under Lord Inchiquin, revolted to the English parliament; and thereby gave them a fafe retreat, free paffage, and neceffary provifions of all they wanted; as likewife harbours for their fhips, to bring every thing to them they could defire. This defection, in fo fatal a juncture of time, when the ftraits Cromwell was in by the winter, and want of provifions, had raised the fpirits of men; and when they looked upon themfelves as like to have at least, fome hopeful encounter with him, was not (adds my author) a lofs, or a blow; but a diffolution of the whole frame of their hopes and defigns; and confirmed that spirit of jealoufy and animofity in the army, which no dexterity nor intereft, of the lord lieutenant could extinguish or allay." This general defection of Inchiquin's forces seems to have given the first rife and occafion to the obnoxious proceedings of the congregation of bifhops at Jamestown, they looking upon it, as a new and corroborating proof of Ormond's being privately connected with the English rebels. For, although his excellency had been fully apprifed by the confederates," of the ill affections, and actual revolt of feveral of the officers of thefe garrifons, before the general treachery now mentioned; yet he readily agreed to Inchiquin's fufpicious ftipulation," that these garrifons fhould be entirely left 2 Cart. Orm. vol. ii. fol. 101-2. 19 Id. ib. vol. ii. fol. 102. carried over with him, above five thousand horfe and foot to Dungarvan." Berl. Irish Rebel. fol. 289. From Clarend. Yet," the above-mentioned revolting garrifons had been fupplied by the Irish during the whole preceding fummer, to their exceffive charge." Orm. Lett. to the king. Carte's Collect. of Orig. Papers, vol. i. p. 419. "To fcreen Inchiquin, thefe revolting officers seized and made prifoners of his wife and children, whom, (adds my author) not without much difficulty, he got re-delivered to him." Borl. Irish Rebel. fol. 287. And Ormond's afterwards fhewing particular favour and friendship to Inchiquin, was one of the caufes of the people's diflike and fufpicion of him. "Some of the principal perfons (among the confederates) and with them fome of the bishops, under left to his own difpofal; nor could Inchiquin ever after be prevailed upon to admit any of the Irifh forces, though actually in the king's fervice, into them." Before the peace of 1648 was concluded, the Marquis of Ormond, in order to induce the Prince of Wales to come over to Ireland, to take upon him the command of that army, told his highness, "that in all their judgments, his fpeedy accefs was become fo abfolutely neceffary, that there appeared little hopes that without it that army could be long contained from seeking its own security in a fubmiffion to the prevalent party in England; but that if his highnefs arrived speedily, the awe of his perfon might confirm fuch as were wavering." " And not long before the marquis's return to Ireland, as lord lieutenant, about the end of September, 1648, Lord Inchiquin, by means of two of his colonels, Townshend and Derby, was faid to have sent over to the committee at Derby-house, fome propofitions for the furrender of the towns in Munster; upon which the committee at Derby-houfe, fays Borlafe, fent back Colonel Temple with power to treat with the Lord Inchiquin; but before his arrival there, Sir Richard Fanfhaw, the prince's fecretary, was come from ai Cart. Orm. vol. iii. fol. 590. under fhew of great confidence and truft, repaired to the lord lieutenant at Limerick, 1649, and declared unto him, that all that indifpofition and waywardness, of the people proceeded from the prejudice they had against Lord Inchiquin, who had always, they faid, profecuted the war against them with the utmost rigour and animofity, and the places and perfons which had been most at his devotion, having treacheroufly revolted to the parliament, the people were not confident of him, and jealous that the mar quis had too great a confidence in him; fo that if he would difmifs that lord, and discharge the troops that yet remained under his command, of which fome frequently ran away to the parlia ment, not only that city (Limerick) but the whole nation, would, as one man, be at his difpofal." Borl. Irith Rebel. fol. 303. From Clarendon. See what follows, ib. fol. 304. Some leading perfons applied to Inchiquin to take the command on him, as being of their ancient families; but 'tis certain that thefe hated both Inchiquin and Ormond, but on account of the former's family, would make choice of him as the leffer evil. from the prince to Inchiquin, with a declaration of the prince's defign to fend the Duke of York into Ireland with fuch of the revolted fhips as remained in Holland, and to let him know the hopes he had, that by his affiftance and the army under his command, both he and his father might be reftored. This (adds my author) fo puffed up Inchiquin, that he would hear of no overtures from Derby-house, and made him abfolutely dif avow that he had any knowledge of the propofitions fent over, though he was faid with his own hand to have interlined and approved them in several places. 12 CHA P. VII. The Marquis of Ormond defires leave to quit the kingdom. 2 IS excellency, fo early as December 24th, 1649, had requested, and fhortly after obtained the king's permiffion,'" to withdraw both himself and his majefty's authority out of the kingdom, if he should see occafion." And the better to fecure his retreat on all fides, from a people whofe loffes under him, and jealoufies of him, were daily increasing, his friend Dean Boyle, privately procured him a pass from Oliver Cromwell; which being afterwards discovered, by the ungenerous use that regicide made of it, his lordship returned it by a trumpet, with a letter informing him, that it was officioufly fought for and obtained by the Dean, without either his confent or privity.' His excellency's defire to withdraw himself out of the kingdom proceeded not, as has been already hinted, from the fuppofed refractory and disloyal behaviour of the Irish clergy, but from his own consciousness of the people's great mistrust of him, and their confequent averfion to his government. For, as he himself justly obferved 12 Borl. Hift. of the Irish Rebel. fol. 254-5. obferved on that occafion," thefe people believing themselves betrayed, would think it vain to be perfuaded into action, which might render them incapable of conditions from the enemy. Or if they should be got forth, perhaps with church cenfures, it would be with defpair, not hope of fuccefs; whilft they fufpected their leader of having made conditions for himfelf, upon their ruin." Another of his reafons for defiring that permiffion was, "that it appeared every day more evidently than other, and would foon be vifible to those of the fhorteft forefight, that upon any thing Ireland could afford, it would not be poffible to make any refiftance against the rebels; who then had the whole coaft towards England, Waterford excepted, ready to receive their forces; commodious harbours for their fhipping, and garrifons from whence they would immediately be in the heart of his best countries, and at the walls of his remaining towns." After which he thus proceeds, "what thoughts of fubmiffion (to the rebels) this may produce in these people, or the greater number of them, I know not; I therefore humbly defire that your majesty would be pleased to send me your commands to withdraw myself hence." Nay, his excellency feemed in fome measure, to apologize for these people's averfion to his government, and their defire to get rid of it; 5" for many of the Irish," fays he, " having promised themselves many advantages by their coming under his majesty's obedíence, as the affiftance of the army formerly under Lord Inchiquin's command, and the advantage of trade with the towns poffeffed by him; that his majesty would be able, in part, to ease them of the burden of the war, by fupplies of money, arms, and ammunition; and that whilft the rebels forces were bent against them, occafion would be taken to raise fome diverfion in England or out of Scotland; and finding Lord Inchiquin's forces, which, to their exceffive charge, they had fupplied fupplied all the fummer, now turned against them, and the towns become garrifons to their enemies, from whence to annoy them by sea and land; no fupplies at all from abroad, and no diverfion in England, though Cromwell and Ireton, the supposed heads of the rebels, were removed from thence; all these disappointments of their hopes, aggravated by the enforced fpoil of a fuccefslefs army, began to breed in them such averfion," fays he, "to his majesty's authority, and to myself, to whom all their misfortunes, the negligence, cowardice, and treachery of others, are attributed, that I am told, it was in agitation with the violent party of the clergy, and others fet on by Lord Antrim, to procure a proteftation against my government.' This letter is dated December 15, 1649, and the clergy's cenfure and declaration were not published till September following; fo that it could be no fuch furprise upon his excellency, as is pretended. CHA P. VIII. The king is invited to go to Scotland. ABOUT this time, the king was proclaimed in Scot land; and commiflioners were fent from thence to invite him over to that kingdom; but upon fuch conditions, as were utterly inconfiftent, not only with the dignity and good faith of a king, but even with the honour and integrity of a gentleman. I "Thefe commiffioners were the Earl of Caffels, two burgeffes, and four prefbyterian divines. To give the better affurances of their good intentions to his fervice, immediately before their coming out of Scotland, the Marquis of Huntly was put to death, for no other crime but his loyalty to the king." The Marquis of Ormond, ftill in Ireland, was confulted upon this, as indeed, he was upon every other important concern of his majefty. But that he did not always deliver his opinion, with fuch candour and fincerity as were fuitable to the confidence repofed in him, is but too apparent, from his own letters on that occafion. 'Cart. Collect. Orig. Pap. vol. i. p. 263. |