[59] _Hist. of the Remonstrance_, pp. 744-749. O'Reilly to the Propaganda, _Spicilegium Ossoriense_, i. 448 (Latin). Sandwich left Portsmouth, March 3, 1665-6, and reached Madrid May 26, and these dates fit in with Walsh's account. Ormonde to Clarendon, June 9, 1666, State Papers, _Ireland_. [60] Ormonde to Arran, December 29, 1680, in Carte's _Ormonde_, ii. appx. p. 101, and to Essex, December 9, 1673, in _Essex Papers_. Burnet's _Own Times_, i. 194, 195. Evelyn's _Diary_, January 6, 1685-6. CHAPTER XLIV GOVERNMENT OF ORMONDE, 1665-1668 [Sidenote: Ormonde and his Parliament.] [Sidenote: Disputes between Lords and Commons.] It was not surprising that there should be some difficulty about the Acts of Settlement and Explanation, since the private fortune of every member was concerned. But in other matters Ormonde had little to complain of in the behaviour of the Commons. When he informed them that France had joined hands with Holland, and that warlike preparations were going on in Brittany which might be meant for Ireland, the House made a solemn declaration of loyalty and promised eight subsidies of 15,000_l._ each. Twenty subsidies in all appear to have been granted by this Parliament. The royal assent to the money Bill and to the Bill of Explanation was given on the same day, and Ormonde made a speech in which he congratulated Parliament in having at last 'got into the prospect of a settlement.' He apologised for having practically confirmed much of what had been done by the late usurping Government, adding with grim humour that justice was sometimes done by unjust men, 'Ireton at Limerick having caused some to be hanged that deserved it almost as well as himself.' Of the later Acts passed by this Parliament, the most important was that for religious uniformity. Knight service and the Court of Wards had been already abolished, and hearth-money permanently settled on the King in compensation. Ormonde kept the Parliament in existence until August 1666, the time being largely occupied in disputes between the two Houses. The Commons claimed the right to sit at free conferences, but the Peers would not allow it. 'Gentlemen,' said Lord Drogheda, 'you would all be lords.'