place, to an humble acknowledgment to Almighty God for his signal mercy, in supporting the hearts and courage of our good subjects, amidst their great and various difficulties and distresses, arising from a furious opposition without, and near pressing necessity within those walls; and sending them at last deliverance, and bringing them by your conduct to triumph over their enemies, which we cannot but attribute to an immediate divine assistance; inspiring them with a zeal for the true religion and love for their country, and an unshaken fidelity towards us, and must ever own it as a continuation of that miraculous providence, which hath hitherto conducted us throughout in our endeavours to re-settle these nations in all their civil and religious rights and liberties;—so in the next place, taking into our serious consideration, as well the importance of this success, as that constancy and bravery by which it hath been brought to pass, we would not omit signifying unto you, the just sense we have of this whole action, in which, having the greatest opportunity that can be put into the hands of any subjects of obliging their prince, you have in all points acquitted yourselves to our satisfaction, even beyond what could have been expected; insomuch, that it now lies on our part to make such retributions, as well to you, the commanders in chief, who have been the happy instruments, under God, of this deliverance, as others who have signalized their loyalty, courage, and patience, in the time of trial. That all our subjects being encouraged by this example, may be stirred up to the imitation of it, in the like hazardous but honourable enterprize. We will therefore, that you rely on our royal favour towards you; and also in our name, you assure the officers, soldiers, and inhabitants of that our city, that we will take fitting occasions to recompense their services and sufferings in our cause; so that neither they, nor any other of our loving subjects, shall ever have reason to repent them of a faithful discharge of their duty; and so we

bid you farewell. Given at our Court, at Hampton Court, this 16th day of August, in the first year of our reign, 1689. "By his Majesty's command,

"SHREWSBURY.

"To our trusty and well beloved GEORGE WALKer,

and JOHN MICHELBORN, Esqrs. Governors of Londonderry."

20th August.-The Society directed several of their members to wait upon the Rev. George Walker, the late Governor of Londonderry,* and render their thanks for his services in the preservation of the City.

6th September.-Mr Walker attended the Society, and represented that most of the houses in Derry were demolished by the military operations of the enemy during the late siege, and stated the necessity of some immediate assistance being sent to the inhabitants, whereupon it was thought fit, that the Society should apply to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of London, to induce the twelve chief Companies to advance £100 a-piece, to be paid to the Society's

* Mr. George Walker, so justly famous for his defence of Derry, (when Lundy, the Governor, would have surrendered it to King James,) was born of English parents in the County of Tyrone, and educated in the university of Glasgow; he was afterwards Rector of Donoughmore, not many miles from the city of Londonderry. Upon the Revolution, he raised a regiment for the defence of the Protestants; and upon intelligence of King James having a design to besiege Londonderry, retired thither, being at last chosen Governor of it. After the raising of that seige, he came to England, where he was most graciously received by their Majesties, and was appointed Bishop of Derry; and on the 19th of November, 1689, received the thanks of the House of Commons, having just before published an account of the siege, and had a present of £5000. He was created D. D. by the University of Oxford, on the 26th February, 1690, on his return to Ireland, where he was killed the beginning of July, at the passage of the Boyne, having resolved to serve that campaign before he took possession of his Bishoprick. Vide Derriana, p. 126.

Treasurer, that thereby the Society might be enabled to send such immediate relief, as might encourage the City's tenants to continue in their habitations, until the season of the year should invite those, who had abandoned the place, to return and build their houses again. A committee was accordingly appointed to wait upon the Lord Mayor, to call a Common Council for that purpose, which was afterwards done, and the required contributions were obtained, and afterwards distributed amongst the sufferers by the siege.

25th March, 1690.-Sir John Lawrence was Governor.

Captain Neville presented to the Society, a survey, taken by himself, of the damages done to the city of Londonderry, and a map of the City, during the late siege.

The Mayor and Recorder of Londonderry appeared before the Society, and proposed, that if his Majesty would please to grant his letters patent for a contribution towards rebuilding of that City; and the Companies of London would raise a fund for the building of the court house, and other accommodations, for the reception of the Judges and Commissioners of assize, it would be a great means to restore that City to its former splendour.

20th March.-Colonel Michelborne solicited the Society to recommend him to his Majesty, as Governor of Culmore Fort,* which thing the Society took into consideration; and finding in the Charter that they were obliged only to maintain such a garrison in the said fort as should be thought necessary by their Majesties, and considering that the said fort was then quite demolished, and not capable of any garrison, the Society were of opinion, that in regard there was no fort, there could be no occasion for a Governor, and, therefore, no obligation upon the Society to pay any stipend or salary.

* This fort was first erected in the year 1600, but in 1690 it was in a ruinous state, and was never rebuilt afterwards.

31st July. The Mayor and Corporation of Londonderry solicited from the Society further assistance, for the purpose of rebuilding the public structures.

A letter of attorney was granted to Mr. Moggridge, authorizing him to enter upon the lands belonging to the Society, adjacent to the fort of Culmore; and also such town lands and houses, in the city of Londonderry, as should appear to be forfeited by the rebellion in that part of the kingdom.

The Mayor of Derry solicited the Society for certain tolls due to the Society, for one year, for better enabling him to undergo the charge of the Mayoralty of Londonderry, for the ensuing year.

6th May, 1691.-Sir Charles Fielding was appointed by his Majesty Governor of Culmore fort. A warrant was made out, by the Society, for payment of £50 to him.

A warrant was issued to the wood rangers, to supply sixty tons of timber, towards rebuilding the market-house, repairing the gates, and other public buildings in Derry, at the usual rates.

16th May. The Society sent a letter to Mr. Davis, in which they say, "we have lately received a letter from Mr. Moggridge, giving an account of the very sad and deplorable condition of Londonderry," and they directed Mr. Davis to give them as particular an account as possible, of the state of that city, and what was fit to be done by the Society, they being extremely importuned by the Corporation to quit all arrears for time past, and also to grant an additional term in their leases, and to make abatement of their rents, as an encouragement for them to rebuild.

4th December.-The fishings were let to Lord Massareene, for two years, at £1050 per annum.

It appears, that one hundred and twenty tons of timber, and forty thousand laths, were allowed for building the town-house of Derry.

Sir Matthew Bridges produced her Majesty's commission

to him, as Governor of Londonderry and Coleraine, and required the usual salary of £200 a year, payable to the Governor of Culmore fort, and the acres belonging thereto, respecting which the Society determined to consult counsel. During this year, the Society sent over Commissioners to Londonderry, to view the wastes and ruins by the siege, to make abatement of rents, and to augment the terms in leases, and the same was done at Coleraine.

17th March. Sir Robert Clayton was Governor.

7th April, 1692.-The Society ordered the salary to be paid, and the acres to be enjoyed by the Governor of Culmore fort in future.

9th June.-Robert Rochfort and David Cairnes, were appointed by the Society as Commissioners, to adopt the best measures for rebuilding Londonderry, and granting leases. 22d September.-£20 a year was allowed to the master of Derry free-school.

John Moggridge, town clerk of Londonderry, was appointed by the Society, collector of rents at Derry, and Richard Lynam collector at Coleraine; each entering into a bond for performance of his trust, in a penalty of £1000.

Seventy officers, who had served in the city of Londonderry during the siege, petitioned the Society for assistance, who recommended their case to the chief Companies.

The Society acceded to the Bishop's proposition, of referring the division of the advowsons, on the Plantation, to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Corporation of Londonderry endeavoured to negociate with the Bishop of Derry, for a renewal of the lease of the quarter lands, which was now near expiring; and, for that purpose, sent John Moggridge, their town clerk, to treat with his Lordship for the same; but the Bishop refusing to grant the renewal on the terms they wanted, the treaty was broken off; and then the Corporation, being well aware that the Society were the proprietors of those lands, and were