ber of the house, John
Trenchard, Henry Langford, and James Hamilton, were authors of that
book, they further resolved, that these persons had scandalously and
maliciously misrepresented and traduced the protestant freeholders of
that kingdom, and endeavoured to create a misunderstanding and jealousy
between the people of England and the protestants of Ireland. Annesley
was expelled the house, Hamilton was dead, and Trenchard had returned
to England. They had finished the inquiry before the meeting of this
parliament; and sold at an undervalue the best of the forfeited estates
to the sword-blade company of England. This, in a petition to the Irish
parliament, prayed that heads of a bill be brought in for enabling them
to take conveyance of lands in Ireland; but the parliament was very
little disposed to confirm the bargains of the trustees, and the
petition lay neglected on the table. The house expelled John Asgil, who,
as agent to the sword-blade company, had offered to lend money to the
public in Ireland, on condition that the parliament would pass an act
to confirm the company's purchase of the forfeited estates. His
constituents disowned his proposal; and when he was summoned to appear
before the house, and answer for his prevarication, he pleaded his
privilege as member of the English parliament. The commons, in a
representation of the state and grievances of the nation, gave her
majesty to understand that the constitution of Ireland had been of
late greatly shaken; and their lives, liberties, and estates, called
in question, and tried in a manner unknown to their ancestors; that
the expense to which they had been unnecessarily exposed by the late
trustees for the forfeited estates, in defending their just rights and
titles, had exceeded in value the current cash of the kingdom; that
their trade was decayed, their money exhausted; and that they were
hindered from maintaining their own manufactures; that many protestant
families had been constrained to quit the kingdom in order to earn a
livelihood in foreign countries; that the want of frequent parliaments
in Ireland had encouraged evil-minded men to oppress the subject; that
many civil officers had acquired great fortunes in that impoverished
country, by the exercise of corruption and oppression; that others,
in considerable employments, resided in another kingdom, neglecting
personal attendance on their duty, while their offices were ill
executed, to the detriment