Note 290 — Chapter LVI · THE THREE IRISH CHURCHES

Writing to Arlington, October 12, 1673, Essex Papers, i. 174, Essex says the Dissenters in Ulster had increased from under 14,000 of all sorts in Strafford’s time to about 100,000 men fit to bear arms. On October 19, 1674, he praises the moderation of the Bishop of Down towards Dissenters, ib. p. 262. For a less tolerant episcopal view, see Bishop Otway of Killala to Essex, Essex Papers, ed. Pike, pp. 94, 113. Ormonde to H. Coventry, September 4, 1677, Additional MSS. 32095. Reid’s Presbyterian Hist., ii. 336. In 1679 the Presbytery of Down acknowledged Ormonde’s ‘favour and noble candour’ to them, ib. p. 572. Avaux repeatedly mentions the favour shown by James to Quakers. Writing to Strype on August 5, 1690, Bonnell says they ‘at first took civil offices under King James, and were looked upon by us and by the Roman Catholics as the same with them; but latterwards, when they saw how things were like to go, they sided more with us.’ It was not forgotten that Robert Barclay had been educated by Jesuits, and it was easy to say that the Quaker leaders did ‘inwardly own Ignatius Loyola as their founder,’ Secret Consults of the Romish Party, p. 90.