Yet loyal as this perfeverance of the Irish clergy was, (not leffened by the daily desertions of the proteftant royalifts, or by the increasing power and fuccefs of the regicides,) it has not hindered party-malice to fuggeft, that they were, even at this juncture, inftilling fuch fentiments into the minds of their people, as were utterly incompatible with their allegiance to the king, or due fubmiffion to his lieutenant." The Irish," we are told," had still as much of Ireland in their power, as could maintain a war against all the English rebels there; that his excellency the Marquis of Clanrickard, had argument enough to hope, if he could be confident of the union of the nation; that he might have reasonably promised himself an union of the nation, if he could have been confident of the affection and inte grity of the clergy; but that the greatest part of the Irifh ecclefiaftics had no mind to have any relation to the English nation, and as little to return to their obedience to the crown; that it was by the advice and influence of these ecclefiaftics, that the confederate catholics were first inclined to treat with the English rebels for conditions; and that afterwards, fuch offers were made to the Duke of Lorrain by commiffioners of their chufing, as in effect transferred the whole right and fovereignty of that kingdom to his highnefs."

But, befides what has been already related of the temper, and difpofition of these ecclefiaftics, and of the state of the nation at that dismal juncture, the whole of this charge is incontestably proved to be falfe, from that "ftate of his majesty's affairs, and the condition of his faithful fubjects in Ireland, which the Marquis of Clanrickard himself transmitted to the Marquis of Ormond, on occafion of the above-mentioned treaty with the Duke of Lorrain."

For therein his lordship fets forth," that the power and fuccefs of the rebels were fuch, as that the whole

Clarend. Borl. Irish Rebel. fol. 339.

nation

4

* Clanrick. Mem. Dub. ed. p. 56.

nation was in their poffeffion," or fubject to their contribution, except the province of Connaught, and county of Clare, his majefty's city of Limerick, and town of Galway; and that the faid province of Connaught, and county of Clare were, for the most part, wafte; that the inhabitants thereof were utterly impoverished; that no confiderable forces could be brought together to maintain a defensive war against the rebels, much less an offenfive; that the city of Limerick, and town of Galway had of a long time, out of a feeling sense they had of their own deftruction, been inclined to treat for conditions with the rebels; that the fame was the resolution of most of the other people of Ireland, who could not humanely fee how they could be otherwise preserved; and that many of the officers of his majesty's army did, from feveral parts of the kingdom, represent their sense that it was abfolutely neceffa ry for the people's prefervation to treat with the rebels for conditions, feeing there was no power to refift them."

From hence it is manifeft, that whatever inclination thefe deferted Irish had to treat with the rebels, was not at all owing to the advice, or influence of their clergy; but naturally arofe from that irremediable diftress, to which they then found themselves reduced, and from the difmal profpect of its daily increase, until it should end in their total deftruction.

"But no fooner," proceeds Lord Clanrickard, " had these Irish understood, that the Duke of Lorrain's ambaffador had arrived in Ireland, with offers of powerful affistance for the preservation of the catholic !religion,

5 Clanrick. Mem. Dub. ed. p. 56.

a Yet Clarendon himself, in the account of his own life, contradicts all this. For he there fays, "that when the fuccefs of the parliament had totally fubdued the king's arms, and himself was fo inhumanly murdered, neither the forces in Ireland under the king's authority, nor the Irith, who had too late fubmitted to it, could make any long refiftance; fo that Cromwell quickly difperfed them by his own expedition thither." Vol. ii. p. 14. Cromwell invaded Ireland in Auguft 1649, and remained there but about eight months.

religion, and of his majesty's fubjects interests, than they took much comfort and encouragement thereby, hoping that the rebels power might be opposed. And foon after, the towns of Limerick and Galway, and all other places, yet in his majefty's obedience, feemed more chearfully than before, to affift his majesty's authority in oppofing the rebels; and to difavow and disclaim any treaty with them, though formerly inclined, if not refolved."

Upon this change in the temper of the people, the deputy" authorised fome of the Roman catholic prelates, and commiffioners of truft, to treat with the faid embaffador; who being accordingly called together, with feveral officers of the army, after a long and serious debate, weighing the unavoidable danger the nation was in of falling into the hands of the rebels, did therefore advise, that it was abfolutely neceffary to accept of his faid highness's protection. But the faid embaffador's propofitions being fuch, as Lord Clanrickard could not confent to, the treaty and conclufion for farther fupplies, were put over to be determined by his highness, or fuch as he fhould depute, and by fuch as fhould be authorised by the deputy in his majesty's behalf."

His lordship concludes with his own opinion upon the then fituation of affairs, thus: "It is very evident, how great the evils are that will happen, if immediately great aids are not haftened to this nation; for the kingdom will, by the foreflowing thereof, be entirely in the enemy's power and poffeffion, and the people univerfally enforced to fubmit unto them.'

CHA P. XVII.

The treaty with the Duke of Lorrain confidered.

It must be confeffed, that this imminent danger of the whole kingdom's falling under the power of the English rebels, did induce Sir Nicholas Plunkett and Geoffry Brown, Efq; (commiffioners on that occafion appointed by Lord Clanrickard) to yield to the folicitations of fome private agents of the Irifh clergy, then at Bruffels, to agree to the terms proposed by the Duke of Lorrain, rather than break off the treaty; for which the deputy feverely reprimanded, and threatened to proclaim them. But even that step they did not take without previous encouragement from the Queen, the Duke of York, and the Marquis of Ormond himself." "For,

The Duke of Lorrain had, in the year 1645, fhewn fo great a propensity to affift his majesty, as appears by the queen's letter to the king from Paris, of the 27th January, 1646, that he prepared to raise ten thousand men for that purpose. But that defign having been fatally disappointed at that time (fee Clanric. Mem. Dub. ed. p. 41), the Irish clergy, mindful of his highness's former generous inclinations, privately employed Dr. Nicholas French, Bishop of Ferns, and Father William Bourke, Provincial of the Dominicans, to folicit the duke for these aids, now much more wanted than at any time before. They at the fame time fent Colonel Oliver Synot to the Marquis of Ormond, to know his opinion of this negociation. What encouragement he gave them, in his letter to Lord Taaffe on that fubject, to proceed in it, fhall presently be seen. To the above mentioned procurators for the clergy, were afterwards added, Hugh O'Reilly, Archbishop of Armagh; Thomas Fleming, Archbishop of Dublin; Edmund Dempfy, Bishop of Leighlin; Norbert Barry, Bishop of Cork; and Francis Kirwan, Epifcop. Alladenfis. Cox's Hift. part 2d. App. p. 177.

The fourth article of that treaty, fo much cenfured, is, "The Duke of Lorrain is to do nothing in derogation of the king's authority or jurisdiction in Ireland, but rather to amplify

it:

"For,' their commiffion being accompanied with inftructions for application to be made to the Queen, the Duke of York, and the Lord Lieutenant, upon their landing; in accomplishment thereof, Lord Taaffe repaired to Paris, and prefented to her Majefty, the Duke of York, and Lord Lieutenant, all the papers and inftructions, which they had received concerning that treaty; among which were the propofitions agreed to and advised by the general affembly, for obtaining the protection and future fuccour of the kingdom; which were in effect the fame with the articles afterwards. concluded with the Duke of Lorrain. And the faid papers having been confidered by her Majefty, the Duke of York, and Lord Lieutenant, her majesty directed her letters to Sir Nicholas Plunkett and Geoffry Brown, Efq; willing them to give credit to Lord Taaffe, in what he fhould relate unto them concerning that affair. By Lord Taaffe they understood, that her Majefty, the Duke of York, and Lord Lieutenant wifhed his highness would undergo the charge; and that he should meet with no oppofition from any of them yet that, by any inftrument under their hands, they could not confent to it, left it might draw danger on the king's perfon, being then in the power of the Scots; and in purfuance of this letter of credence, Lord Taaffe advised, that they should proceed to a conclufion of the treaty.

The Marquis of Ormond, after having been informed by Lord Taaffe of the particulars of this tranfaction, wrote back to his lordship," "that, touching the bufinefs of Ireland, and the Duke of Lorrain, for ought appearing to him, there was nothing done, that were to be wifhed undone; and for what remained to produce new and further fupplies, it was left to the agreement that should be made with his agent, by the VOL. II. Marquis

E

Clanrick. Memoirs, p. 131.

2 Id. ib. p. 77. .

it: and having restored the kingdom and religion, to their true pristine eftate, he is to refign chearfully the kingdom to the king." Borl. Irish Rebel. fol. 351.