BOOK IX.

CHAPTER I.--James I.--Flight of the Earls--Confiscation of Ulster--Penal Laws--Parliamentary Opposition

CHAPTER II.--Last years of James--Confiscation of the Midland Counties--Accession of Charles I.-- Grievances and "Graces"--Administration of Lord Strafford

CHAPTER III.--Lord Stafford's Impeachment and Execution-- Parliament of 1639-'41--The Insurrection of 1641--The Irish Abroad

CHAPTER IV.--The Insurrection of 1641

CHAPTER V.--The Catholic Confederation--Its Civil Government and Military Establishment

CHAPTER VI.--The Confederate War--Campaign of 1643-- The Cessation

CHAPTER VII.--The Cessation and its Consequences

CHAPTER VIII.--Glamorgan's Treaty--The New Nuncio Rinuccini-- O'Neil's Position--The Battle of Benburb

CHAPTER IX.--From the Battle of Benburb till the Landing of Cromwell at Dublin

CHAPTER X.--Cromwell's Campaign--1649-1650

CHAPTER XI.--Close of the Confederate War

CHAPTER XII.--Ireland under the Protectorate-- Administration of Henry Cromwell-- Death of Oliver

BOOK X.

CHAPTER I.--Reign of Charles II.

CHAPTER II.--Reign of Charles II. (Concluded)

CHAPTER III.--The State of Religion and Learning in Ireland during the Seventeenth Century

CHAPTER IV.--Accession of James II.--Tyrconnell's Administration

CHAPTER V.--King James to Ireland--Irish Parliament of 1689

CHAPTER VI.--The Revolutionary War--Campaign of 1639-- Sieges of Derry and Enniskillen

CHAPTER VII.--The Revolutionary War--Campaign of 1690-- Battle of the Boyne--Its Consequences-- the Sieges of Athlone and Limerick

CHAPTER VIII.--The Winter of 1690-91

CHAPTER IX.--The Revolutionary War--Campaign of 1691-- Battle of Aughrim--Capitulation of Limerick

CHAPTER X.--Reign of King William

CHAPTER XI.--Reign of Queen Anne

CHAPTER XII.--The Irish Soldiers Abroad, during the Reigns of William and Anne

BOOK XI.

CHAPTER I.--Accession of George I.--Swift's Leadership

CHAPTER II.--Reign of George II.--Growth of Public Spirit--The "Patriot" Party--Lord Chesterfield's Administration

CHAPTER III.--The Last Jacobite Movement--The Irish Soldiers Abroad--French Expedition under Thurot, or O'Farrell

CHAPTER IV.--Reign of George II. (Concluded)-- Malone's Leadership

CHAPTER V.--Accession of George III.--Flood's Leadership--Octennial Parliaments Established

CHAPTER VI.--Flood's Leadership--State of the Country between 1760 and 1776

CHAPTER VII.--Grattan's Leadership--"Free Trade" and the Volunteers

CHAPTER VIII.--Grattan's Leadership--Legislative and Judicial Independence Established

CHAPTER IX.--The Era of Independence--First Period

CHAPTER X.--The Era of Independence--Second Period

CHAPTER XI.--The Era of Independence--Third Period-- Catholic Relief Bill of 1793

CHAPTER XII.--The Era of Independence--Effects of the French Revolution in Ireland--Secession of Grattan, Curran, and their Friends, from Parliament, in 1797

CHAPTER XIII.--The United Irishmen

CHAPTER XIV.--Negotiations with France and Holland-- The Three Expeditions Negotiated by Tone and Lewines

CHAPTER XV.--The Insurrection of 1798

CHAPTER XVI.--The Insurrection of 1798--The Wexford Insurrection

CHAPTER XVII.--The Insurrection elsewhere--Fate of the Leading United Irishmen

CHAPTER XVIII.--Administration of Lord Cornwallis-- Before the Union

CHAPTER XIX.--Last Session of the Irish Parliament-- The Legislative Union of Great Britain and Ireland

BOOK XII.

CHAPTER I.--After the Union--Death of Lord Clare-- Robert Emmet's Emeute

CHAPTER II.--Administration of Lord Hardwick (1801 to 1806), and of the Duke of Bedford (1806 to 1808)

CHAPTER III.--Administration of the Duke of Richmond (1807 to 1813)

CHAPTER IV.--O'Connell's Leadership--1813 to 1821

CHAPTER V.--Retrospect of the State of Religion and Learning during the Reign of George III

CHAPTER VI.--The Irish Abroad, during the Reign of George III

CHAPTER VII.--O'Connell's Leadership--The Catholic Association--1821 to 1825

CHAPTER VIII.--O'Connell's Leadership--The Clare Election-- Emancipation of the Catholics

HISTORY OF IRELAND

BOOK I.

CHAPTER I.

THE FIRST INHABITANTS.

Ireland is situated in the North Atlantic, between the degrees fifty-one and a half and fifty-five and a half North, and five and a quarter and ten and a third West longitude from Greenwich. It is the last land usually seen by ships leaving the Old World, and the first by those who arrive there from the Northern ports of America. In size it is less than half as large as Britain, and in shape it may be compared to one of those shields which we see in coats-of-arms, the four Provinces--Ulster, Connaught, Leinster, and Munster--representing the four quarters of the shield.

Around the borders of the country, generally near the coast, several ranges of hills and mountains rear their crests, every Province having one or more such groups. The West and South have, however, the largest and highest of these hills, from the sides of all which descend numerous rivers, flowing in various directions to the sea. Other rivers issue out of large lakes formed in the valleys, such as the Galway river which drains Lough Corrib, and the Bann which carries off the surplus waters of Lough Neagh (_Nay_). In a few districts where the fall for water is insufficient, marshes and swamps