Page images
PDF
EPUB

condemned also, but having been born abroad, O'Neil claimed exemption; he and Barron were heard in their own defence. O'Neil, who had earned the wrath of Ireton for his magnificent defence of Clonmel, stated that the war had been long on foot when he came over; that he came on the invitation of his countrymen-that he had been always a fair enemy--that he had not encouraged resistance when there was no hope of their being able to hold out-and that therefore the articles did not apply to him when they condemned those who stated there should be no surrender. He declared that he faithfully delivered up the keys of the city, with all the arms, ammunition and provisions, without complaint, and his own person also to Ireton. All this did not appease the tyrant, but it moved the other members of the court so much, that they voted for his acquittal.

Again O'Neil was tried, and again sentence of death was passed upon him; but Ireton seeing the dissatisfaction of the officers more unequivocally expressed, he no longer adhered to his own opinion, and the matter being referred again to the consideration of the Court, they, by their third vote consented to save his life. Geoffrey Barron, having the same questions put to him, he stated that it was not just to exclude him from mercy, because he had been engaged in the same cause that Ireton pretended to fight for, which was for the liberty and religion of his country. Ireton replied that Ireland being a conquered country, England might with justice assert her rights of conquest that they had been treated by the late government far beyond their merit or the rules of reason, notwithstanding which they had barbarously murdered all the English who fell into their hands, robbed them of their goods, which they had gained by their industry, and taken away the lands which they had purchased with their money-that touching the point of religion there was a wide difference also between them, they contending for their right without imposing their opinions on others-whereas Geoffry Barron's party were not, as Ireton fiercely alleged, content without compelling all others to submit to their impositions upon pain of death! The council of war, hearing these statements, adjudged death against Barron, and he was sentenced and died; Fennel also, and four and twenty better men were led to the scaffold. Ireton's death was an acknowledged divine vengeance.2

Sir Hardress Waller was now made governor of the city of Limerick.

a tedious confinement, even to these last times of the persecutions he fulfilled the duties of his ministry, with indefatigable zeal, and stoutly opposed himself as a bulwark in defence of the authority of the Apostolic See. At length, being arrested at Limerick, about the very time of the oblation of the unbloody sacrifice, after some hours, having received sentence of death, he was brought into court, and having made a profession of the Catholic faith in the hearing of all, he exhorted the faithful to constancy in preserving the faith of their fathers. Placed on the upper step of a ladder, and presently about to be thrown off, he cheerfully exclaimed, "We have been made a show unto God, angels, and men-to God, may he himself grant, for glory-to angels, for joy-to men, for contempt"-after saying which, being immediately hung from the gibbet, he breathed his last.-From O'Heyne's Chronological Epilogue.

1 Castlehaven says that no more than ordinary justice was done in this instance to Fennell; he adds, "Some say he was carried to Cork, and there pleaded for his defence, not only the service he did Ireton in betraying Limerick, but how he had betrayed Castlehaven before Youghal ! However, (adds Castlehaven) his judges would not hear him on his merits, but bid him clear himself of the murders laid to his charge." No one can regret the fate of Fennell, terrible though it was.

Ireton was called the "Scribe" from his skill in drawing up declarations, petitions and ordinances. His antagonists allow him to be an able, but not a virtuous statesman, indeed he appears to have been the most artful, designing and deliberate man of his party. He was buried in Henry VII's chapel Westminster, but his body, after the restoration, was exhumed, gibbeted and burnt at Tyburn.-Noble's Memoirs of the Cromwell Family.

While the storm raged in all its fury, there were twenty thousand communicants within the walls of Limerick. The whole city put on the garb of penitential sorrow in order to draw down the blessings of heaven on the suffering patriots who braved the bribe, the sword, famine and pestilence. Laws were established by the citizens against cursing and swearing; and crime of every kind was banished. The plague daily felled its victims; among them was O'Dwyer, brother to the bishop, who exposed his life, going among the dying poor, with the Vincentian Fathers consoling and relieving them. Many, after the surrender, were cruelly massacred, merely for their faith.2 Mr. Thomas Stritch, on terminating a spiritual retreat, had been elected mayor, and ever after proving himself a devoted friend to Ireland and her faith, on receiving the keys of the city he laid them at the feet of the Blessed Virgin's statue, praying her to receive the city under her protection, whilst at the same time, as an act of homage, all public guilds marched with banners flying to the church. Stritch addressed the assembly, calling on them to be faithful to God, to the church, and to the king, and stated his readiness to accept the martyr's crown, which he received soon afterwards, together with three others who had been his companions on the spiritual retreat. Sir Patrick Purcell, who is called by Father Anthony Bruodin, in his Descriptio Regini Hiberniæ, "the most illustrious Vice-general of all Munster, a noble-hearted and most accomplished warrior, for in Germany, under Ferdinand, acquired an immortal renown, combating against Sweden and France." After his execution by the rope his head was cut off, and exposed on a stake over St. John's Gate. Geoffrey Barron, who was envoy to the king of France for the Confederate Catholics, was beheaded and quartered, after he was hanged. We have already spoken of Dominick Fanning. Daniel O'Higgin, M.D., " a wise and pious man," who also was led to the scaffold, and Father Laurence Walsh is spoken of as having likewise suffered.4

The disgraceful treaty on which the city was surrendered, is couched in these terms:

Articles agreed on the 27th day of October, 1651, between Henry Ireton, the Deputy General; and Barth. Stackpoole, Recorder of Limerick; Alderman Dominick White; Nich. Haly, Esq.; Lieutenant-Colonel Pierce Lacy, Lieutenant-Colonel Donough O'Brien, and John Baggot, Esq., Commissioners on behalf of the Mayor and Inhabitants.

I. That the city and castle, and all places of strength, be delivered to the Deputy General on the 29th instant, by sunset, for the use of the Parliament and Commonwealth of England, for performance whereof, the said Dominick White, Pierce Lacy, Donough O'Brien, and Nicholas Haly shall remain as hostages.

1 Abelly, p. 212.

2 Abelly, p. 218.

3 We perceive by the diary of Dr. Thomas Arthur, that he attended several respectable citizens, including some of his own name, who had been labouring under the plague. We find that he attended Colonel Henry Ingoldsby, who fared so well in consequence of these wars, for a scorbutic affection, and that he received a fee of £1 on the first occasion and £4 afterwards.

4"An eye witness to the unheard of cruelties to which the prisoners were subjected," by Morison in his Phrenodia Hiberna Catholica (Oenoponti 1659) corroborates Bruodin as to these facts, many more of which could be adduced; so many as to cause St. Vincent de Paul to cry out, "that the blood of these martyrs will not be forgotten before God, and sooner or later will produce an abundant harvest of Catholicity.”*

* Abelly, p. 220.

II. In consideration of which, all persons now in the city shall have their
lives and properties, except the following, who opposed and restrained the
deluded people from accepting the conditions so often offered to them :-
Major-General Hugh O'Neil, Governor,
Major-General Purcell,
Sir Geoffrey Galway,
Lieut.-Colonel Lacy,
Captain George Woulfe,
Captain-Lieutenant Sexton,

Edmund O'Dwyer, Bishop of Limerick,
Terence O'Brien, Bishop of Emly,
John Quin, a Dominican Friar,
Captain Laurence Walsh, a Priest,
Francis Woulfe, a Friar,

Philip Dwyer, a Priest,

Alderman Dominick Fanning,

Alderman Thomas Stritch,

Alderman Jordan Roche,

Edmund Roche, Burgess,
Sir Richard Everard,

Dr. Higgin,

Maurice Baggot, Baggotstown,
and Geoffry Barron.

In addition were Evans, a Welsh soldier and another deserter.

III. All officers, soldiers and other persons in the city, shall have liberty to remove themselves, their families and property to any part of Ireland. IV. All citizens and inhabitants shall have liberty to stay in the city, until they get warning to depart.

V. All persons now in the city, except those mentioned in the third article, who desire to live peaceably and submit to the Parliament of England, shall be protected in any part of the kingdom.

These indeed, were disgraceful articles to submit to, but where the blame lies, there let it be for ever branded in characters not to be erased!

1 Dr. Arthur mentions among those whom he professionally attended soon after the surrender :

Edward Pyersy, Quarter-Master General of the horse

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

£ s. d. 00 10 0 00 10 0 00 10 0

[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

The above Skinner on several separate occasions afterwards,

for which he received the same fee each time of

[ocr errors]

00 10 00

00 10 00

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]

The town of Galway fell soon after the surrender of Limerick. Before these latter events Ludlow proceeded on an expedition to Clare, with 2000 foot and 1500 horse, arriving at Inchegronan, within fifteen miles of Limerick. Clare castle and Carrigaholt fell. He returned to Limerick by Burren," of which it is said" (says Ludlow1), "that it is a country where there is not water enough to drown a man, wood enough to hang one, or earth enough to bury him, which last is so scarce that the inhabitants steal it from one another, and yet their cattle is very fat, for the grass growing on the "turfts" of earth two or three feet square, that lie between the rocks, which are on limestone, is very sweet and nourishing."

On this occasion Ludlow visited Lemenagh castle, and had an interview with Lady Honora O'Brien, daughter to the late Earl of Thomond-who, being accused of protecting the cattle of the neighbouring people, was upbraided by Ireton, who said, "as much a cynic as I am, the tears of this woman moved me.”3

CHAPTER XXVIII.

CONFISCATION.-OPPRESSIVE TAXATION ON THE CITIZENS. -FEARFUL BURDENS.-FLEETWOOD.

WE pass for a while from the city and its concerns, to a view of events elsewhere. The Parliament of England now began to concert measures for "the final settlement and administration of Ireland." Lambert was appointed successor to Ireton. Ultimately, however, Lambert resigned, and Fleetwood, who had married Ireton's widow, was appointed in his place. Two acts relative to Ireland were debated in Parliament-one for the confiscation of all the lands of 'the rebels; another for adjusting the claims of adventurers, i.e. those Englishmen and others who had ventured money advances in the war. Among those specially excepted from life and estate, the Marquis of Ormond, who was unable to play the double game with the Parliamentarians, Lord Inchiquin, Bramhal, the Protestant Bishop of Derry, a man peculiarly obnoxious to the republicans, were distinctly named.

Early in the Spring of 1652, an edict was issued that the Catholic clergy should quit the kingdom under capital penalties. By this nefarious enactment it was decreed, "that every Romish Priest was deemed guilty of rebellion, and sentenced to be hanged until he was half dead; then to have

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Several similar entries are made in the Diary of Dr. Arthur, respecting his attendance on the Parliamentary officers, &c., all of whom appear to have paid him very liberally and punctually, and many of whom suffered not only from scurvy, but from cholera morbus, wounds, pestilence, &c.

Ludlow's Memoirs.

2 To this day Lemenagh castle shows that it had been in the days when it was occupied by the O'Briens-a truly noble baronial residence.

Ludlow's Memoirs.

his head cut off and his body divided in quarters; his bowels to be drawn out and burnt, and his head fixed upon a pole in some public place. The punishment of those who entertained a Priest was by the same enactment, confiscation of their goods and chattels, and the ignominious death of the gallows." The same fine was set upon the head of a priest as upon the head of a wolf, (five pounds.) Morrison here quoted, declares that "neither the Israelites were more cruelly persecuted by Pharaoh, nor the innocent infants by Herod, nor the Christians by Nero, or any of the other Pagan tyrants, than were the Roman Catholics at this fatal juncture." In Limerick this edict was promulgated by the local governors, who acted on behalf of the Commonwealth. So fierce an ukase had a direful effect as might be expected, on those Catholics who had remained in the city, and who hoped they could follow the profession of their faith without hindrance, as long as they did not interfere with the progress of the Puritans, who now filled every office. Bearing badly the tyrannical mandate, they requested Dr. Arthur, whose influence was extensive with those in power, that he would place their deplorable case before the authorities in Dublin. They felt sore at heart to think that they should be without the ministrations of their Pastors. Dr. Arthur states, that he undertook the duty with zeal and earnestness-he does not acquaint us with the result, no doubt he was unsuccessful; he adds however, that he arrived in Dublin on the 6th of February, that he remained till the 15th of August, and that he received a sum of £82 15s. for professional services rendered while there.

The money levies on the citizens, for the exigencies of the Puritan army and the requirements of the new government after the surrender, were literally enormous. They would be incredible if they were not vouched for by indisputable data. Under the new regime the citizens of Limerick had no reason indeed to congratulate themselves.

1 Arthur MSS.

• Dr. Arthur's account of what he was called upon to pay, and for what purpose, is in his own hand-writing (Arthur MSS.), from which I extract the following particulars :

1651, of the first cess levied after the surrender I payed
1652, of the second levy I payed Thos. Fitzwm. Fanning
1652, for fyer to the gardes delivered to Ptk. Fitzjames Whyte
1652, for fyer and candle light to the said gardes delivered to Thos.
Fanning
1652, for lodging moneys to the guarrizon delivered to Thos. Fanning
1652, for the Poore and losses of the bill to Thos. Fanning
1652, for a leviye then made

[merged small][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

...

[ocr errors]

...

1652, for a leviye then made

[ocr errors]

...

[ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

...

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][merged small]

1652, for some arrears due of the said former leivye
1652, for a levy then made delivered to Thomas Woulfe
1652, for a levy then made and for fyer and candlelight
1652, for fyer and candlelight

...

[ocr errors]

Decembris,

£7 10 0

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Aprilis,
May,

5 17 6

0 13 4

• Junii, 7 Junii,

4 02 0

0 10 0

9o Julii,

4 00 0

30 Julii,

[ocr errors][merged small]

3o Augustii,

...

[blocks in formation]
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Septembris, 1652, for fyer and candlelight
Septembris, 1652, for skynnes recovered against the Corporation
1652, for a levy then made, delivered to Thomas Woulfe
1652, for stocks and skavengers
1652, for the new gate of St. John's

...

...

4 00 0

[ocr errors]

3 00 0

[ocr errors]

3 06 8

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

...

0 03 0

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

1 0 0

[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

for fyer and candlelight to Clement Stackpol
1653, for a levy then made and delivered to Wm. Meroney
1653, for fyer and candlelight to the citadells for 3 months
1653, for that moneth's contribution to Wm. C. Meroney
1653, for that moneth's contribution, payed to Wm. Meroney
1653, for that moneth's C. payed to Wm. Meroney

...

...

0 3 4

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »