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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 edition. Excerpt: ... EDITION LIMITED TO TWO HUNDRED COPIES, OF WHICH THIS IS N. PREFACE. The organization and acts of the Confederation established by a large body of the nobility, clergy, and people of Ireland, in the reign of Charles I., form an important and, as yet, but little known part of the history of the British Empire. The main objects of the Confederates, according to their own statements, were, to defend themselves against attacks from the Puritans, to maintain the prerogatives of the Crown, as well as the privileges and rights of the Irish Parliament; to reinstate the Eoman Catholic Church throughout Ireland, as it stood in the reign of Henry the Seventh, and to annul all penal laws against its members. Declaring by public oath their allegiance to the King, but resisting the authority of the English Parliament, the Confederates, through their Supreme Council, organized forces, nominated commanders and officials, collected the public revenue, levied taxes, minted coin, treated with foreign powers, and governed a considerable part of Ireland. The administration thus established was long maintained by the Confederates, in opposition to the Government at Dublin and its army, which were aided by the English and Scotch settlers in Ireland, and those associated with them, as well as by large military and naval forces from England and Scotland. The operations of the Confederation were productive of grave national results, and contributed to influence subsequent relations between Great Britain and Ireland. Little reliance can be placed on statements in reference to the Confederation which occasionally appeared in the ephemeral publications of its own day, issued under hostile Governmental censorship at London. Hitherto no attempt has been made to collect...