Ireland; they being then free from any opposition in the former kingdom, and at entire liberty to dispose of their forces for carrying on their designs in the latter. Wherefore, the confederate catholics, perceiving the danger they were in, met in the winter of that year in a general assembly at Kilkenny, where they took into consideration, that his majesty was in restraint; that all addresses to him were forbidden; and that some members of parliament, who spoke in his favor, were expelled.

"In that sad extremity, there being no access to his majesty for imploring either his justice or mercy, all laws, human and divine, did allow the said catholics to take some other course, in order to their defence and preservation; not against his sacred majesty, but against those who had laid violent hands on his person, who designed to abolish the royal authority, and resolved to destroy or extirpate the said catholics.

"These catholics, therefore, in January 1647, did, in the said assembly, conclude, that the marquis of Antrim, lord viscount Muskerry, and Geoffry Browne, esq. should be employed into France; the bishop of Ferns and Nicholas Plynkett, esq. to Rome; and some others to Spain. Those sent to France, were by their application to the prince of Wales and the Queen, to declare the danger the said catholics appre hended, and humbly to beseech them to find out some expedient, by which these dangers might be averted. They were likewise commissioned, in case of absolute necessity, to implore the aid and protection of some foreign prince; but they were limited not to act any thing, in order to such foreign protection, but by the direction of those persons who were employed to receive his majesty's commands. Upon the said application made to his majesty, through the queen and prince, the marquis of Ormond's commission was afterwards renewed, and his excellency qualified with power to conclude a peace with the said catholics. Whereupon all further proceedings, concerning the protection of any foreigner, were stopt, and the agents recalled; neither they, nor any of them, having ever moved or acted any thing further, relating to the protection of any foreign power. Those agents who were employed to Rome, did, on their return in 1648, before the general assembly then

*

sitting, give such an account of their negociation, that it encouraged the assembly to hasten the conclusion of the peace with the marquis of Ormond, then in agitation.

"And the said catholics are so conscious to themselves of the resolution they took, from the beginning, to persevere irremoveably faithful, through all extremities, to his majesty's interests, that they are well assured, though those who possess their estates, have now the books of said general assembly in their hands; yet can they not make it appear, that there was any actual treaty or offer for transferring the subjection, naturally due from them to his majesty's dominion over them, to any foreigner whatsoever, or any thing tending thereunto, but what is here acknowledged."

It happens unluckily for this part of Ormond's apology, that about the time of this transaction, the confederate catholics gave new and signal proofs of their unalterable duty and attachment to his majesty's service. For upon the Nuncio's publishing a declaration against the cessation of arms, which the assembly, in order to hasten the intended peace, then found it necessary to conclude with Inchiquin," they appealed, in form," says Dr. Warner," against that declaration, and were joined by two of their archbishops, twelve bishops, and all the secular clergy in their dioceses; by all the jesuits, carmelites, and five hundred of the franciscans. And the number, learning, zeal, and diligence of these religious, in preaching and other applications, in a great degree defeated the Nuncio's measures, and brought his party into discredit. Lord Taaffe had so mo,

6 Warn. Irish Rebel p. 424. Lel. Hist. of Ir. vol. iii. p. 325.

"The account these agents gave to the general assembly from his holiness was, that if the Nuncio did engage, that the confederate catholics should be supplied by his holiness in the maintenance of their war, he did it without any commission from him: his holiness being resolved to give no money upon the event of a war; and that as it was not proper for him to appear, in expressing his sense of the conditions fit to be demanded in matters of religion, so he left them at liberty to proceed, as best suited with the good of the kingdom. This account," adds Mr. Carte, "putting an end to all expectations of foreign succours, set every body upon reflecting on their own condition, and disposed the confederates to moderate their propostions for a peace, which was become absolutely necessary for their preservation."--Orm. vol, ii. fol. 48.

delled his army, that all his officers were excommunication. proof. The marquis of Clanrickard had a body of three thousand men of the same temper; and if Preston and his officers were not so hardened, they were better united than they had been, and were resolved to carry their point. In answer to the Nuncio's solicitations to stand by him, they desired he would not trouble them with any more letters, because they had determined to observe no orders but what came from the supreme council, whom they were sworn to obey."

CHAP. XX.

Ormond prepares to leave the kingdom. Is pressed by the con federates to remain a-while in it, but refuses.

WHEN general Preston and his forces heard that the marquis of Ormond intended to leave Ireland in the following week, there appeared an incredible consternation among them; insomuch, that Preston sent to conjure lord Digby, as he va lued the preservation of those whom he believed yet well affected to his majesty, that he would afford him, and some he would appoint, an opportunity of conferring with him. Accordingly, by his lordship's appointment, sir Robert Talbot, Mr. Oliver Darcy, Mr. Belling, and sir Thomas Dungan, met lord Digby privately at Leixlip, and earnestly pressed him to beg it of the marquis of Ormond, as the only testimony and proof that he was not willing to sacrifice the good men of his country with the bad, to remain in the kingdom, somewhere out of Dublin, but for one month, his conditions with the parliament allowing allowing him to stay six. In which time, they made

I Carte's Orm. vol. iii. fol. 561.

It was believed by the confederate catholics, both clergy and laity, that Renuccini had no power from the pope to announce such censures, because it was never pretended that he was legate a latere from the Roman see, but merely a Nuncio. For which reason, in the synod held at Galway by him, on this occassion, the archbishop of Tuam, having desired to see his power for assuming such authority, and the Nuncio refusing to shew it, told him to his face, that he would not obey it. Ego, answered the Nuncio, non ostendam. Et Ego, replied the archbishop, non obediam. Sce Vindic, Catholic, in Hiber.

no doubt, but Preston's army, joined with that under lord Muskerry in Munster, would so awe the new supreme council, as to prevent that destruction which they foresaw the nation would undoubtedly suffer, if the marquis by leaving, should break them; for that they could no longer hold united, than while they had their eyes upon his lordship."

Lord Digby, from whose letter to the marquis of Ormond this account is taken, seemed to approve of the proposal as the best thing the marquis could resolve upon, as he was then circumstanced, for his own credit. "My reasons," says he, principally are, that your lordship having been forced to an act, which, how just soever, must needs make you infinitely odious, you will have so easy a means of redeeming the hatred and obloquy, with all those of the country whose affections are to be valued; and because, if there were nothing else in the case, it would be worth your running a very great hazard, to purchase such an acknowledgment of the necessity and justice of your proceedings with the parliament, so subject to calumny, as would, by that means, be procured even from those who are likely to undergo the greatest ruin by it; and whose sacrifice, if you have not a justification of your actions from them, will be the heaviest part of the work."

But the marquis of Ormond absolutely declined the overture, "because," as he said,3 " he held it, by no means safe." At the same time he told lord Digby," that he could not conceive what use they could make of his staying in the kingdom, which would, while it seemed for their preservation, serve likewise for his destruction. That, however, he cared not if it were known to the world, that he would use all his powers and industry to dispose his majesty, and all others, to have good thoughts of those he had found faithful, or that he believed to be rightly inclined to the English government; and that he would improve all opportunities of procuring advantageous conditions for them, according to the peace." How diame trically opposite to these soothing promises, his subsequent conduct was, at a time when he had it absolutely in his power to perform them, will hereafter appear. Thus the marquis of Ormond, after having shamefully surrendered his high trust

and dignity, left the kingdom, and went to England, about the end of July or beginning of August, 1647; where, on his arrival at London, he waited on his majesty ;* but was soon after obliged to make a kind of escape to France, having had no. tice sent him "that a warrant was actually issued out to seize his person," by those very men, into whose hands he had just before delivered up Ireland. But, in a short time after, we shall find him returned to that kingdom, in quality of lord lieute

nant.

4 Cart. Orm. vol. ii. fol. 16.

* In one of these interviews, " his majesty gave the marquis of Ormond direction, in case the independent army (in whose custody he then was) should proceed otherwise than they pretended, how he should behave himself, and comply with the Irish, if he could dispose of them to be instrumental towards his and their own delivery."-Borl. Hist. of the Irish Rebel. fol. 240. from Clarendon.

“And the king further commanded the marquis, to confer thereupon with some of the principal of the Scottish commissioners, still residing at London, who desired that the marquis of Ormond would transport himself into Ireland, to try once more if he could compose the humors of that people to his majesty's obedience."—Id. ib.