others, I quickly found myfelf forfaken by moft of thofe who had received and proclaimed the peace and having not had, be. fore that time, fo much as intelligence of Owen O'Neile's march, though his way was clofe by Prefton, I conceived it then high time to look back towards my fmall party of foot, which I had left near Kilkenny; and accordingly, that night, I fent them orders to draw back towards Dublin; and, having myself marched all that night, the next day I quar tered with the horse five miles fhort of them, at a garrifon then in your majefty's power; but, having fresh intelligence that Owen. O'Neile marched faft on the left hand of us, a nearer way towards Dublin, I hastened, and, by long marches, came to Dublin on the thirteenth of September, having been forth about three weeks but neither in my march, going or coming, was there any violence offered to the country, nor was there any thing taken but what was paid for.

When we were come to Dublin, my lord Digby and I confidered what was then to be. done; and at laft determined to make appli-. cation to the parliament, upon conditions, and for reafons, to be otherwife imparted to your majefty.

Not long after my return to Dublin, I received letters from Sir Lucas Dillon and Dr. Gerard Fennel, who were employed for the clergy, giving an account of their negotiation, and their advices, which tending to a forbear

F 2

ance

ance of acts of hoftility, I took hold of; and, in my answer, did, in a manner, beg a ceffation, to the end that misunderstandings might be removed; and, if it were poffible, the peace might yet be fettled. But to this anfwer of mine there was no reply, nor fo much as any overture tending towards a looking into the former paffages, or reconciling of differences: but the next news I heard was of their drawing forces together; raifing of new; and, at length, of Owen O'Neile's fummoning your majefty's garrifons, taking fome upon conditions, and fome by force, and ufing great cruelty to thofe that refifted. Prefton was alfo drawing together his forces, but yet ufed no acts of hoftility.

Whereupon I wrote letters to them both, to know what was the end and ground of their proceedings: whereon they severally returned me anfwers, by which I could gather nothing but affurance, that they intended the taking of all your majesty's garrifons, and destruction of your majesty's fervant: and, though, by letters from colonel Fitz-Williams, I had fome information of Prefton's joining therein with Owen O'Neile, I could not believe, however his tender confcience might induce him to help us, though he was fufficiently engaged thereunto, that yet he would, contrary to so many proteftations, appear actively against us; and therefore expoftulated the matter with him in the beft and leaft offenfive manner I could: which produced no other answer than certain

certain unreasonable propofitions, whereunto I nevertheless returned a reasonable answer, defiring to be informed with whom I was to treat, and how they were authorised: whereunto I never had any reply; but, instead thereof, had fuch affurances that they fell to destroying your majefty's quarters, and at laft to the blocking up the city of Dublin; which, før mere want of powder, whereof there was. not, in his majefty's ftores, fourteen barrels, they had carried: if, upon fending commiffioners to treat with the parliament, according to what was refolved between my lord Digby and me, we had not gotten about thirty barrels from a fea-captain then in the bay of Dublin.

Whilst Preston and Owen O'Neile lay thus before the city, there arrived commiffioners from both houses of parliament, with power to treat, and with fupplies of men, money, and victuals; which, at fuch a time, being in want of food, and all neceffaries for defence, and blocked up by two ftrong armies, by whom we expected hourly to be affauited, they, thought I durft not refufe, upon what conditions foever offered; or, if I did, that your: majesty's army, and the inhabitants of Dublin, would rife against me. Yet they, wanting your majefty's directions for delivering unto them the places under your majefty's autho rity, and refufing to fuccour us upon any other terms, the treaty broke off; and they, with their

F 3

their men, were fent away greatly displeased

with me.

During the flay of thofe commiffioners at Dublin, began the treaty between my lord Clanricard and general Prefton, together with his officers; which, though I very much doubted, was drawn on, rather for fear of any agreement with the aforefaid commiffioners, and to break off my treaty with them, than out of any real intention or inclination to peace and quietness: yet, Preston and his of ficers having fo deeply and folemnly fworn to. ftand to the peace, and be thenceforth obedient to your majefly's authority, I fuffered myfelf to be perfuaded to undertake, and do, all things that by my lord Clanricard's engagement was expected from me, the receiving of a maftering power of Prefton's men in your majesty's garrifons excepted; which, by all means poffible was tried; though it was neither abfolutely agreed to by my lord Clanricard, nor by him preffed to be affented unto: which preffure of theirs, in that point, added. to my fufpicion, that all their profeflions were the effects of a contrivance between the nuncio and Preston, to procure an entrance into, and the maftery of, Dublin; as fince it hath appeared to be.

Yet ftill I refolved to drive them to a point, and being thereto invited by Prefton's agreement with, and letters to, my lord Clanricard, I marched out, in hopes of the conjunc

tion of his forces with thofe few I was able to bring, according to his engagement: but, being come within a day's march of the place af.. figned, I met with a letter from Preston to the marquis of Clanricard to this effect: that his officers, not being excommunication - proof, were deferted from him to the nuncio's party; and therefore he advifed me to proceed no farther, but expect the iffue of a general affembly, that was to be at Kilkenny on the tenth of January following, where he doubted not but things would be fet right by the confent of the whole kingdom; which would be much more for his majefty's fervice, than to attempt. the forcing of a peace upon those that were averse to it.

Though I was little fatisfied with that dif appointment, and feared that the power of the clergy had, to fruftrate a peace, concluded by virtue of the beft authority, any person in their cafe could delegate, would rather encrease than diminish by the time that was given them to work in; and though I could not apprehend how it could be poffible for me, in the mean time, to maintain the army; or, when it fhould come to want, to keep off the city, that would be raised for a new addreis to the. parliament, the Irish having fo often deceived us: yet, that they might be left without any excufe, I refolved, through all difficulties and hazards, to expect the iffae of that aflembly: but, for the cafe of our quarters, which were fo wafted by the enemy's lying before Dublin, and

F 4