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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 majesty's obedience, feemed more chearfully than before, to affift his majesty's authority in oppofing the rebels; and to disavow and difclaim any treaty with them, though formerly inclined, if not refolved."

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Upon this change in the temper of the people, the deputy s "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 highnefs'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."

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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."

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С НА Р. XVII.

The treaty with the Duke of Lorrain confidered.

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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 Irish clergy, then at Bruffels, to agree to the terms propofed by the Duke of Lorrain, rather than break off the treaty; for which the deputy severely 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.b “For,

The Duke of Lorrain had, in the year 1645, fhewn fo great a propenfity to affift his majefty, 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 highnefs'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 thefe 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 feen. To the above mentioned procurators for the clergy, were afterwards added, Hugh O'Reilly, Archbishop of Armagh; Thomas Fleming, Archbishop of Dublin; Edmund Dempfy, Bifhop 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 instructions, 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 majefty directed her letters to Sir Nicholas Plunkett and Geoffry Brown, Efq; willing them to give credit to Lord Taaffe, in what he should relate unto them concerning that affair. By Lord Taaffe they understood, that her Majefty, the Duke of York, and Lord Lieutenant wifhed his highnefs would undergo the charge; and that he fhould 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 wished undone; and for what remained to produce new and further fupplies, it was left to the agreement that fhould be made with his agent, by the VOL. II. Marquis

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1 Clanrick. Memoirs, p. 131.

3 Id. ib. p. 77.

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

351.

Marquis of Clanrickard, affifted by fuch as the late general affembly had appointed; who, as they were beft judges of their own condition, fo they had free liberty from his majefty, in cafe of high neceffity, to endeavour their own prefervation, even by receiving conditions from the rebels, which must be much more contrary to his interefts, than 'to receive them from any other, almost upon any terms." He afterwards reminds his lordship,' "that he had already made his application, where the king commanded he fhould, and that fo he was fairly quit of the mat

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3 Clanrick. Memoirs.

The king himself, in a letter to Lord Clanrickard, condescended to apologize for these commissioners. For, after having told that lord, "that they excused their having consented to this treaty with the Duke of Lorrain, only by the remediless neceffities they then conceived Ireland to be in, and the abfolute defpair they had to procure a present supply by any other means," he informs him," that they kept both parts of the articles in their hands, till his pleasure should be known; and that they had not, in that transaction, any purpose of undutifulness or disrespect towards him, which," adds his majefty, "we are willing to believe, and graciously accept their future fervice; and we recommend them to your good opinion and favour, to the end, that upon their application to you, you may receive them into the fame place of confidence and efteem, you have formerly had of them, and use their advice and service as heretofore." Clanrick. Mem. Dub. ed. p. 120.

And in a letter to the Duke of Lorrain himself, after the treaty was broken off, his majefty fays, " he believed thofe offers which the commiffioners made him in that treaty, proceeded rather from the fmart, anguifh and defpair thofe gentlemen felt; and from the languishing and gafping condition of their miserable country, than from their want of affection and duty to him, and his interests." Ib. p. 123.

The king in a letter to Lord Taaffe, from Johnstone, January 2d, 1650, ufes these words, relative to this treaty with the Duke of Lorrain. "The ways here for my affairs in Ireland being obftructed, I have heretofore entreated the queen to take that care upon her; and if therefore the shall direct you in any thing, you may fafely follow her advice and direction, and have my confent to it." Id. ib. p. 76.

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This is the true state of that negociation for the Duke of Lorrain's affiftance and protection. But we will fuppofe, for a moment, the common invidious representation of it to be just, namely, "that the ca tholics of Ireland, when theirs and the king's forces were almost entirely reduced, invited the Duke of Lorrain over, engaging, upon his appearing among them with his forces, to deliver up the whole island into his hands, and declare him their fovereign." I fay, even supposing this to have been the cafe, let the candid and impartial judge, from the difmal fituation of these catholics at that juncture of time, whether a better or more justifiable project could have been thought E 2

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Thefe commiffioners, in their apology obferve," that to encourage them farther, and to take off all fcruples (in concluding the treaty), as well concerning the power, as the willingness of those who were next in truft to his majesty in the affairs of Ireland, Lord Taaffe fhewed us two feveral letters; one from his majesty, intimating, that he referred the affairs of Ireland to his mother, the queen; and the other from the lord lieutenant to Lord Taaffe, approving his treaty with his highness." Id. ib. p. 134.

e The Duke of Lorrain's proposals were: That he should be declared and acknowledged, protector of Ireland; and that fome towns should be put into his hands, and garrisoned by his own troops, as fecurity for the re-payment of the money he fhould expend in recovering the kingdom from the English rebels. To the latter of these propofals Lord Clanrickard and the Marquis of Ormond, principally objected, although Ormond himself, in a letter to his majesty, in the year 1649, told him, "that if money to support the Irish war against the Englifh rebels could not be got otherwise than by giving fome of his majesty's sea-towns or ports in Ireland, as caution for the re-payment of what fum his majesty could borrow, he humbly conceived that condition was not to be stuck at." Carte's Collect. of Orm. Orig. Papers, vol. ii. p. 400.

And on the 11th of February, in the fame year, Secretary Nicholas wrote to the Marquis of Ormond in these words: "Your excellency, I conceive, will do well to advertise his majefty, whether there be any ftrong towns or places in Ireland that may be fit and conveniently engaged as caution, to fuch as will lend his majesty money for the recovery of Ireland." Id. ib. vol. i. p. 344.

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