James II
assassination of Godfrey or the calumnies. of Oates.2
Nor does the disarming, a perfectly legal, and, under the circumstances, a very necessary measure, appear to have been effected with any extreme harshness. The language of Sir Thomas Newcomen, himself a Protestant, a member of the Privy Council, and brother-in-law to the Lord Justice Granard, must be considered conclusive on this point. "The English," he said, "had no cause to complain; they wanted no arms; and he hoped those who were disarmed should. not now have arms put into their hands again; he did not believe they were half disarmed, for he could say upon his own knowledge that there were above fifty thousand arms in the province of Ulster, and there were not brought in from thence above six hundred; so ill were the King's commands executed in that province."3 The accuracy of this statement was hotly disputed at the council board; but the success of the northern insurgents three years later affords the strongest evidence of its. truth. At the same time several Protestants, who were, rightly or wrongly, suspected of disloyalty to the reigning prince, were removed from the Privy Council; but no Catholic Councillors were as yet appointed.4
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