of the public, and the failure of justice.
They declared, that it was from her majesty's gracious interposition
alone they proposed to themselves relief from those their manifold
grievances and misfortunes. The commons afterwards voted the necessary
supplies, and granted one hundred and fifty thousand pounds to make good
the deficiencies of the necessary branches of the establishment.

A SEVERE ACT PASSED AGAINST PAPISTS.

They appointed a committee to inspect the public accounts, by which
they discovered that above one hundred thousand pounds had been falsely
charged as a debt upon the nation. The committee was thanked by the
house for having saved this sum, and ordered to examine what persons
were concerned in such a misrepresentation, which was generally imputed
to those who acted under the duke of Ormond. He himself was a nobleman
of honour and generosity, addicted to pleasure, and fond of popular
applause; but he was surrounded by people of more sordid principles, who
had ingratiated themselves into his confidence by the arts of adulation.
The commons voted a provision for the half-pay officers; and abolished
pensions to the amount of seventeen thousand pounds a-year, as
unnecessary branches of the establishment. They passed an act settling
the succession of the crown after the pattern set them by England; but
the most important transaction of this session was a severe bill to
prevent the growth of popery. It bore a strong affinity to that which
had passed three years before in England; but contained more effectual
clauses. Among others it enacted, that all estates of papists should be
equally divided among the children, notwithstanding any settlement to
the contrary, unless the person to whom they might be settled should
qualify themselves by taking the oaths, and communicating with the
church of England. The bill was not at all agreeable to the ministry
in England, who expected large presents from the papists, by whom a
considerable sum had been actually raised for this purpose. But as they
did not think proper to reject such a bill while the English parliament
was sitting, they added a clause which they hoped the parliament of
Ireland would refuse: namely, that no persons in that kingdom should be
capable of any employment, or of being in the magistracy of any city,
who did not qualify themselves by receiving the sacrament according
to the test act passed in England. Though this was certainly a great
har