Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/625

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WALSH. 621 and after the restoration of Charles II. when he was pro curator of the Romish clergy of Ireland, he persuaded many of them to subscribe a recognition or remonstrance, not only of their loyalty to the king, but of their disclaim ing the pope's supremacy in temporals. This drew upon him the resentment of many of his brethren, and particu larly of the court of Rome. Such hopes, however, were entertained of this important change in the sentiments of the Irish Catholics, that, in 1666, the court thought proper to permit their clergy to meet openly in synod at Dublin, in order, as was expected, to authorise the above remon strance by a general act of the whole body. But this assembly broke up without coming to any decision, and the Duke of Ormonde, then lord-lieutenant, considered it necessary to proceed against those who refused to give any security for their allegiance. But when, in 1670, Lord Berkeley succeeded him, by some secret orders or intrigues of the popishly-affected party in England, Walsh, and those who had signed the remonstrance, were so per secuted as to be obliged to leave the country. Walsh came to London, and by the interest of the Duke of Ormonde, got an annuity of 100l. for life. He had lived on terms of intimacy with the duke for nearly forty years, and had never touched much on the subject of religion until the reign of James II. when he made some overtures to gain the duke as a proselyte; but desisted when he found his arguments had no effect. Dodwell took some pains, although in vain, to convert Walsh, hoping, that as they had cast him out of the communion of the church of Rome, he might be persuaded to embrace that of the church of England. Walsh died in September 1687, and was buried in St. Dunstan's in the West. Burnet says of him, “He was the honestest and learn edest man I ever knew among them, and was indeed, in a l l points o f controversy, almost wholly a Protestant. But h e had senses o f his own, b y which h e excused his adher ing t o the church o f Rome, and maintained, that with these he could continue i n the communion o f that church