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making particular compositions with the enemy, and the inhabitants submitting to pay them contributions, and that Cromwell could neither find subsistence nor recruits for his army, but from the provisions, children and servants of the Irish contributors, proposed to the bishops to issue out an excommunication against all that were guilty of those compliances and practices, which (he was persuaded) would leave Cromwell as weak an enemy as ever they had to deal with; few of his men being left that he had brought with him out of England. This, considering the effect which such censures unanimously denounced usually had upon the people, was likely to prove an effectual remedy to the evil, at least it was the only one that could be used; but the clergy declined it, reserving the exercise of their spiritual authority for more rebellious purposes.

The marquis of Ormond, seeing that they would do 122 nothing for saving the kingdom, and that it was not in his own power to do any thing for that end, whilst his authority was contemned and his commands disobeyed, communicated to the bishops the king's letter of Feb. 2, directing him in that case to withdraw himself and his authority. He represented to them on this occasion, the pains he had taken to remedy disorders, the propositions he had made, the orders he had given, and the neglect, disobedience, and affronts he had received, to which the rebels owed all their success. He told them, that having received so little effect of all the pains he had taken, and so il returns for all the affection he had shewed them, he resolved speedily to make use of the liberty the king had given him, as to his own person, which he found was rendered unacceptable to the people; yet if they could propose to him any way how he might deposit the king's authority in such a manner as it might not be exposed to the same affronts it had received in him, and might be

P B. B. 149, 276, 282, 289, and 196.

applied to the preserving of the people and the recovering of the kingdom, he should readily agree to it, and heartily wish they might receive that happiness by his absence which they could not have by his presence.

184 This assembly at Loghreagh was composed not only of the bishops, but of the principal nobility and the commissioners of trust; and though the former desired nothing so much as the lord lieutenant's departure, yet the latter were afraid it would throw them immediately into irremediable disorders and confusions. The bishops too wanted to have the king's authority left in the hands of a creature of their own, whom they were not yet ready to propose; and if the nation were left without any authority to govern it, the unavoidable consequence of such a state of anarchy would be a general submission to the English rebels, upon any conditions that private men could obtain. This made the whole body join on Apr. 30 in assuring his excellency "that they would with all care and earnestness labour not only to conserve in the people their good inclinations to the king's service, but if any person or place should be refractory or decline that obedience which was due to his majesty's authority, they would contribute their best endeavours to make them conformable to the same." In this address they

seemed to excuse, rather than express a resentment against, the behaviour of Limerick. The marquis of Ormond took occasion thence to tell them, "that they could not better evidence the sincerity of their professions, than by applying their endeavours (where such undeniable instances of refractoriness were given) in the immediate reducing of the city of Limerick to its due obedience; which would, by the influence of its example, put the whole kingdom upon exerting their good affections in defence of his majesty's and their own interest." He represented at large the fatal consequences of that refractoriness, first in Waterford, and afterwards in

185

Limerick, and told them, " if this last and all other cities and towns were not reduced to perfect obedience, and immediately put under a military government, (as the provinces of Leinster, Connaught, and Ulster already were,) and thereby into a condition of defence and offence, it would be a vain attempt to offer to oppose the strength and power of the rebels." Hereupon the assembly promised to renew their instances with that city to receive a garrison; which had been in vain solicited by sir R. Everard and Dr. Fennel, employed by the commissioners of trust for that purpose. The archbishop of Tuam and sir Lucas Dillon were now sent to further that negotiation with a city which was entirely governed by the directions of the clergy.

Upon these assurances the marquis of Ormond altered 123 his purpose of quitting the kingdom; and dismissed a frigate, which (at his great charge) he had bought and fitted for his transportation. The city pretended to desire colonel Piers Walsh to be sent to command their militia; which was accordingly done; but demurred about a garrison. They thought three thousand foot and three hundred horse, the number proposed, to be too great; they insisted they should be all Ulster men, (which would destroy the troops on foot at the charge of the province,) that the county of Clare should be set apart entirely for their pay and subsistence; that the town should be charged with no loans or levies on their account; that they should not be quartered within the city, but in huts without the walls, and be under the command of the bishop of Limerick, Hugh O'Neile, or Mortagh O'Bryen. The archbishop and sir L. Dillon returned with an imperfect account of their negotiation, yet such as afforded hopes that the city might be brought at last to more reason upon further endeavours, and the lord lieutenant's nearer residence. The marquis had but

9 B. B. 188, 246, 345, 349, 372, 384, 386.

186

small encouragement to that step, considering a tumult which happened at this time in Limerick. There was a Dutch ship in the river, on board of which he caused to be put two trunks of papers, which he was desirous to secure by sending abroad. It was given out that they were full of money, and Dominick Fanning gathering a parcel of young men about him in a riotous manner entered the ship, broke open and rifled the trunks. When instead of money, they found only papers, they desisted; but (what was of more dangerous consequence) took a solemn oath to stand by one another in justification of that action. The mayor had opposed them in the attempt, but in vain; and the day after the tumult he convened the town council, called before him the rioters, (who pretended ignorance of those trunks belonging to the lord lieutenant, and begged pardon for their offence,) and obliged them to disclaim their oath of combination, and to take a new one of obeying the lord lieutenant, and of doing nothing without the license of the magistrates. As these seemed to have no hand in the tumult, the marquis, to encourage the good inclinations they professed, removed to Clare, quartering the troops he had with him (one thousand seven hundred foot and three hundred and fifty horse) in the neighbourhood, with orders to be ready to draw to a rendezvous. He did this the rather, because Cromwell had at this time sent propositions to Limerick, offering them the free exercise of their religion, enjoyment of their estates, churches, and church-livings, a free trade and commerce, and no garrison to be pressed upon them, provided they would give a free passage to his forces through the city into the county of Clare.

"The marquis of Ormond visiting on June II some of his troops quartered within four miles of Limerick, and returning at night to Clare, received the next day a letter from the mayor, sent by two aldermen, signifying their

r B. B. 440, 442, 443, 457, 458, 460, 461, 464. C. C. 1

100.

187

expectations, that when he was so near the city he would have made it a visit; and desiring him "to step thither to settle the garrison there, which without his presence could not be so well done, or with that expedition their necessities required." The aldermen (to whom by the letter credence was to be given) boggling in their answers to some necessary questions, the marquis wrote to the mayor desiring satisfaction in some particulars, which if sent to the rendezvous the next day, he would visit the city, and employ his best endeavours to settle a garrison for their defence and satisfaction. The particulars he demanded were, "to be received in the manner and with such respects as lord lieutenants had heretofore always been; to have the command of the guards, the giving of the word and orders in the city; and that quarters should 124 be provided within the walls for such guards of horse and foot as he should carry in, who were to be part of the garrison, whereof a list should be given at the rendezvous." He went accordingly to the rendezvous, where the two aldermen met him, with an account that the city had consented to his proposals; except to that of the guards, which they were unwilling to admit. He sent them back with assurances," that his intent of coming with guards was not out of any mistrust of the magistrates' loyalty to the king, or affection to himself, but purely for the dignity of his place, and to prevent any popular tumult that might be raised by factious and desperate persons against him or the civil government of the city." And to take away all possibility of suspicion, he told them, "the guard he meant to take with him should consist but of one hundred foot and fifty horse, all Roman catholics, such as had constantly been of the confederacy, and were interested in all the benefits of the articles of the peace."

Not imagining that they could refuse so reasonable an overture, he advanced towards the city; but when he