[178] _Sheridan MS._ Letters of Barillon, September 13/23, 1686, and September 6/16, 1687, and of Bonrepaus, August 25/September 4 1687, in notes to Macaulay, chap. viii. Luttrell, i. 495, 500. King, iii. 8, and Keating's letter of December 29 in appx. xiv. Evidence of Sir Robert Colville and John Philipps to the House of Lords, _Hist. MSS. Com._, appx. to 12th Report, part vi. 1689. [179] Walker's _True Account_. The Comber letter is in King, appx. xii., and in many other places. _Secret Consults of the Romish Party._ Proclamations of October 15 and December 7. The 'Irish night' in London is sufficiently described by Macaulay, chap. x. _Ellis Correspondence_, ii. 356. Writing to her cousin Abigail Harley on December 13, 1688, Mrs. Pye says, 'The watch called all up that the Irish were near, and at Knightsbridge had killed man, woman, and child, and were resolved for to fire and massacre. I bless God I was not much frighted as might be expected,' _Portland Papers_, iii. 420. [180] _Faithful History of the Northern Affairs_, &c., licensed December 10, 1689. [181] Andrew Hamilton's _True Relation_, 1690. He says there were public masses through the North 'for the furthering of that which they called Inteneragh--that is, a secret intention.' [182] _Faithful History of Northern Affairs_, 1689. CHAPTER L JAMES II. IN IRELAND, 1689 [Sidenote: French designs on Ireland.] At the beginning of 1686, Bonrepaus, a high official in the French marine, was sent by Louis XIV. on a special mission to England. He found the navy there in very bad order, also discovering that Sunderland and Barillon were closely allied, and that the French diplomatist was no match for the English politician. He believed that in this way many important secrets became known to the Prince of Orange. Avaux wrote to the same effect from Holland, and even Skelton formed a similar opinion. Tyrconnel thought he could utilise Bonrepaus and defeat Sunderland, and when the former returned to England in the summer of 1687, he pressed him to come to Chester and arrange with James for the separation of Ireland from England in the event of a Protestant succeeding him on the throne. Tyrconnel and Sunderland were both with the King in August, but Bonrepaus trusted neither of them and kept away from Chester. James had no idea that he would be dethroned in little more than one year, and thought Ireland might be in a fit state after five of leisurely preparation, but Tyrconnel, who may have seen more clearly that his master was on the road to ruin, pressed for more speedy measures, and made all the military preparations that he could. Seignelay particularly cautioned Bonrepaus not to let Barillon know anything about his dealings with Tyrconnel. Sunderland, however, told the ambassador a good deal, adding that the King was determined to repeal the Irish Act of Settlement, and that in the opinion of all Englishmen this would lead to an entire separation of Ireland from England.