ames in English history. His father was Sir William Talbot,
a distinguished Irish lawyer, and his brother, Peter Talbot, was R.C.
Archbishop of Dublin, and was murdered there by tedious imprisonment on
a false charge in 1680. He was a lad of sixteen when Cromwell sacked
Drogheda in September 1649, and he doubtless brought from its bloody
ashes no feeling in favour of the Saxon. He was all his life engaged in
the service of the Irish and of James. He was attached to the Duke of
York's suite from the Restoration, and was taken prisoner by the Dutch,
on board the Catharine, in the naval action at Solebay, 29th May,
1672.[20] After the Acts of Settlement and Explanation were passed, he
acted as agent for the Irish Roman Catholics, urging their claims with
all the influence his rank, abilities, and fortune[21] could command.
His zeal got him into frequent dangers; he was sent to the Tower in
1661 and 1671 for having challenged the Duke of Ormond, and the English
Commons presented an address in 1671, praying his dismissal from all
public employments. He was selected by James, both from personal trust
and popularity, to communicate with the Irish; and though Clarendon was
first sent as Lord Lieutenant in '85, Tyrconnell had the independent
management of the army,[22] and replaced Clarendon in 1686.

Sarsfield, who was at the head of "the French party," and most of the
great Irish officers, thought him undecided, hardly bold enough, and
with a selfish leaning towards England. Of his selfishness we have now
a better proof than they had, a proof that _might_ have abated his
master's eulogy, given further on. We say _might_, for _possibly_
Tyrconnell was in communication with James as to the French offers.

"It is now ascertained that, doubtful of the king's success in the
struggle for restoring popery in England, he had made secret
overtures to some of the French agents, for casting off all
connection with that kingdom in case of James's death, and, with
the aid of Louis, placing the crown of Ireland on his own head. M.
Mazure has brought this remarkable fact to light. Bonrepos, a
French emissary in England, was authorised by his court to proceed
in a negociation with Tyrconnell for the separation of the two
islands, in case that a Protestant should succeed to the crown of
England. He had accordingly a private interview with a confidential
agent of the Lord Lieutenant at Chester in the