demanded, in a fall council, Whether any man could offer a proposal more honourable for the king, or more advantageous to the nation, than that of a ceffation? None had any thing to offer, or could give information of any measures that had a probable appearance of fuccefs; and therefore a ceffation was neceffarily to be admitted as the only refource then remaining. The marquis was willing, however, that no poffibility of fufpicion fhould be left, that might fubject this part of his conduct to the imputation of cowardice, or inclination to gratify the rebels by conceffions. which might have been avoided; and therefore, to put a ftop for ever to all fuch infinuations, he made an offer, That, if the juftices and council, who were beft acquainted. with the condition of the ftate, could procure only ten thousand pounds, half in money, and half in victuals, he would ftill profecute the war, and endeavour to enlarge his quarters.

Upon this propofal, the mayor of Dublin, and fome of the most wealthy citizens, were required to attend, and confulted by what means fuch a fupply could be procured: but they declared their opinion, that no fuch levy could be made; and, that the country was too much exhaufted to be able to give any farther affiftance for its own prefervation. The marquis was therefore at full liberty to pursue. his own measures, and proceed to negotiate a ceffation.

It is not to be imagined, but that the rebels were fully fenfible of their own fuperiority, and were therefore not eafily to be perfuaded to fuch terms as it was fit to allow them; for it was neceflary for the government to maintain an air of fuperiority, even when its diftreffes could not but be known; and therefore! was not to be avoided, that many difficulties would arife which, between enemies of another kind, could not have happened,

About this time, arrived likewife a commiffioner from the pope, with a fupply of money and with ftores of war. Thefe added great weight to the influence which he exerted in oppofing the ceffation: but there were fill, in the army of the Papifts, men of great rank and reputation, who ftill retained their duty to the king, and who wished, with the utmost ardour,. to put a stop to the defolations of their country. Thefe men ftruggled very earnestly for the ceffation, and by their means, it was at last corcluded.

The articles were not ratified till the fifteenth of September; and, in the mean time, the Irish had not only gathered in the harvest almost without interruption, but had fre quently adventured by night into the other quarters, and reaped the corn, and carried it away: fo that the only juft complaint that could be made against the ceffation, was, that it was too long delayed; but that delay was unavoidable, where fo, many men, of

different

different interefts, opinions, and inclinations, were to be confulted.

This ceffation, however, while it hurt only the Papifts, whofe union it broke, and whofe ardour it relaxed, was reprefented by the enemies of the marquis, and not lefs by thofe of the king, as an unfeasonable conceffion; and loud clamours were raised, as if the proteftant intereft had been betrayed, and the nation given up by treaty.

This ceffation being thus concluded, the influence, fidelity, and diligence of the marquis of Ormond became fo confpicuous, that it was thought neceffary to confer upon him the lieutenancy of the kingdom; and he foon afterwards received the fword, and entered upon his office; not, indeed, with much hope of ferving his king, or of remedying many of the disorders. They had proceeded too far to give way to a government which was without any force to fupport it; which only a very fmall district profeffed to obey; and which had no advantage, but that of its legality. He had therefore this only comfort, that, tho' he could not do much, he could yet do more than any other man ; and, that what authority was yet maintained by his fovereign int Ireland, was the confequence of the reputation and influence of the lieutenant.

In the beginning of his lieutenancy, he was embarraffed with many difficulties, which cannot, in this place, be recounted.. He was to endeavour

endeavour to retain all, without having the means of recompencing any; and to command without the power of compulfion. There were few who thought their duty of fo much importance as to be preferable to their intereft; and undoubtedly many, if they were inclined to the right, were, in the diffraction of oppofite motives, unable to determine their own choice.

In the midft of thefe perplexing difturbances, it was hoped that he might fend fome affistance to the Royalifts; but armies could not be enlifted, nor tranfported, without pay and provifion; and he was unprovided with

money.

The Irish, during the quiet of the ceffation, by which fome defires of a fixed and lasting peace could not but be excited, fent commiffioners to Oxford to treat with the king; but, at first, propofed conditions which could not, without reproach, be made the foundation of a treaty; and on which; therefore, no conference was allowed. They foon discovered that they had required more than could be granted; and therefore, in a few days, moderated their demands, infifting only on the abrogation of the penal laws against recufants; the rights of enjoying pofts and offices in the government; the exclufon from the parliament of all perfons who had not estates in the kingdom of Ireland; and a general act of oblivion which should fecure both perfon and eftate.

To

To thefe, feveral other propofitions were added, of lefs importance, or lefs extenûve in their confequences: upon which the treaty of peace was wholly referred to the marquis of Ormond, who was more acquainted than they with the condition of Ireland; and whose perfonal influence on many of the commiffioners might enable him to reafon with more im mediate reference to their particular opinions and defiges, and to suggest motives more likely to operate upon their minds than general arguments.

His knowledge, likewife, of the affairs of the kingdom, which was under his govern→ ment, would give him opportunity of diftinguifhing between the propofitions of more or lefs importance, and of the confequences which might be hoped or feared from any grant or denial. There were not, indeed, reafons wanting for throwing the burthen of this treaty upon the lord-lieutenant; but most of the arguments which inclined the council at Oxford to chufe him for the task, were of equal weight to determine him against the undertaking and the event of this treaty gave the lieutenant new conviction of the impoffibility of a valuable fervice to be performed by him; and, as it was natural to defire, that it might appear from equal failures in others, that his impotence was not the effect of negligence, or want of dexterity; and, as he foon grew weary of a poit in which he found nothing but the name of authority, and the pomp

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