The prelate was condemned to die. The speech of the judge who pronounced
sentence was not distinguished by any very special forensic acumen. Dr.
Plunkett had been charged by the witnesses with political crimes; the
judge sentenced[511] him for his religious convictions; and, by a
process of reasoning not altogether peculiar to himself, insisted that
his supposed treason was a necessary result of the faith he professed.
The Archbishop suffered at Tyburn, on Friday, July 11, 1681. He went to
his death rejoicing, as men go to a bridal. His dying declaration
convinced his hearers of his innocence; and, perhaps, the deep regret
for his martyrdom, which was felt by all but the wretches who had
procured his doom, tended to still the wild storm of religious
persecution, or, at least, to make men see that where conscience was
dearer than life, conscientious convictions should be respected. It is
at least certain, that his name was the last on the long roll of
sufferers who had been executed at Tyburn for the faith. Blood was no
longer exacted there as the price which men should pay for liberty of
belief. It were well had that liberty been allowed by men to their
fellow-men in after years, without fines or confiscations--without those
social penalties, which, to a refined and sensitive mind, have in them
the bitterness of death, without the consolations of martyrdom.

[Illustration: ANCIENT PITCHER, FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE R.I.A., FOUND
IN A CRANNOGE, AT LOUGH TAUGHAN, LECALE, CO. DOWN.]

[Illustration: OLDERFLEET CASTLE, LARNE.]

FOOTNOTES:

[498] _Barbadoes_.--_Threnodia Hib._ p. 287.

[499] _Evidence_.--In a work written expressly to excite feeling in
England against the Irish, it is stated that they [the Irish] failed in
the massacre.--See _Cromwellian Settlement_, p.