esteeme your fervifes fuch, as my words cannot exprefs them, but by fhewing

I AM glad to heare, that you ar gone to Ireland; and affure you, that as myfelfe is no wais difhartened by our late misfortune, fo neither this country: for I could not have expected more from them, than they have now freely undertaken, though I had come hither abfolute victorious; which makes me hope well of the neighbouring theeres. So that (by the grace of God) I hope fhortly to recover my late loffe with advantage, if fuch fuccours come to me from that kingdom, which I have reafon to expect. But the circumftance of tyme is that of the greateft confequence; being that, which is now chieflieft and earnestlieft recommended to you by Your moft affeured conftant friend,

CHARLES R.

GLAMORGAN,

I MUST clearly tell you, bothe you and I have been abufed in this business; for you have beene drawen to confent to conditions much beyound your instructions, and your treaty hath beene divulged to all the world. If you had advyfed with my lord lieutenant (as you promised me), all this had beene helped. But we must looke forward. Wherefore in a word, I have commanded as much favor to be fhowen to you, as may poffibly stand with my service or fafty, and if you will yet truft my advyce, (which I have commanded Digby to give you freely) I will bring you fo off, that you may be still usefull to me; and I shall be able to recompence you for your affection: if not, I cannot tell what to fay. But I will not doubt of your complyance in this; fince it fo highly concerns the good of all my crowns, my owen particular, and to make me have ftill means to fhew myfelfe

Oxford, 3d February, 1645.

Your most affeured friend,
CHARLES R.

HERBERT,

I AM confident, that this honneft trufty bearer will give you good fatisfaction, why I have not in every thing done as you defyred, the want of confidence in you being fo far from being the cause thereof, that I am every day more and more confirmed in the truft, that I have of you. For believe me, it is not in the power of any to make you fuffer in my opinion by ill offices. But of this, and diverse other things, I have given Sir John Winter fo full inftructions, that I will fay no more, but that I am, Your moft affeured friend,

Oxford, 28th Feb. 1645.

CHARLES R.

GLAMORGAN,

I HAVE no tyme, nor do you expect, that I fhall make unneceffary repetitions to you. Wherefore (referring to Digby for business) this is only to give you affeurance of my conftant frendship to you; which confidering the general defection of common honefty, is in a fort requifite. Howbeit, I know you cannot bee confident of my making good all instructions and promises to you and the nuncio.

Oxford, 5th April, 1646.

Your most affeured friend,

CHARLES R.

HERBERT,

AS I doute not but you have too much courage to be difmayed or difcouraged at the ufage ye have had; fo I affure you, that my eftimation of you is nothing diminished by it, but rather begets in me a defyre of revenge and reparation to us bothe, (for in this I hould myselfe equally interested with you). Wherefor, not douting of your accustomed care and industry in my fervice, I affure you of the continuance of my favor and protection to you; and that in deeds more than words, I fhall fhew my felf to bee

Oxford, 6th April, 1646.

Your most affeured conftant friend,

CHARLES R.

No.

No. XXXVIII.

The State of his Majefty's Affairs, and the Condition of his faithful Subje&s in the Kingdom of Ireland, 12th April, 1651. (Page 165.)

THAT the power and fuccefs of the rebels hath been fuch, as the whole nation is now in their poffeffion, or fubject to their contribution, except the province of Conaught, and the county of Clare, and his majesty's city of Limerick and town of Galway; that the faid province of Conaught and county of Clare, are for the most part wafte, by the continuance of that heavy burthen the war has brought on them, and by incurfions of the rebels. That the rebels having an over-maftering power in all parts of the kingdom, other than the faid province of Conaught and county of Clare, many of his majesty's forces, that hitherto had their relief out of their quarters, have been forced for their fafety to retire to the faid province of Conaught and county of Clare, which together with the forces maintained there formerly, are become fo burthenfome to the people, as that they are thereby utterly impoverished. The nation being in this extremity, no confiderable forces can be brought together to maintain even a defenfive war against the rebels, much less an offenfive; and had not the river of Shannon been an interruption to the rebels incurfions, fince October or November laft, till this prefent, it is very evident, that the rebels had e'er this, over-run the province of Conaught and county of Clare, and confequently would bring under their power the city of Limerick and town of Galway. The faid city of Limerick and town of Galway, obferving all other, his majesty's cities and towns of ftrength within the kingdom, to be loft; and how, that there was no confiderable army of his majefty's forces within the kingdom to relieve them, in cafe they were befieged, or any probability, for want of means, to bring any fuch army into a body; have of a long time, out of the feeling fenfe they had of their own deftruction, been inclined to treat for conditions with the rebels, before the danger might come nearer them, and before the faid province of Conaught and county of Clare were over-maftered by the rebels power, as the reft of the kingdom was. This was not only the study and apprehenfion of the faid towns, but was alfo the refolution of most others that could not humanly fee how they might be otherwise preserved: and it was by very great endeavours and industry, that the general affembly held at Loghreah,

119

Loghreah, in January laft, was with-held from treating for conditions with the rebels. Many of the officers of his Majefty's army, finding the fad condition the nation was reduced into, not able to keep any confiderable forces in a body to oppose the rebels, did, from several parts of the kingdom, reprefent their fenfe, that it was abfolutely neceffary for the people's prefervation, to treat with the rebels for conditions, feeing there was no power to refift them. The general defperation in all perfons and places hitherto under his majesty's obedience, did fo change the refolutions of the people, as they parted with nothing willingly to maintain the forces, each one looking after the ways of his particular fubfiftance; and the city of Limerick and town of Galway, either for fear to infenfe the rebels the more, or to advantage themfelves in fuch conditions, as fhould be had from the rebels, did not afford for ready and clear obedience to his majefty's authority as accustomed. His Highness the Duke of Lorrain's ambaflador arriving here, and it being given out, that he came with offers of powerful affiftance for the prefervation of the Catholic religion, his majefty and fubjects intereft: the people took much. comfort and encouragement thereby, hoping that the rebels power might be oppofed; and foon after did the faid towns and all other places, yet in his majesty's obedience, feem more chearfully, than before, to affift his majesty's. authority, in oppofing the rebels, and to difavow and difclaim any treaty with the rebels, though formerly inclined, if not refolved. His excellency the lord deputy, understanding that fome aids might be had for the prefent relief of his majefty's forces, did give audience to the faid ambaffador; and though the letters he brought were not to the lord deputy, nor any having his majesty's authority; yet he having publicly avowed, that his master knew not his majesty's authority was intrufted with any in this kingdom; and that if he had known fo much, he would have made his application by letter to him, with whom that authority was intrufted; his lordship therefore authorized fome of the prelates and commiffioners of truft to treat with him; and was content, that the prelates, nobility, and other perfons of quality, then in or near Galway, and agents of the city of Limerick and town of Galway, might meet to confult of that affair; and represent their fenfe thereupon to his excellency: who being accordingly called together, and confifting of very many of the prelates, nobility, and gentry, out of feveral parts of the kingdom; at which meeting alfo the agents of the faid city of Limerick and town of Galway were prefent, and feveral officers of the army; who after a

long

long and ferious debate of the matter propofed by his highness's ambassador; they weighing the unavoidable danger the nation was in of falling into the rebels power; and how the people, if not fuddenly affifted, were much impoverished, as they would be utterly deftroyed, or enforced to fubmit to the rebels; and confidering that his majefty was not in condition to relieve them, nor could application with fafety be made unto him; did therefore advife, and were of opinion, feeing his highnefs the Duke of Lorrain made it his care to preferve the Catholick religion, and the people's interest, and to recover from the rebels what they poffeffed, that it was abfolutely neceffary to accept of his faid highnefs's protection: but the faid ambaffador's propofitions being fuch as his excellency the lord deputy could not affent unto, the faid ambaffador was induced (taking caution for the prefent fupplies) to agree, that the treaty and conclufion for further fupplies, and the propofals made in the Duke of Lorrain's behalf, might be put over to be determined by his highnefs, or fuch as he would depute, and fuch as now fhould be authorized by the lord deputy in his majefty's behalf. The prefent fupplies had, do not much amend the condition of his majesty's affairs in this kingdom: and if ways may not be found to haften very fuddenly further and more confiderable fupplies, what is left of the whole, yet in his majesty's obedience, will foon be in the poffeffion and power of the rebels, the season of the year being now fuch as the rebels may in many places on the Shannon make their incurfions, and draw their forces into the faid province of Conaught and county of Clare; which they may the better effect, having not any forces confiderable of his majesty's army, that might difturb them in the provinces of Munster, Leinster, or Ulfter; other than that the Lord Mufkerry, with some party in the county of Kerry, and borders of the county of Cork, giveth confiderable disturbance to the rebels designs in Leinster; some small parties only that cannot regularly be maintained in a body, do, when opportunity is offered, perform fervice against weak or scattered parties of the rebels, but can attempt nothing against any confiderable body of the rebels. And in Ulfter, though his majesty's forces are numerous in foot, yet wanting horfe, and many unprovided for arms and having no regular way of maintenance, they can attempt little to diftract the rebels forces in that province; that party of his majesty's forces in Ulfter having lately, for want of horse, received a confiderable lofs upon a defeat near Fena; and by that means alfo the faid garrifon of Fena (being a confiderable place) was

loft;