The whole strain of the administration was suitable to such sentiments.

The Catholics were put in possession of the council table, of the courts of judicature, and of the bench of justices.

In order to make them masters of the parliament, the same violence was exercised that had been practised in England.

The charters of Dublin and of all the corporations were annulled; and new charters were granted, subjecting the corporations to the will of the sovereign.
The Protestant freemen were expelled, Catholics introduced; and the latter sect, as they always were the majority in number, were now invested with the whole power of the kingdom.

The act of settlement was the only obstacle to their enjoying the whole property; and Tyrconnel had formed a scheme for calling a parliament, in order to reverse that act, and empower the king to bestow all the lands of Ireland on his Catholic subjects.