latter a rebel and a traitor; and upon entering into a treaty of peace with the marquis, they drew up a charge against the former," representing the manifold oppreffions, tranfcendent crimes, and capital offences, which he had been continually, for three years Fast, acting within the kingdom, to the unfpeakable detriment of their religion, the ruin of the nation, and the dishonour of the See of Rome." This heavy accufation met with no oppofition, even from fuch ecclefiaftics as were prefent in that affembly. "It feems exceedingly strange to me," fays the Nuncio himself,' in a letter to Cardinal Panzirolo on this occafion, "that although there were eight bishops prefent in this affembly, which offered fuch violence to my authority, and paffed an order, that none fhould hereafter obey my commands, not one of them did protest or declare against it, or depart from the place in which it was held; or even make an apology, by a letter to his Holinefs, or myself, for their conduct; affirming only, that therein they followed the example of thofe of Portugal, b 2 Cart. Orm. vol. iii. 3 Nuncio's Memoirs. though obliged to furrender upon honourable terms, yet his defence gained him the reípect, even of his enemy. Experience had formed him to an able and skilful soldier; quick in difcerning, diligent in improving any advantage offered by the enemy; more circumfpect than enterprizing; of a genius peculiarly fuited to defence, and excellent at protracting a war; qualities of efpecial ufe in that fervice which he was now to undertake. His knowledge of the world, his prudence, his fobriety and caution, appeared to greater advantage, as they were contrafted by the ignorance and rudenefs, the intemperance and levity of Sir Phelim. To the fecret mortification of this his kinfman, Owen was unanimously declared by the northern Irish, head and leader of their confederacy." Carte's Orm. Lel. vol. iii. p. 178. b There were in this affembly, "two archbishops, ten bishops, three earls, twelve viscounts, feven barons, twenty baronets, the principal gentlemen out of the three provinces of Leinster, Munster, and Connaught, befides fome of the chief nobility of Ulfter." Bishop of Ferns's Lett. to the Nuncio. Vindic. Catholic. p. 180. Portugal, who drove Cardinal Palotto out of the kingdom, and imprifoned his auditor." With the above mentioned charge, Sir Richard Blake, chairman of the affembly, fent him notice, by their order, that there was a declaration and proteftation preparing against him, which were to be fent to his Holinefs, to the end that his lordship might prepare for his journey, and for his defence; and that, in the mean time, he should not intermeddle, by himfelf or any of his inftruments, directly or indirectly, with the affairs of the nation, on the penalty which might enfue, by the law of God and nations." c C The Nuncio, accordingly, left Ireland on the 23d of February following, to the great joy of the principal nobility and gentry, and the most refpectable ecclefiaftics of the kingdom. Yet while he was preparing for his departure, the lord lieutenant fent him a private meffage, by two of his particular friends, the Bishop of Ferns and Nicholas Plunkett, Efq; "that if he would then,' at parting, take off his excommunication, and difpofe the people to an abfolute obedience to the peace, and the king's authority, he fhould not only receive all poffible civility from him, at his departure from Ireland, but that he would make a very advantageous mention of him to the queen, whofe diftreffed condition," he faid, "would certainly gain fome credit to her at Paris, if it was not worse than London." But the Nuncio did not wait their coming; for on the night before, he went to fea in his own frigate, 4 Cart. Orm. B 2 s Id. ib. vol. ii. fol. 55. "Notwithstanding this meffage, he remained four whole months afterwards in the kingdom; and then left it of his own accord, and without any further meffage from the general affembly, when things feemed to be inclining to fome kind of peaceableness between thofe of his party, and the other confederate catholics." Vindic. Catholic. in Hib. p. 174. "The court of Rome," fays Mr. Carte," though it was contrary to their maxims to fix a public mark of cenfure on the conduct of their minifters, difapproving his conduct, fent him orders to make hafte thither." Orm. vol. ii. fol. 56. frigate, and, on the 2d of March, landed at St. Vaaft, in the Lower Normandy. At his return to Rome, he was but coldly received by the Pope; and after having been told," " that he had carried himself rafhly in Ireland," inftead of being honoured with a cardinal's hat, as he expected, he was banished to his bifhoprick, and principality of Fermo; which he found in a distracted condition, by just fuch another infurrection of the people against their viceroy, as he had himself raised and fomented against the king's lieutenant in Ireland. These difappointments of his own, and the distractions of his people, affected him fo fenfibly, that he foon after died of grief. To what defperate courfes General O'Nial was driven, by the affembly's proclaiming him a rebel and a traitor, fhall be hereafter related. с CHA P. II. His excellency treats of a peace with the confederate catholics. THE lord lieutenant' being invited to Kilkenny, by the general affembly, October the 28th, in order to a more expeditious fettling of the points in dispute, made his entry into that city in a splendid manner; having been met at fome diftance from it by the whole body of the affembly, and by all the nobility, clergy, and gentry in the neighbourhood. He was received into the town by the mayor and aldermen, with all those ceremonies and honours, which fuch corporations ufed to pay to the fupreme authority of the kingdom, and was lodged in his own caftle, with all his own guards about him." • Walfh's Hift. of the Irish Remonftrance. I Cart. Orm. vol. ii. f. 45. The "The malice and headiness of Owen O'Nial and his party afterwards, was as much, and in truth more, against the confederate Irish, than the king." Borl. Irish Rebel. f. 269. The next day after his arrival at Kilkenny, his excellency entered into a treaty of peace with the general affembly; and after he had advanced fo far in it, as that, "he thought," he had good grounds to hope it would be speedily concluded, upon the conditions he was empowered to give them, he found it fuddenly interrupted by a very dangerous mutiny, raised by fome leading officers in Lord Inchiquin's army, who endeavoured, not only to hinder the conclusion of the peace, but also to incline those under them to a treaty and fubmiffion to the English parliament." On this occafion, it was thought neceffary by his excellency and Lord Inchiquin, to fufpend the conclufion of the peace," in fuch a manner,' as might induce the mutineers to believe it would be wholly laid afide for their fatisfaction." On the other hand, the article concerning the free exercise of religion, was not yet adjusted to the fatisfaction of the affembly; fome of the clergy having much higher expectations, in that refpect, than others thought fit to be infifted on. "This was the only point, in which there was danger of the treaty's breaking up unfinished, it being very difficult to give content therein to the Roman catholics, without at the fame time disgusting the protestants." But an incident happening at this juncture, united the differing parties in that affembly, and greatly accelerated the peace. Some copies of the remonftrance of the independent army in England, which had publicly avowed their defign of fubverting every thing, that had been hitherto known for government in these nations, were then brought to Kilkenny, and read with universal abhorrence. This s immediately removed all the difficulties which fome of the Roman catholics, in zeal for their religion, had thrown in the way of the peace. The general affembly receded from their demands in that point. And on the 28th of December, upon confideration of his majesty's present condition, and their own hearty defires, 2 Carte's Orm. vol. iii. 3 Ib. + Id. ib. vol. ii. f. 43. fires, fays Mr. Carte, of spending their lives and fortunes, in maintaining his rights and interefts, they refolved unanimoufly, to accept of the Marquis of Ormond's answer to their propofitions for religion. "That defperately wicked remonftrance," fays the marquis himself," "whatever mischief it may do, hath yet done this good, that it put us quite from all difputes upon the neceffity of conditions, and was no fmall caufe of the speedy, and I hope, happy conclufion of the peace. " D CHA P. III. The peace of 1648 concluded and proclaimed. ON the 17th of January, 1648,' the general affembly repaired to the prefence of the lord lieutenant in his castle at Kilkenny, and there, with all folemnity imaginable, prefented to him, fitting on a throne of state, the articles of the peace, by the hands of Sir Richard Blake, their chairman, which he received; and having confirmed them, on his majesty's behalf, caused them to be publicly proclaimed. Nine Roman catholic bishops, present in the affembly, joined, the next day, "This agreement," fays Borlafe, "paffed with that miraculous confent and unity, that in the whole affembly, in which there were (nine) catholic bishops, there was not one diffenting voice." Irish Rebel. f. 260. a While the Marquis of Ormond was treating, at Kilkenny, with the confederates on the peace of 1648, the English parliament having had notice of it from Colonel Jones, ordered their commiffioners treating with Charles in the Isle of Wight, to prevail upon him to difavow it. "Whereupon his majefty fignified, that in case other things were compofed by the treaty (with the parliament) the concerns of Ireland should be left wholly to the houfes." And in the interim wrote to Ormond, "to require him to defist from any further proceedings in that peace." Borl. ib. fol. 259. |